Space Invader (Jurassic Jeff #1)

Spaceships, dinosaurs, lessons about friendship, and a smidge of danger populate this insightful and adventuresome graphic novel series launch by Lepp (the Rust series). Green alien Jeff is determined to arrive on—and swiftly conquer—Earth, before obtaining some chicken nuggets and returning to the Academy of Space Exploration, where he will proclaim his victory to his classmates and finally receive the accolades Jeff believes he deserves. When Jeff crash-lands on a prehistoric Earth, it’s not the contemporary planet he’d been anticipating. He nevertheless demands that the resident dinosaurs “take me to your elected or self-elected ruler, mortal deity, or principal organism,” only to learn that no one is in charge, chicken nuggets haven’t been invented yet, and the Wi-Fi is horrendous. He befriends talking dinosaurs Carl, Hungry, and Spike, who take him to the only plausible leader they know: Trevor, a walking, talking fish who speaks in proverbs and clichés. Lepp leverages bright colors and thick lines to make characters pop, and their cartoonish proportions and equally animated dialogue jives well with the story’s tone. By exploring what it means to make and keep friends while highlighting issues of bullying and forgiveness, Lepp delivers a madcap, message-forward story that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Ages 7–10. (May)