The Intergalactics written by Erik Jon Slangerup and reviewed by Klaudia Janek

Summary: The Intergalactics follows Brinx, a gene-spliced, lab-grown mutant who has spent his entire life on Base Lab 9 undergoing survival tests. Created by the HyperHelix corporation, Brinx is a Featherbone, a hybrid designed with webbed hands and the ability to jump abnormally high and far. His existence has been defined by a single goal: completing one thousand survival challenges to earn the right to travel to Havenport, the mysterious Graduation Center. Living in poor conditions with constant fear of death, Brinx's only source of hope is his best friend Jang, an older-generation Featherbone who has helped him survive. When both boys finally complete their thousand challenges and board an armored transport vessel bound for Havenport, disaster strikes. A meteor shower destroys the ship, crash-landing Brinx and the other survivors in the Driftlands, an uncharted, hostile region teeming with monstrous flora and fauna designed to kill. Separated from Jang during the crash, Brinx must band together with other survivors, including Goz, a skilled Griplock warrior, and Rigel, a vulnerable Allseer whose ability to read situations proves invaluable. As the group fights through relentless predators and deadly plants, they discover a hidden base that transforms their understanding of their world and their possible fate.

Straight Talk for Librarians: Fans of dystopian sci-fi adventures will love The Intergalactics.  The non-stop action keeps thrill-seekers on the edge of their seats, barely giving readers a chance to catch their breath before the next danger arrives. Bloodthirsty giant vines, relentless scavengers, and terrifying Shankwyrms create an atmosphere of constant peril that makes survival feel genuinely uncertain.What sets this novel apart is its richly imagined universe populated by diverse hybrids, each with unique characteristics and abilities. Notably, the characters cooperate rather than infight, a refreshing departure from many dystopian adventures where internal conflict undermines the group's chances.The worldbuilding is imaginative and distinctive, featuring a universe unlike Earth where genetic material from around the cosmos creates a myriad of colors, shapes, and abilities. Young readers seeking fresh, exciting sci-fi adventures with themes of friendship, teamwork, and belonging will find exactly what they're looking for in The Intergalactics.  I was not expecting so many characters to die, or the plot twists!  It was definitely a roller-coaster ride and I had to finish the book in one sitting.  I think this would make for a good book club book and it would be a fun addition to a "Mutants & Hybrids" book display.

Molly and the Machine, written by Erik Jon Slangerup, reviewed by Klaudia Janek

Summary:  Summer is starting and Molly McQuirter and her brother Wally are at home with an absent father.  Their mom abandoned them and dad spends his days watching tv and letting the house and kids be neglected.  Molly runs into a few classmates at the beginning of the story, but they are not the friends she would prefer to have.  She kind of starts to accept that it will be a lonely summer until her brother mysteriously disappears.  Molly is determined to find her brother and sets off after some clues on her bike, Pink Lightning. Molly begins to suspect that the giant robot roaming the Ohio woods might have something to do with Wally’s disappearance and some other disappearances.  Molly and her pets risk their lives chasing the robot.  Molly is a problem solver and she is determined to solve the mystery and make things right in her town.

Straight Talk for Librarians:  This book was so fun to read!  It’s hard to know how to classify it.  It is realistic fiction, but it can also be considered historical fiction as it is set in the 1980s.  It’s also got a bit of a science fiction twist, along with some action and mystery.  Molly is the main female character who defies stereotypes as she likes to tinker and fix things.  Most of the rest of the characters are boys, so I do think it will appeal to a wide range of readers.  This book could be integrated into a STEM program because of all the inventing and tinkering.  Those readers who grew up in the 80’s (!) will find lots of nostalgia and remember a time when we were not all connected to our phones at all hours of the day.  The setting is southern-ish Ohio, so that local connection is fun.  I think the giant robot that acquires a mind of its own is relevant to our AI conversations in society and the implications it might have.  If you happen to be in an IB school - the Learner Profile attributes of being a risk-taker and a thinker stand out about Molly.  It might also be a good recommendation to math and science teachers so they can push some science-related fiction.  It’s a great pick for any middle grade school library and book 2 is already out. If you happen to be a school librarian in Michigan and are going to be at the MASL conference - READ THIS BOOK! So you can be prepared for our Author Breakfast event ;)