Today's read greets from France and was translated into English, hitting the market about two years ago. I'm a little late with taking a look at it, but couldn't pass by. First, I have a soft spot for works from other countries. Second, the cover is eye-catching with the wide-eyed girl in the middle of brightly colored dogs...all watching her. Lastly, it's a scifi picture book! I'm ready to fly to the stars to see what a planet of dogs looks like. I do expect interesting illustrations, since this does come from a more known illustrator...and what else? Honestly, that's why I picked it up...to find out.
So, let's do just that!
AIKO AND THE PLANET OF DOGS
by Ainhoa Cayuso
Translated by Irene Vazquez
Illustrated by Christoffer Ellegaard
Levine Querdo
Picture Book
32 pages
ages 4 to 8
Talking space dogs + courageous girl astronaut + giant hungry catfish = one fun picture book
Aiko is a courageous astronaut, specially trained to brave the extremes of space. The whole of humanity is counting on her success. But on a planet that shows signs of life, something goes awry, and when she wakes up, she finds . . . a pack of dogs? And . . . they can talk?
Descended from the valiant astro-dogs who first traveled in space, these canines have cut off all contact with Earth. They’ve found a new planet where they can live, far from humanity and their former masters. (Yes, that doesn’t explain how they can talk, but that’s a little complicated, so let’s move on.)
Aiko is delighted. This discovery will make her the most famous astronaut on Earth! The dogs are . . . less delighted. “Finish your lunch,” they say. “We need to walk you before your bedtime.” They're going to keep her prisoner on their planet rather than let humanity find them again.
Can Aiko find her way home? Can the dogs protect THEIR home? Dear reader, we think you’ll enjoy finding out!
Aiko is a courageous astronaut, specially trained to brave the extremes of space. The whole of humanity is counting on her success. But on a planet that shows signs of life, something goes awry, and when she wakes up, she finds . . . a pack of dogs? And . . . they can talk?
Descended from the valiant astro-dogs who first traveled in space, these canines have cut off all contact with Earth. They’ve found a new planet where they can live, far from humanity and their former masters. (Yes, that doesn’t explain how they can talk, but that’s a little complicated, so let’s move on.)
Aiko is delighted. This discovery will make her the most famous astronaut on Earth! The dogs are . . . less delighted. “Finish your lunch,” they say. “We need to walk you before your bedtime.” They're going to keep her prisoner on their planet rather than let humanity find them again.
Can Aiko find her way home? Can the dogs protect THEIR home? Dear reader, we think you’ll enjoy finding out!
MY TIDBITS
It's off to space as these pages follow a young girl's exploration of the great beyond and her visit to a planet full of dogs.
Aiko travels through space on a mission to discover what the vast universe holds. When she sees a planet which looks promising for life, she decides to take a closer look, but things don't go quite as planned and her ship is ruined. But Aiko is not one to easily give up...after all, she's highly trained. But she's finding nothing and soon falls asleep on the barren planet's terrain. When she wakes up, she's in a big bed and surrounded by dogs. Weirder yet, they speak. When they explain that they are the descendents of the dogs, which humans sent into space many years earlier for exploration purposes, things make sense. She can't wait to tell Earth about her huge discovery, but this is exactly what the dogs don't want to have happen.
This is an imagination packed read, which sends readers on a delightful journey into space. Aiko's level-head decisions and kind heart make her easy to root for and allow readers/listeners to sink into her journey. The dogs are fun to meet, and the addition of these animals evolving from earlier sent spacecraft from Earth adds a clever twist. That said, this isn't a read for the youngest listeners out there, since the plot is engaging and leans to a bit more weaving. Tension mounts as Aiko is taken prisoner, and the hostile atmosphere is palpable even if staying completely age appropriate. It delivers food for thought. I'd recommend this one to readers five and up...if not a little older even than that. But as said, the material is completely age appropriate, and even the tension stays within the age group's range. The ending rounds everything off nicely, letting dreams expand and adding some material to think about...just a bit.
The illustrations are bright and bold and make each scene pop without shame. Pinks and blues blast from every page to form a very colorful world. It melds right into the fantasy end and lets the tale pull away from the familiar, while the details pull back in with things from everyday life with the dogs, bedroom, and more. Add a teeny dash of humor, here and there, and it's a well-rounded tale. It creates an original read with depth and excitement to sink into, while working nicely for story time.
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