Young readers will again be entertained with Eudora’s antics and Horn’s playful storytelling. Eudora unintentionally breaks Walter after he beats her at a board game, kickstarting a massive effort with her best friend, Arnold, to hide the accident—by using Eudora’s newest invention, a “remote-control-person device,” to take over Walter’s movements and voice. As always, her big ideas lead to chaos and a lesson, this time about owning up to your mistakes after Captain Jax needs Walter on the bridge to help stop yet another alien Qlaxon attack, and Eudora and Arnold’s plan backfires. All is not lost however: in typical Eudora fashion, she inadvertently staves off the attack by introducing the power-hungry aliens to competitive board-game play.

Horn’s creative details—Eudora and Molly were adopted by alien parents, and Arnold’s dad is actually a Qlaxon (and the ship’s chief of security)— give the story an exciting interstellar feel, while Tondora’s black-and-white illustrations bring the characters’ emotions front and center. And those emotions form the crux of Horn’s important message: that sharing your feelings and accepting help from others is the true secret to conquering the galaxy. The mock author interview at the end, spearheaded by Horn’s dog, Trixie, and a fun story-centered crossword add extra amusement.

Takeaway: An entertaining space tale with valuable lessons on handling your emotions.

Great for fans of: Lizzie Lipman’s Rocket Kids, Peter Brown’s The Wild Robot.

Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: B
Marketing copy: A-