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Aoleon The Martian Girl #1
First Contact
Crop circles magically appear in Farmer Johnson’s field. A mysterious light sweeps over the night sky and awakens Farmer Johnson and Gilbert, the boy next door.
Curious, Gilbert ventures out to discover the source of the light and stumbles into a beautiful Martian girl sitting in a crop circle. Farmer Johnson also investigates the strange light, and thinking that Gilbert and Aoléon are vandals, he chases them. But they sprint to Aoléon’s saucer and escape only to be pursued by the U.S. Air Force.
Gilbert has never been attacked by swarms of giant killer robots. Never met strange aliens from other worlds. Never skyboarded across a megalopolis hidden deep inside an extinct volcano. Never trekked across a vast Martian desert. And never been eaten alive by a gigantic slor (well, almost never, unless you count Billy the fat bully at school).
And luckily, he has never ever confronted an evil ruler of Mars bent on conquering the Earth to steal its cows.
Never...until now!
This may be the adventure Gilbert always wished for.
If only he can survive.
Join Gilbert and Aoleon in this exciting middle-grade science fiction and fantasy adventure!
Curious, Gilbert ventures out to discover the source of the light and stumbles into a beautiful Martian girl sitting in a crop circle. Farmer Johnson also investigates the strange light, and thinking that Gilbert and Aoléon are vandals, he chases them. But they sprint to Aoléon’s saucer and escape only to be pursued by the U.S. Air Force.
Gilbert has never been attacked by swarms of giant killer robots. Never met strange aliens from other worlds. Never skyboarded across a megalopolis hidden deep inside an extinct volcano. Never trekked across a vast Martian desert. And never been eaten alive by a gigantic slor (well, almost never, unless you count Billy the fat bully at school).
And luckily, he has never ever confronted an evil ruler of Mars bent on conquering the Earth to steal its cows.
Never...until now!
This may be the adventure Gilbert always wished for.
If only he can survive.
Join Gilbert and Aoleon in this exciting middle-grade science fiction and fantasy adventure!
94 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 31, 2015
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574 people want to read
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May 3, 2015
“There are places on planet earth, where common sense doesn't apply.”
---- Toba Beta, an Indonesian author
Brent LeVasseur, an American science fiction author, pens his very fist children's science fiction series, Aoleon The Martian Girl, and the first book, in the series, First Contact - Aoleon The Martian Girl , traces the adventures of a regular middle-grade farm boy who accidentally meets an alien girl from Mars on his farm.
Synopsis:
Crop circles magically appear in Farmer Johnson’s field. A mysterious light sweeps over the night sky and awakens Farmer Johnson and Gilbert, the boy next door.
Curious, Gilbert ventures out to discover the source of the light and stumbles into a beautiful Martian girl sitting in a crop circle. Farmer Johnson also investigates the strange light, and thinking that Gilbert and Aoléon are vandals, he chases them. But they sprint to Aoléon’s saucer and escape only to be pursued by the U.S. Air Force.
Gilbert has never been attacked by swarms of giant killer robots. Never met strange aliens from other worlds. Never skyboarded across a megalopolis hidden deep inside an extinct volcano. Never trekked across a vast Martian desert. And never been eaten alive by a gigantic slor (well, almost never, unless you count Billy the fat bully at school).
And luckily, he has never ever confronted an evil ruler of Mars bent on conquering the Earth to steal its cows.
Never...until now!
This may be the adventure Gilbert always wished for.
If only he can survive.
Gilbert Sullivan lives on a farm field in Nebraska, where one day he sees a strange thing coming closer towards his field. When he rushes to see what that is, he is introduced with an alien, Aoléon, who lives on Mars- a Martian, who is here to practice for her flying license. Then they take a joyride on Aoléon's saucer. Unfortunately they attract attention and are attacked by the US Arm force. Will they survive the attack? Read it to know more the thrilling adventure following their attack.
Firstly I'd like to talk about the brilliant illustrations in the book which sways with rhythm of the book and because of those mind-blowing illustrations I could easily adapt with the story. And to be fair, they were not just some casual sketchy graphical illustrations, but they are bright and vividly portrayed with eye-popping colors that allured me and kept me hooked on to the book till it's very last page.
The writing is really fantastic and the author have used third person narrative to unfold his story and that just made me glued to the story by giving me a lot a perspectives of my own. The adventures are layered with intricate details which made me feel like I was actually on that space ship with Gilbert and Aoléon. The pacing is really good and the book is a really short adventure tale and this series consists of 5 books and I've already finished reading the five books, which are undoubtedly pretty captivating.
