Space Hostages

Gr 5–7—Alice Dare, the now 13-year-old Exo-Defense cadet introduced in Mars Evacuees (HarperCollins, 2015), continues her interstellar adventures with friends Carl and Josephine and their persnickety and enthusiastic robot tutor, Goldfish. Peace has been made with the Morrors, and the Vshomu are contained. Millions of Morrors now live harmoniously with humans on Earth. As the story opens, Alice and "The Plucky Kids of Mars," along with Thsaaa (a Morror friend their own age), several siblings, and some scientists are invited to a ribbon cutting on the Morrors' new home world. Midway through the journey there, the lobsterlike Krakkiluk capture the ship and take everyone prisoner. The narrative splits to follow Alice's team (who end up on planet Yaela, with enslaved fruit bat-like creatures) and those who remain onboard, trying to outwit the Krakkiluk. The story moves briskly, with a large cast of nonhuman players. Astute readers will note lessons about slavery, friendship, and accepting differences within the human and alien interactions. The frequent use of invented vocabulary may confuse inattentive readers. An occasional damn or God pops up in context.