Mr. Corbett Is in Orbit!

Gr 2-4–Gutman’s “My Weird School” series transitions into graphic novel format. A.J., Andrea, and their classmates at Ella Mentry School seem to take everything in stride, always ready with a joke or sarcastic observation. A teacher in a superhero outfit or another speaking in secret code is simply par for the course. When a lesson on climate change includes a surprise visit to NASA, everyone’s excited, and the students launch themselves into space on a shuttle in no time. Characters consistently face readers, inviting them to absorb the many puns, self-aware punch lines, and obliteration of the fourth wall. Chapters are named after their placement in sequence (“The Beginning,” “After the Beginning”), and a survey asks how readers are enjoying the book. Adding to the inviting atmosphere is the simple layout with generous wide panels and full-page cartoons. This is a silly, no-stakes adventure that will increase reader familiarity with changing voices and perspectives, and let kids feel like active participants. A.J. is brown-skinned, Andrea is white, and both students and teachers are a diverse group. Back matter includes a list of websites with more information about climate change, as well as a note encouraging children to convince their parents to support politicians endorsed by the Sierra Club and Greenpeace.