To Activate Space Portal, Lift Here

In this speculative metafictional romp, readers open the covers to find themselves on one side of an apparent space portal staring at Zrk and Blrg, two bottle-shaped creatures—one chartreuse, one traffic-cone orange—whose googly eyes move around their faces. “ALIENS ARE REAL!!!!” they shout, sure they’re about to be devoured. But after assuring themselves that humans’ pearly whites are tiny and unthreatening, first contact turns into a cosmic meet-cute. Zrk and Blrg ask about “Planeturth”—though it’s hardly a peer of their home planet Xyl (which translates to “most important planet in the most important solar system in the most important galaxy in the universe”)—and introduce readers to their vibrantly colored friends, who, after a moment of trepidation, respond with friendly chorus of “Hi!” It seems like the beginning of a beautiful intergalactic friendship, but sharp-eyed readers will note the “power” and “auto translate” buttons on each spread shifting from green to ominous yellow, setting up a sudden farewell. Portis (A New Green Day) has cooked up something wonderfully weird and slyly relevant—both an interactive experience and a comic reminder that perspective is relative. Ages 4–8. Agent: Deborah Warren, East/West Literary. (Oct.)