Spaced out

Review by Booklist Review

The disappearance of their hated-but-capable commander sends the dysfunctional residents of Moon Base Alpha into fresh tizzies in this sequel to Space Case (2014). Once again, it's up to 12-year-old sleuth Dashiell Gibson to sniff for clues while struggling to coexist with distracted scientists; their children (several of whom are teenage bullies or idiotic goons); a family of thoroughly despicable billionaire tourists; and Zan Perfonic, an invisible (to all but Dash) alien visitor from the planet Bosco. Ultimately, Dash cracks the case, despite hazards ranging from repeated visits to the girls' restroom to near death by falling space junk. Life on the moon can be a drag (muffin flavored substance cubes for breakfast, anyone?), but it's never dull.--Peters, John Copyright 2016 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.

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Review by Horn Book Review

Just when Dash (Space Case) thinks things on Moon Base Alpha are getting back to normal (read: boring), the base commander goes missing. With help from his secret alien friend, Zan, Dash is determined to find the commander--after all, the base is the size of a soccer field! Realistic scientific details of lunar living make the mystery's unusual setting feel credible. (c) Copyright 2016. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

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Review by Kirkus Book Review

Another mystery presents itself on Moon Base Alpha. Twelve-year-old Dashiell Gibson has already solved one mystery on Moon Base Alpha, the colony on the moon he and his family call home (Space Case, 2014). Following the resolution of Dr. Holtz's murder, life has gone back to normal, with one exception: Zan Perfonic, a mysterious nonhuman life form that can project her consciousness into Dash's mind, is hanging out and trying her best to learn about humanity with Dash as her guide. The tutoring is put on hold when the base's commander, Nina Stack, goes missing without a trace. And of course, Dash was the last person to see Nina alive.Despite some solid humor and a functional mystery, there are two large problems with this sequel, and both stem from its position as a bridge from an opening volume to the series as a whole. The first is simple: this mystery is structured very similarly to its predecessor but isn't nearly as exciting. The first book had a dead body, where this one just has an absent one. The second issue is Zan's cliffhanging hint of a large catastrophe heading Earth's way. Since that concludes the narrative, the novel feels more like a place holder than a satisfying adventure in itself. Fans of the first book will find this a decent mystery but also a bit of a letdown; here's hoping things pick up again in the next volume. (Mystery. 9-14) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

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Spaced Out Excerpt from The Official Residents' Guide to Moon Base Alpha, © 2040 by National Aeronautics and Space Administration: APPENDIX A POTENTIAL HEALTH AND SAFETY HAZARDS Although every effort has been taken to make Moon Base Alpha the safest human habitat ever built, we still urge you to be extremely careful and vigilant for your own well-being. MBA's medical bay has been stocked with plenty of emergency supplies and the latest medical technology I so that the doctor on staff can handle even extreme medical emergencies, but all lunarnauts should bear in mind that life on the moon is inherently dangerous and that the closest hospital is back on earth, more than 250,000 miles away. Thus, you are advised to exercise extreme caution at all times and take great care to avoid risks. To that end, we have compiled the following catalog of potentially dangerous areas, facilities, objects, and situations. Bear in mind this is by no means meant to be a complete list, but rather a guide to provide for better safety. There may be many other hazards at MBA not included below. Please do your best to be safe and alert to danger at all times while you are on the moon. Remember: The best way to avoid trouble is to not get into trouble in the first place! I . At the time of printing. Because of the difficult nature of replacing technology on the moon, some tech may be slightly out-of-date by the time you read this. Excerpted from Spaced Out by Stuart Gibbs All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.

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