Tag space adventure

Monty + Sylvester: A Tale of Everyday Astronauts

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Monty + Sylvester: A Tale of Everyday Astronauts
Carly Gledhill
Orchard Books

Space exploration picture books seem to be all the rage at present and here’s another.

We first met this terrific, best pals twosome in A Tale of Every Day Super Heroes and now they are in training to become space explorers. Really? Yes really and thus far their regime has lasted around 20 minutes – we’re allowed to watch Sylvester demonstrating his astro lunge in preparation for their mission to the depths of dark space to find an undiscovered planet and hence become famed as astronauts. Well, let’s see.

Their friends are not totally convinced of the likelihood of their space success telling them so in no uncertain terms.

Undaunted however, the two approach the launch pad where Monty’s ship is at the ready.

Following a successful launch their rocket heads towards ‘deepest, darkest space’ with the crew keeping an eye (or four) out in case of aliens, black holes, or meteors, and hoping to spot an undiscovered planet. All seems to be going well until a black hole looms large …

Fortunately more by luck than judgement, they manage to avoid it, only to run into a meteor shower of galactic proportions. Their meteor shield fails dismally. Could that spell the end of Monty, Sylvester and their mission?

Let’s merely mention little green aliens, leave it there and allow readers to imagine what might happen thereafter; and having done so, head off to the nearest bookshop to grab a copy of this super, silly space tale.

Like her two characters, it seems Carly’s imagination knows no bounds; her scenes of comic chaos are simply out of this world and I love the way she seamlessly integrates the visual and verbal narratives.

Bring on the next adventure says this reviewer who is heading off to grab some more little ones to share this howlingly funny book with.

Rocketmole

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Rocketmole
Matt Carr
Scholastic

Armstrong the star-nosed mole finds his subterranean life boring. But Armstrong is an inventive fellow with a thirst for adventure who likes to keep his sights fixed skywards; and to this end (or rather beginning) he builds himself a telescope and some special specs.

When he announces to his pals that he’s going to visit the moon they’re totally discouraging. Danger is no deterrent to Armstrong though and after a rather bumpy start, our daring mole has built himself an enormous rocket that impresses even the naysayers when they pop their heads up to watch the countdown.

Following an arduous journey with trials and tribulations including tea drinking and loo-going, our space-creature makes his lunar landing, taking ‘one giant leap for a mole!’

The very first lunar-visiting mole is basking in starlit glory.

His exaltation though, is short-lived: the moon is, let’s say, boring; it lacks atmosphere.

Dwarfed by the moon’s size, Armstrong feels totally insignificant.

As he sits trying in vain to eat a spot of lunch, he looks earthwards and feels homesick.

There’s just one way to go – back home.

And who should be waiting for him but a welcoming party of his moley pals who have summoned up sufficient courage to come above ground and pay tribute to the inspiring Armstrong.

Over cake and cups of fizz (or maybe juice) their hero announces that he now wants to see the world, but not alone. With newfound daring, his fellow moles agree to accompany him, precipitating a light bulb moment in Armstrong.

Let operation world tour commence …

Out of this world crazy, the entire book is replete with groan-worthy humour though the final tour spread really beats the rest for bonkersness.

Using his characteristic primary colours plus black and white, (don’t miss the front endpapers) Matt’s scenes are a wonderful amalgam of pictures and text, full of puns and spaced-out soppiness that this particular reviewer was absolutely swept away by.