Verdict: A must-read for all those adventure freak readers!
Courtesy: I received a copy of the book for a blog tour.
---- Toba Beta, an Indonesian author
Brent LeVasseur, an American science fiction author, pens his very fist children's science fiction series, Aoleon The Martian Girl, and the first book, in the series, First Contact - Aoleon The Martian Girl , traces the adventures of a regular middle-grade farm boy who accidentally meets an alien girl from Mars on his farm.
Synopsis:
Crop circles magically appear in Farmer Johnson’s field. A mysterious light sweeps over the night sky and awakens Farmer Johnson and Gilbert, the boy next door.
Curious, Gilbert ventures out to discover the source of the light and stumbles into a beautiful Martian girl sitting in a crop circle. Farmer Johnson also investigates the strange light, and thinking that Gilbert and Aoléon are vandals, he chases them. But they sprint to Aoléon’s saucer and escape only to be pursued by the U.S. Air Force.
Gilbert has never been attacked by swarms of giant killer robots. Never met strange aliens from other worlds. Never skyboarded across a megalopolis hidden deep inside an extinct volcano. Never trekked across a vast Martian desert. And never been eaten alive by a gigantic slor (well, almost never, unless you count Billy the fat bully at school).
And luckily, he has never ever confronted an evil ruler of Mars bent on conquering the Earth to steal its cows.
Never...until now!
This may be the adventure Gilbert always wished for.
If only he can survive.
Gilbert Sullivan lives on a farm field in Nebraska, where one day he sees a strange thing coming closer towards his field. When he rushes to see what that is, he is introduced with an alien, Aoléon, who lives on Mars- a Martian, who is here to practice for her flying license. Then they take a joyride on Aoléon's saucer. Unfortunately they attract attention and are attacked by the US Arm force. Will they survive the attack? Read it to know more the thrilling adventure following their attack.
Firstly I'd like to talk about the brilliant illustrations in the book which sways with rhythm of the book and because of those mind-blowing illustrations I could easily adapt with the story. And to be fair, they were not just some casual sketchy graphical illustrations, but they are bright and vividly portrayed with eye-popping colors that allured me and kept me hooked on to the book till it's very last page.
The writing is really fantastic and the author have used third person narrative to unfold his story and that just made me glued to the story by giving me a lot a perspectives of my own. The adventures are layered with intricate details which made me feel like I was actually on that space ship with Gilbert and Aoléon. The pacing is really good and the book is a really short adventure tale and this series consists of 5 books and I've already finished reading the five books, which are undoubtedly pretty captivating.
Verdict: A must-read for all those adventure freak readers!
Courtesy: I received a copy of the book for a blog tour.
December 31, 2014
√ "She’s an alien — a Martian! I am speaking to a Martian! This is so cool!"
Gilbert Sullivan is just a normal boy, living on a farm in Nebraska, playing with his telescope. His dull life quickly changes, however, as he spots something unusual coming toward the neighbor's wheat field. Gilbert investigates and encounters an adventuresome alien, Aoléon. Fortunately for Gilbert, Aoléon is a friendly Mars girl, practicing for her pilot's license. Gilbert is thrilled: "She’s an alien — a Martian! I am speaking to a Martian! This is so cool!"
Aoléon takes Gilbert for a ride in her flying saucer. They soon attract the attention of the military, who chase the saucer, trying to shoot it down. Aoléon toys with the attackers, even driving to Paris. Aoléon enjoys the chase, but Gilbert is not so happy: "I’ve been abducted by a nutty alien who's a speed freak!"
Although the pair evade all the missiles shot at them, Gilbert can't keep his hands off the saucer's controls, and he accidentally fires an "energy field" into a pasture, causing cows to rise into the air: "At that moment, all the cows and Tripod gently floated upward, ascending past two birds that peered at them, puzzled. The cows shared frightened glances as they rose skyward, but one continued to chew placidly on a huge tuft of grass."
On Mars, Gilbert learns that the planet is controlled by a dictator named, "Luminon." He uses an artificial intelligence, “‘ZIO-CROM to maintain control over Mars.” Gilbert learns that Mars uses to be a democracty, run by the the "Supreme Council of Twelve."
