Zita the Spacegirl Paperback – Illustrated, February 1, 2011

Originally written for the Comic Book and Graphic Novel Review Column at the Fantasy Literature Review Site.Zita the Spacegirl by Ben HatkeZita the Spacegirl is one of those perfect YA science fiction stories that you wish had been written years ago so you could have read it as a kid — which means that you’re gonna want to get this book in the hands of a child in your life. Just make sure you get a chance to read it first.The story begins when Zita and her friend find a strange object that has fallen from space — a square, hand-held device with a big, red button on it. Just imagine what you’d do: Would you press that button? Guess what the young child Zita does? That’s right — she presses the button. Instantly, a door of light opens before her and the arms — tentacles? — of a strange creature reach into our world and grab Zita’s friend. Zita runs away in terror to think about what she’s just seen and what she should do.As you’d expect, she goes to talk to her parents and spends the rest of the book waiting for her parents to figure out some way to save her friend. She is then reunited with her friend at the end of the comic. They live happily ever after.You don’t really believe a word of that, do you? Like many great adventures written for children, we never see the main character’s parents or any other adults on earth, and the young child must take on adult responsibilities. Zita decides she is to blame for her friend’s kidnapping, and therefore she must fix everything. And why not since she’s got the mysterious device? So she presses the red button once again, and steps into her adventure.In this review, I can’t begin to do justice to Hatke’s vivid imagination in coming up with such a wide variety of creatures and machines and inhabitants of the world Zita enters. Some seem kind but are dangerous, some are boisterous but benign, and still others threaten her before becoming her closest allies. In this world we finally see adults, but they are strange and unpredictable and difficult to judge.The story’s tension is created by several factors other than the unpredictability of those she encounters: First, she soon realizes getting back to earth is not going to be easy. Secondly, to make her being stranded even more frightening, Zita realizes that everyone is abandoning the planet because it’s about to be destroyed by an approaching asteroid. And she can’t find her friend or get off the planet herself. Finally, she finds out that the recusing her friend will require a major mission dependent upon her finding new friends and building a team on a strange planet.Zita the Spacegirl is a delight. As you can tell, I highly recommend it. The dialogue is funny, the art is stunning, and the plot is compelling. Your kids will love it. Both my children — 8 and 11 — enjoyed it and the second volume. The third volume comes out in less than two months. Even though it’s a continuing story and you’ll want to find out what happens next, unlike some comics and novels in a series, it has enough closure to give a sense of satisfaction as you come to the final page. Do not pass this book up.

Zita the Spacegirl is about a girl who gets sucked through a portal to another planet.Hatke gives us a classic hero’s journey in an imaginative, sci-fi setting. Our protagonist, Zita is a compassionate and feisty girl, who meets a bunch of lovable, flawed new companions and scary aliens on her quest to find her friend who was kidnapped by a deep sea helmet with mechanical tentacles.My favorite things about Zita:~It’s about a female hero. She’s so realistically a young girl I was not at all surprised to read the Hatke has three daughters. She’s frightened, idealistic, so sweet, and brave. It’s always nice to have female protagonists, but often girls have girl problems (like boys, social problems, family). Instead we get a classic damsel in distress, with the roles reversed, the boy needs rescuing, and the girl gets to be the Hero.~She rides a giant, sentient mouse.~None of the characters were perfect. Our group of heroes were broken and flawed, and it made them relateable and compelling. (A broken robot, a gun happy prototype, a con man, and a little girl walk into a bar...)~The story is self contained. While there is a sequel to Zita, the first novel is a whole story beginning to end. I remember being particularly frustrated as a child (while stealing my brother’s comics) about cliffhangers and to be continued’s. There’s nothing worse than an unfinished story. (I’m looking at you Peter Jackson.)~Hatke has a great colorsense. The palette is soft and consistent. I love a man who knows his colors.~DID I MENTION THE MOUSE THAT SHE RIDES?~Threat of apocalypse = automatic +5 bonus points!All around excellent book (especially if you’re looking for something to get your kid’s interested in graphic novels or science fiction!), 183 pages of pure, epic fun! With laser guns! Pew pew!

We actually discovered this series through our library and my 7 year old son loved it so much I went ahead and purchased the whole series. I am just blown away by Hatke's imagination and ingenuity. The protagonist is a spunky girl named Zita who has no real super powers or anything, just a big heart, a quick brain and inspires loyalty in others. She values friendship and makes friends with unlikely characters who are unique, quirky but so lovable.I like that this has a strong female lead and girls would benefit from reading this book. But boys, too, would enjoy it and should read it as well. Really, it's a great book for everyone since my son and I read it together and I like the story too! Great artwork, great characters and a good compelling plot. You couldn't ask for more!

I purchased this for my three year old daughter and, after reading it, we both became instant fans.Zita is a great character - bold, but tolerant; passionate, but forgiving. The supporting cast is rich and lends itself to many choices for other favorites for children.If you read many reviews, most will say that this is a great alternative for girls to the "Disney Princess thing." While this is true, the work stands on its own as a phenomenal work of art. Each page is beautifully drawn. The story moves at a pace that captures the attention of any child (boy or girl) and, by the time it is finished, will leave your child wanting to read more. If there is a better standard for a good children's book, I do not know it.I've purchased multiple copies of this book to give as gifts to friends with young daughters - I have received positive feedback from each one of them.I should note that the recommended reading level is age 8 and up. My personal opinion is that the subject matter is quite suitable for younger ages.