Dalen & Gole: Scandal in Port Angus

Meet Dalen and Gole, two lovable and naïve aliens who stumble into an interplanetary conspiracy in this engaging graphic novel. After losing a jet race to rich-kid Tunax, Gole is suspicious that Tunax cheated, despite Dalen’s protests to the contrary. Gole’s snooping leads the pair to Earth, where a mysterious fish shortage is devastating the fishing town of Port Angus. With the help of plucky Earth girl Rachel, the friends evade dangerous men in black and help unravel the threat to both Earth and their home planet. The full-color art keeps the pace moving at cartoon speed, and the story is a fun, if simple, romp into interstellar business and politics. Although Deas’s emphasis is on a fast-paced story, he slips in plenty of characterization. Even if Dalen and Gole never come in first in a jet race, their adventure is a winner. Ages 8–11. (Oct.)■