It turns out that Mars is a bit like "Brave New World," using lower-caste "drone" workers to do the dirty work: “They are cloned in a lab that way, and they are responsible for all the basic maintenance work that goes on in our society that is not done by robots.” Aoléon, however, disapproves of this: “It is primitive and cruel. The caste system and the drones were brought about by the Luminon’s rise to power.”
After his civics lesson, the two are approached by a Martian fugitive, "Pax," who tries to enlist them in a rebellion against Luminon: “You and the Terran boy must work together to gather intelligence about the Luminon’s plans. After we have gathered enough evidence, we can then expose the Luminon..." Pax explains that the Martian overlord has a sinister plan against Earth: “We know that the Luminon is developing an invasion force — we believe to conquer Terra and to capture its milk cows."
Gilbert doesn't believe the fugitive; he tells Pax that his plan sounds like a Nigerian email scam: “You know, there is a prince from the country Nigeria... he once sent me an e-mail stating that I was special and had been chosen and that he would transfer a million dollars into my bank account..."
Before Pax can explain further, the fugitive disappears in a flash, and the two scurry away, observed by one of Luminon's ever-watching "sentinels."
All in all, AOLÉON THE MARTIAN GIRL is a delightful read. The dialogue is funny, and the author is clearly a very witty person. My favorite line in the book occurs when the pair are startled by the fugitive, Pax, and Aoléon exclaims, “Deus ex machina!” I was not surprised at all that the Martian Girl knew all about Greek Tragedy.
The graphics are well-done and oftentimes funny; they remind me a lot of the old "Mister Bill" series from SNL. The illustration of General Stryker in the White House "Situation Room" is especially funny. The most impressive graphic, however, is the illustration of Aoléon and Gilbert in the flying saucer, evading missiles fired at them. Huge amount of detail--well done!
√ Highly Recommend!
Gilbert Sullivan is just a normal boy, living on a farm in Nebraska, playing with his telescope. His dull life quickly changes, however, as he spots something unusual coming toward the neighbor's wheat field. Gilbert investigates and encounters an adventuresome alien, Aoléon. Fortunately for Gilbert, Aoléon is a friendly Mars girl, practicing for her pilot's license. Gilbert is thrilled: "She’s an alien — a Martian! I am speaking to a Martian! This is so cool!"
Aoléon takes Gilbert for a ride in her flying saucer. They soon attract the attention of the military, who chase the saucer, trying to shoot it down. Aoléon toys with the attackers, even driving to Paris. Aoléon enjoys the chase, but Gilbert is not so happy: "I’ve been abducted by a nutty alien who's a speed freak!"
Although the pair evade all the missiles shot at them, Gilbert can't keep his hands off the saucer's controls, and he accidentally fires an "energy field" into a pasture, causing cows to rise into the air: "At that moment, all the cows and Tripod gently floated upward, ascending past two birds that peered at them, puzzled. The cows shared frightened glances as they rose skyward, but one continued to chew placidly on a huge tuft of grass."
On Mars, Gilbert learns that the planet is controlled by a dictator named, "Luminon." He uses an artificial intelligence, “‘ZIO-CROM to maintain control over Mars.” Gilbert learns that Mars uses to be a democracty, run by the the "Supreme Council of Twelve."
It turns out that Mars is a bit like "Brave New World," using lower-caste "drone" workers to do the dirty work: “They are cloned in a lab that way, and they are responsible for all the basic maintenance work that goes on in our society that is not done by robots.” Aoléon, however, disapproves of this: “It is primitive and cruel. The caste system and the drones were brought about by the Luminon’s rise to power.”
After his civics lesson, the two are approached by a Martian fugitive, "Pax," who tries to enlist them in a rebellion against Luminon: “You and the Terran boy must work together to gather intelligence about the Luminon’s plans. After we have gathered enough evidence, we can then expose the Luminon..." Pax explains that the Martian overlord has a sinister plan against Earth: “We know that the Luminon is developing an invasion force — we believe to conquer Terra and to capture its milk cows."
Gilbert doesn't believe the fugitive; he tells Pax that his plan sounds like a Nigerian email scam: “You know, there is a prince from the country Nigeria... he once sent me an e-mail stating that I was special and had been chosen and that he would transfer a million dollars into my bank account..."
Before Pax can explain further, the fugitive disappears in a flash, and the two scurry away, observed by one of Luminon's ever-watching "sentinels."
