The Incredible Space Raiders from Space!

Space travel is common in the year 2156, but Jonah is still shocked to wake up aboard the Fantastic Flying Squirrel, a spaceship piloted by dangerous pirates and home to the Incredible Space Raiders, a band of children fighting extraterrestrial EETs (Entirely Evil Things). Jonah, a shy boy with few friends back home, is unsure why he was chosen to join the ISR, but he begins training and tries to fit in. The more Jonah learns about the ISR, however, the more he senses that something isn’t quite right, starting with the fact that his fellow raiders are all orphans. When the other children discover that Jonah has parents, they resent him and soon everyone is wondering whether he truly belongs on the mission. King (The Vindico) weaves action, suspense, and mystery into a well-crafted coming-of-age story. Readers will relate to Jonah as he struggles to define himself in an unfamiliar setting, while questions about the true plan for the kids aboard the Flying Squirrel will keep them turning pages. Ages 8–12. Agent: Brianne Johnson, Writers House. (Feb.)