Mark Crilley's _Akiko on the Planet Smoo_ is one of those rare gems that both children and adults can enjoy. The story chronicles the adventures of fourth-grader Akiko, as she journeys to the far-off planet Smoo to rescue a missing prince.

The strength of the book lies in Crilley's portrayal of the main and supporting characters. Each one has a specific and different motivation and perspective, but they surprisingly complement each other well, from bookish Mr. Beeba, to swashbuckling Spuckler; from the mysterious Poog to the robot Gax; and especially little Akiko's relationship to them all.

The author does a good job making this text accessible to younger readers as well as veterans of fantasy fiction. Seeing the story through the eyes of Akiko helps the reader to identify with her situation, and with her important mission. Be aware, though, that the book is only the first part in a much larger story arc.

If you enjoy the fantasy storytelling stylings of JK Rowling's _Harry Potter_ series, you should find _Akiko on the Planet Smoo_ a delightful excursion, as well.

I borrowed this book from my little brother, not really knowing what to expect. I was really surprised. Despite it's major potential for being the world's cheesiest book series, the Akiko books are really funny and the characters are all fun to read about. My favorite is Poog (the mysterious, purple, and perpetually-floating spherical alien). This book tells the story of the fourth grader Akiko being whisked off to a strange planet to rescue the Prince Froptoppit from his evil captor, Alia Rellapor while accompanied by her new friends Spuckler, Gax, Poog, and Mr. Beeba. Believe me, it's not as corny as it sounds. Akiko On the Planet Smoo would be a great book to read to a 2nd or 3rd grade class. I also highly recommend the Akiko comic books.

"Akiko on the Planet Smoo" is the kind of children's book that succeeds in doing what all my favorite books did for me when I was a kid: it transports the reader into a strange and exciting new world, and stimulates the imagination with unique characters and fantastic situations. Also like my favorite children's books, "Akiko on the Planet Smoo" keeps the reader grounded by using an "ordinary" kid (in this case, a fourth-grade Earth girl named Akiko) as the narrator. As in "The Wizard of Oz" and "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," the fantasy elements in "Akiko on the Planet Smoo" become somehow more realistic when seen through the eyes of someone who's used to a normal life on planet Earth. The author, Mark Crilley, does an excellent job of vividly describing the action from a kid's perspective. I felt like I was standing right beside Akiko when she met King Froptoppit and the rest of her rescue party pals (the bookish Mr. Beeba is my personal favorite, with the enigmatic floating head known as Poog coming in at a close second). Thanks to Mr. Crilley's skillful handling of the material, floating cars, Sky Pirates and robots all make perfect sense while on the planet Smoo, no matter how unbelievable they might seem here on Earth.

But honestly, the best part about "Akiko on the Planet Smoo" is not initially noticeable to the casual reader. Mr. Crilley has provided a message that's invaluable to kids: they don't have to be grown-ups to make a difference. Akiko is a shy girl who isn't eager to take on too many responsibilities. When she gets whisked away to the planet Smoo and put in charge of a rescue party, she's convinced there must be some kind of mistake. She's no leader and has no idea how she's supposed to go about rescuing the Prince of Smoo. If it were up to her, she wouldn't even accept the job, but fortunately for her (and for us!), the King doesn't really give her much of a choice. As the story progresses, Akiko learns that she's capable of ALL KINDS of things, including the capability to be an excellent leader. Now, Mr. Crilley certainly doesn't bang his readers over the head with this lesson. He's mostly interested in telling a good story, not preaching self-sufficiency to kids. The moral just helps to insure that "Akiko on the Planet Smoo" will reach the status of "classic" long after most contemporary children's books disappear into oblivion.

So, if you're looking for something to read to your kids, or if you're looking for a way to relive your childhood, "Akiko on the Planet Smoo" is the book for you. Mr. Crilley is a real pro. He succeeded in making me relive parts of my childhood I'd all but forgotten; and that's a good thing, because they were some of the BEST parts I risked losing. I can't wait to read the next book in the series!

(By the way, if you like Mr. Crilley's illustrations in this book, I would highly recommend picking up his "Akiko" graphic novels, which this book is based on. They're available at this website, too!)

This second in the Akiko series is a pleasure in that it features a strong female figure as protagonist, a rarity in fiction for this age group. Yet just as the Harry Potter series appeals to girls despite the fact that its main character is a boy, my son enjoyed this book, and the previous one, even though Akiko is a fourth grade girl. The story is not particularly original, with parts reminding me of Star Wars, Gulliver's Travels, and The Wizard of Oz, but it kept my son's attention and made him want to read on.

Akiko, Mr. Beeba, Poog, Spuckler, and Gax return for another chapter in their quest to rescue the kidnapped Prince Froptoppit from the clutches of Alia Rellapor.

With characters and situations based on his long-running Comic Book Akiko, Writer/Illustrator Mark Crilley does a good job of presenting the reader with the information they may have missed by not reading the first book, but also manages to keep the plot moving forward. He also seems to be getting his children's-book writing chops built up, as I thought this book had a much better style than the first one. The art is great too; simple, yet detailed. The characters are fun, and the story is pretty gentle, so younger readers shouldn't find anything too scary.

This book continues where the first in this series of 4 left off: Earth-born fourth-grader Akiko and her interstellar adventurer friends are on an exciting mission to rescue a young prince who has been kidnaped by the story's as-yet-unseen villain, Alia Rellapoor. Akiko's journey takes her to the Sprubly Islands (hence the title), where she must confront the Sprubly monarch, Queen Pwip, for help in their quest. But danger and surprises lurk in the Sprubly Islands, and Akiko finds herself in an amazing adventure before she realizes it.

Mark Crilley, the author and illustrator of the Akiko novels (and comic from which the novels derive), is in better shape with this second book of the series, mostly because the necessary exposition has already been dealt with in book one. The plot flows quickly, and there is plenty of excitement to keep the story moving, without being too frightening for young children. Being part of a series may make the story hard to follow for those who don't know the story, but there is enough adventure and great storytelling moments to amuse even newcomers.

This book can be enjoyed as a group read with children (there are enough pictures and descriptions to captivate a young audience), or for solo readers who can handle a third- or fourth-grade reading level.