All in all, AOLÉON THE MARTIAN GIRL is a delightful read. The dialogue is funny, and the author is clearly a very witty person. My favorite line in the book occurs when the pair are startled by the fugitive, Pax, and Aoléon exclaims, “Deus ex machina!” I was not surprised at all that the Martian Girl knew all about Greek Tragedy.
The graphics are well-done and oftentimes funny; they remind me a lot of the old "Mister Bill" series from SNL. The illustration of General Stryker in the White House "Situation Room" is especially funny. The most impressive graphic, however, is the illustration of Aoléon and Gilbert in the flying saucer, evading missiles fired at them. Huge amount of detail--well done!
√ Highly Recommend!
December 30, 2014
Since it's the Holidays, kids are at home and are enjoying the last few days before going back to school. I thought I'd read to them a science-fiction themed kiddie book for a change. When this book was offered to me in exchange for an honest review, I let my kids read it, watched them react and told them to share their thoughts about Aoleon, The Martian Girl.
First and foremost, what really attracted my kids (and I) are the crisp and colorful illustrations by Brent LeVasseur. It became easier for them to imagine how the Aoleon and the Martians look alike. For them, it was vibrantly and entrancingly illustrated, which is a big plus whenever they read books.
The story starts with Gilbert shouting in his dream when robotic spider-like legs crawled on his floor. Completely awake from his nightmare, Gilbert walked to his telescope and wished for an angel to take him far away... far away from his home where his parents were arguing / fighting nonstop. That is when streaks of stars and lights flashed in his mind. Little did he know that those same lights were appearing outside his house. And soon he embarked on an out-of-this-world adventure (literally out of this world!) with an alien girl named Aoleon from Mars. Aoleon seemed nice and friendly, she seemed to be in control of her spacecraft saucer which was maneuvered through Artificial Intelligence which was definitely high-tech, but later on, we discover that she was only a student practicing pilot. More discoveries were unearthed (or should we say unmarsed?) when Gilbert landed on the biggest city on Mars. But like on Earth, there was a political issue surrounding the planet and a fugitive alien made contact to one of the characters in the book. How did it go with Gilbert? Your guess is as good as mine.
Storywise, my kids have the same reactions with Gilbert and his discovery of the alien spaceship that hovered above Farmer Johnson's crops. Like Gilbert, they also were in awe of the lights and saucer and Aoleon. They knew they were in for a treat when they read about flying cows, and aerocrafts chasing saucers while flying to different countries all over the continent. This was indeed an adventure like no other. Sure, there were technical terms that my kids haven't heard before but I was there to guide them throughout the book. When we came close to the cliffhanger ending, my eldest didn't want the story the end. So we read the book again and again. Now, they're trampling on me screaming for the next book in the series. With this kind of reaction, it only means one thing. Gilbert & Aoleon are now my kids' newest book bestfriends!
First and foremost, what really attracted my kids (and I) are the crisp and colorful illustrations by Brent LeVasseur. It became easier for them to imagine how the Aoleon and the Martians look alike. For them, it was vibrantly and entrancingly illustrated, which is a big plus whenever they read books.
The story starts with Gilbert shouting in his dream when robotic spider-like legs crawled on his floor. Completely awake from his nightmare, Gilbert walked to his telescope and wished for an angel to take him far away... far away from his home where his parents were arguing / fighting nonstop. That is when streaks of stars and lights flashed in his mind. Little did he know that those same lights were appearing outside his house. And soon he embarked on an out-of-this-world adventure (literally out of this world!) with an alien girl named Aoleon from Mars. Aoleon seemed nice and friendly, she seemed to be in control of her spacecraft saucer which was maneuvered through Artificial Intelligence which was definitely high-tech, but later on, we discover that she was only a student practicing pilot. More discoveries were unearthed (or should we say unmarsed?) when Gilbert landed on the biggest city on Mars. But like on Earth, there was a political issue surrounding the planet and a fugitive alien made contact to one of the characters in the book. How did it go with Gilbert? Your guess is as good as mine.
Storywise, my kids have the same reactions with Gilbert and his discovery of the alien spaceship that hovered above Farmer Johnson's crops. Like Gilbert, they also were in awe of the lights and saucer and Aoleon. They knew they were in for a treat when they read about flying cows, and aerocrafts chasing saucers while flying to different countries all over the continent. This was indeed an adventure like no other. Sure, there were technical terms that my kids haven't heard before but I was there to guide them throughout the book. When we came close to the cliffhanger ending, my eldest didn't want the story the end. So we read the book again and again. Now, they're trampling on me screaming for the next book in the series. With this kind of reaction, it only means one thing. Gilbert & Aoleon are now my kids' newest book bestfriends!
