Mr. Muffins: Defender of the Stars

When brown-skinned 11-year-old Reuben Mahmud’s corgi, Mr. Muffins, becomes embroiled in alien politics, Reuben’s life turns upside down in this laugh-out-loud graphic novel space adventure. Intergalactic soldier Cassara, a self-proclaimed “thief and deserter” of the Voltarian Alliance, insists that Mr. Muffins is a superpowered “celestial entity” that can win a galactic war against the evil Hakar Armada. But when a Hakar Armada ship, having tracked Cassara to Earth, opens fire on the newly minted trio, Reuben reluctantly agrees to accompany Cassara on an interplanetary journey to uncover how Mr. Muffins can save the galaxy. As Mr. Muffins prepares to fight on behalf of Voltaria, Cassara notes that separating Reuben and Mr. Muffins could cause “unpredictable, aggressive actions.” Soon that bond is put to the test in a rousing space battle. Interstellar action sequences by Brooks (Immortals Fenyx Rising) sport jewel-toned palettes that shift based on the mood. Kahn (Elle Campbell Wins Their Weekend) employs tender allegory through Reuben’s Egyptian parents’ immigration experience (and a comedic Hakarling subplot) to present an enchanting space opera in which aliens and humans find common ground despite differing cultures, foods, and worlds, and learn the true meaning of home. Ages 8–12. (Jan.)