The Adventures of Commander Zack Proton and the Red Giant, 1

by Brian Anderson

Book Overview

Like any other genuine intergalactic space hero delivering sixteen million bags of first-class mail to the outer edges of the universe, Commander Zack Proton needed a potty break. But when Zack opened the wrong door and tumbled out of his ship, he found himself all alone in the inky depths of space...until he was picked up by Omega Chimp, the last chimpanzee sent into space. Zack was hoping to be found by a space hero like himself, but a chimp with...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1416913645
• ISBN13: 9781416913641
• Release Date: June 2006
• Publisher: Aladdin Paperbacks
• Length: 128 Pages
• Weight: 0.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.6" x 7.5"
• Age Range: 7 to 10 years
• Grade Range: Grades 2 to 5

Customer Reviews

Great read for a non-reader

My 10 year old son doesn't love to read, but he read this book in one day! It's part comic book, part chapter book. He couldn't put it down and begged for the next. We hope there are many more...!

Better than video games!

When my 10-year-old son recently became grounded from video games, he played with his friends outside mostly then grew tired and came home. He complained there was nothing to do, so I told him to read a book. "What's a book?" he moaned. Ha ha...Luckily, Zack Proton came to my door that day, and I gave it to him. He's been happily READING all afternoon. He loves it!! This book is a great transition into reading for boys who only want to play video games and watch t.v. It's full of comic strips and heavily illustrated to keep them happy, all the while using a funny, engaging story to keep them reading. I can't wait to buy more!

My 8 year old son LOVES this book!

The minute I handed ZACK PROTON to my son, he grabbed it and went to the couch to read. He didn't surface until he'd read the entire thing, though I did pick up on a lot of guffawing and exclamations! "There's a comic strip!" "There's the bad guy!" "There's the recipe for banana pancakes!!" He came up for air around dinner time, then read it again before bed, took it to school the next day to show his friends, and he can't wait for the sequel. BAM! ZACK PROTON nailed its target audience (boys my son's age)--it's a keeper!

Space Rangers, prepare for larffs!

I have no children, but I play one at work (my main paycheck comes from being a Children's Librarian) and I give Zack Proton's first outting two Intergalactic Thumbs Up (or four stars...how appropriate!) Commander Zack Proton who makes Duck Dodgers look like Spock opens the wrong door when on an errand of a personal nature and ends up in the vacuum of deepest space-- Wouldn't that kill him? Shh! No he's a Genuine Intergalactic Space Hero! Thankfully he's rescued by Omega Chimp, a highly evolved space simian. Before the two can catch their breath they run afoul of Big Large, a voracious, villanous, voluminous viking who noshes on planets. What's a hero to do? TAKE HIM DOWN! You'll have to read to find out how, but it's a good thing they have plenty of banana peels! Are Banana peels REALLY that slippery? Quiet! I question some of the science in this book. You can't slip on a banana peel in space! Omega Chimp, is that you? There's no gravity. Be quiet! This is my review! There's not even any ground. All right, this review is over. Move along! This will make you laugh out loud. Well, it will make the kid in you laugh out loud if you read it. Or if there's a kid OUTSIDE of you, he'll laugh too. Fun for fans of Captain Underpants, Sponge Bob and the like. Leapin Leptons let's hope for multiple sequels!

Inviting read

I am wondering if Brian Anderson is a fan (as I am) of Douglas Adam's Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy? Zack Proton is a brave and gallant space ranger patrolling the universe and on his way to deliver mail to the outermost star of the outermost galaxy when he accidentally opens, the wrong door on his spaceship and finds himself alone and adrift in space. Luckily, a nameless spaceship captained by a simian astronaut named Omega Chimp rescues him. Omega Chimp has learned to survive on his own after being abandoned by Mission Control, ("They wouldn't dare pull that on Buzz Adrin.") Together they must stop a red giant named Big Large who is swallowing whole planets. The book's nutty humor will particularly appeal to boys. The font is large and easy to decipher with lots of white space framing the text. Doug Holgate's illustrations cleverly underscore the storyline. As Zack searches for the spaceship restroom, he ignores at least nine very funny signs warning him that he is about to open the wrong door. Flashbacks are explained in comic book style. Robot recall notices, games, a banana pancake recipe and easy-to-read lists such as, "Omega Chimp's Top Ten Ways to get a Space Hero Off your Ship" interject more humor as the story unfolds. This will be a fun series to share with kids who have worn out the Flip-O-Ramas in their Captain Underpants books. The mix of text and pictures works well to support emerging and reluctant readers.