December 26, 2014
The opening cover illustration of Aoleon, The Martian Girl, guarantees this sci-fi-fantasy story will be exciting. This turquoise colored Martian girl poised on her hover-board is ready for action and excitement. And the first sentences prove this to be true. The story grabs you from the beginning and it’s difficult to put down. Now throw in Gilbert, the young Nebraska farm boy, and all kinds of interesting plot lines begin to open up. Why is he having such strange dreams and why did Aoleon come to his neighbor’s farm? What is going to happen to his parents’ marriage? How can he and Aoleon possibly help save Earth and Mars? The more you read the more the questions increase.
The author has thankfully written this in third person. Science fiction and fantasy often involve huge vistas and epoch situations that can only be described from that point of view and it remains true in this case. Additionally the author has provided wonderful illustrations of the characters and scenes making this fast moving beginning of the book easy to visualize and mentally escape into. The editing is first class and the dialogue is fun to read and flows evenly.
Being an amateur astronomer I enjoyed the author’s celestial descriptions and his fantastic use of physics which he kept in the plausible realm. Science fiction can be way out there but when it involves known facts and theories it needs to be as accurate as possible. And this leads to one small mistake I found on the second page. Gilbert’s telescope is described as an eleven inch scope. In two illustrations that follow it is obvious it is a four or five inch scope. (I have one similar to his.) I know, most people would never notice this, but most astronomers read sci-fi and would pick up on it. Aside from this one small point the story and illustrations are a pleasure to read and look at. They really fire up the imagination and I look forward to the completion of the book.
The author has thankfully written this in third person. Science fiction and fantasy often involve huge vistas and epoch situations that can only be described from that point of view and it remains true in this case. Additionally the author has provided wonderful illustrations of the characters and scenes making this fast moving beginning of the book easy to visualize and mentally escape into. The editing is first class and the dialogue is fun to read and flows evenly.
Being an amateur astronomer I enjoyed the author’s celestial descriptions and his fantastic use of physics which he kept in the plausible realm. Science fiction can be way out there but when it involves known facts and theories it needs to be as accurate as possible. And this leads to one small mistake I found on the second page. Gilbert’s telescope is described as an eleven inch scope. In two illustrations that follow it is obvious it is a four or five inch scope. (I have one similar to his.) I know, most people would never notice this, but most astronomers read sci-fi and would pick up on it. Aside from this one small point the story and illustrations are a pleasure to read and look at. They really fire up the imagination and I look forward to the completion of the book.
December 31, 2014
What a HOOT! This is only the hilarious beginning of a story intended for grade to middle schoolers with its action-packed can't put it down adventure, but it left me wanting more. The author has populated the pages of his story with laugh out loud goodies that adults will enjoy too. Think of the President of the United States in his underwear (bearing the presidential seal) and his bunny slippers speaking to the joint chiefs of staff including Englebert Humperdink III. There is a dog named Tripod whose name used to be Oscar before the accident. And of course, "Elvis has left the building" means more to a more mature person than one who is in grade school now.
This book is like MONSTERS INC or other animated movies that are for children but adults get a few unexpected giggles for their money too. The illustrations are also like those movies-richly hued and sometimes superimposed on a real backdrop. Some are from the Hubble telescope; all are beautiful.
The plot is for the Martians to take all the milk cows from earth, although the reason not given in this Part One. The earth boy and martian girl who are the stars of the book must gather evidence and try to keep this from happening. There is a nice twist in that the girl is the smart one with the powers, not the boy.
My opinion is that it would be most appropriate for the higher end of the grade-middle scale and would not be more enjoyable for one gender than the other. I was thoroughly entertained by my advanced copy of Part One and give it a five star rating. It will launch January 31, 2015, but don't wait. You can Pre-order HERE.
January 13, 2015
This story is so fast paced I was dragged along like the flying cows. When you read it you’ll get the thing about those cows.
Gilbert is woken up from another weird dream . This one about killer robots. In no hurry to return to that dream, he goes over to look at the night outside through his telescope.
