Joseph’s sequel to Snoodles in Space carries on the zany, tongue-twisting fun of noodle-obsessed Noodleham, a definitively unique town overflowing with oddball drama. This time around, Ricky and Briana—the saviors of the last book—have sparked jealousy in Grumpy Grimy Groodleman, the original inventor of the “Groodlemobile,” an outdated, stinky vehicle that runs on a nasty, environmentally-unsafe substance called grool. Turns out, Grumpy’s two spoiled kids, Frimpy and Whimpy, are reaping the consequences of not following the rules during a local chocolate factory tour, turning them into the laughingstock of the local news media—and making Grumpy vow revenge on golden children Ricky and Briana.

Grumpy’s ire is understandable. He did lose his fortune after his kids’ bad press debacle, while Ricky and Briana earned nothing less than keys to the city for their role in Joseph’s last Snoodles entry. But, when Grumpy teams up with the nefarious Evil Kidoodle, from Planet Zoodle, and hatches a plan to transform Ricky and Briana into “complete nincompoops… [with] an insatiable desire just to eat grool,” readers may wonder if he’s gone too far. His own kids wonder the same thing, prompting a surprising change of heart for the strangely appealing Frimpy and Whimpy, one that leads them down a golden road of second chances.

Case’s illustrations match the frenetic, flashy pace of Joseph’s story, blazing across the pages with a vibrant cacophony of mayhem that makes this zippy story burst with character. The Snoodles’ space travel is a trip, too, as Frimpy and Whimpy are given the seats of honor in saving the galaxy, as it were, from a lifetime of eating nothing but grool—and securing a happy ending for their irascible dad in the process. Joseph’s clear affinity for wordplay translates into some challenging sequences to read, but, ultimately, Noodleham fans will be pleased with this wacky return.

Takeaway: Wildly wacky adventures with the Snoodles, blasting through space and pages.

Comparable Titles: Mike Lowery’s Bug Scouts series, Stephen Shaskan’s Pizza and Taco Lunch Special series.

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