Spotting strange lights in his neighbors farm, the one where the strange crop circles kept appearing, he slips out to investigate and literally bumps into adventure, in the form of Aoleon, a martian girl
The bright lights also catch the farmers eye and he discovers Gilbert and Aoleon, the martian girl, chasing them to her ship where they take off to the skies.
It’s a laugh riot as Aoleon pilots her baby blue space craft around the world, giving Gilbert the ride of his life while she dodges the USAF fighter jets that pursue them.
I received this book in my dropbox and chose to read it there. The illustrations are black and white on my kindle and don't do them justice.
Excellent descriptions compliment the exciting illustrations, so brilliant in colors they explode off the pages.
Young and older readers alike will be enchanted by Gilbert and Aoleon and this authors world.
I understand there are four more adventures in this saga and an iTunes album.
I plan to follow these adventures. You’ll wish you had a friend like Aoleon, and envy Gilbert as he explores his dreams of space.
An out of this world delight.
I received this book for my honest review.
Gilbert is woken up from another weird dream . This one about killer robots. In no hurry to return to that dream, he goes over to look at the night outside through his telescope.
Spotting strange lights in his neighbors farm, the one where the strange crop circles kept appearing, he slips out to investigate and literally bumps into adventure, in the form of Aoleon, a martian girl
The bright lights also catch the farmers eye and he discovers Gilbert and Aoleon, the martian girl, chasing them to her ship where they take off to the skies.
It’s a laugh riot as Aoleon pilots her baby blue space craft around the world, giving Gilbert the ride of his life while she dodges the USAF fighter jets that pursue them.
I received this book in my dropbox and chose to read it there. The illustrations are black and white on my kindle and don't do them justice.
Excellent descriptions compliment the exciting illustrations, so brilliant in colors they explode off the pages.
Young and older readers alike will be enchanted by Gilbert and Aoleon and this authors world.
I understand there are four more adventures in this saga and an iTunes album.
I plan to follow these adventures. You’ll wish you had a friend like Aoleon, and envy Gilbert as he explores his dreams of space.
An out of this world delight.
I received this book for my honest review.
June 19, 2015
What a fantastic read! This fast paced, action packed story kept my attention throughout. LeVasseur’s vivid descriptions not only paint a picture for the readers but also draw you deep into this world. The way that the chapters and locales were set up I felt as if I were really on a mission with the characters. It captured my imagination. The chaos in this story is absolutely priceless. LeVasseur takes young teens causing trouble to an entirely new level. This is all wrapped around a rather in-depth story of life & leadership. There is also a technical aspect to the tale that made the story oh-so-real and possible. As an adult I enjoyed this, but it is a story that will captivate younger readers. This author’s inviting storytelling combined with the amazingly SciFi-esque graphics will keep them riveted.
The graphics in this story were fantastic. They definitely enhanced the story for me. As enjoyable as these graphics are on an older black & white ereader, in colour they’re absolutely enchanting. This was an exquisitely visual story. Between the author’s fantastic writing and the actual images that are part of the story I could easily picture it all.
I think the main character summed it up perfectly when he said, ‘Zoikers! That’s so cool!’ This story is a fantastic start to a series sure to capture the heart & the imagination. I can’t wait to see what happens next.
Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this work in exchange for an honest review.
The graphics in this story were fantastic. They definitely enhanced the story for me. As enjoyable as these graphics are on an older black & white ereader, in colour they’re absolutely enchanting. This was an exquisitely visual story. Between the author’s fantastic writing and the actual images that are part of the story I could easily picture it all.
I think the main character summed it up perfectly when he said, ‘Zoikers! That’s so cool!’ This story is a fantastic start to a series sure to capture the heart & the imagination. I can’t wait to see what happens next.
Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this work in exchange for an honest review.
December 17, 2014
Gilbert Sullivan has been having dreams lately of aliens. His mom says it is him playing too many video games. Gilbert awakes him his latest nightmare. He hears a noise and goes to look out of his telescope. He originally thought it was a shooting star but then realizes that it is a space ship. It has landed in the corn field. Gilbert rushes out and bumps into someone. A girl. Her name is Aoleon. She is from Mars.
I absolutely loved the graphics in this book. They were not your usual graphics. They were just like out of a video game. They were eye catching, vivid and colorful and just popped off the pages. All the time while I was reading this book on my computer. Then there was the story itself. Gilbert and Aoleon are great together. I was a little jealous of all of the cool fun that Gilbert was having with Aoleon in her space ship traveling all over the world. There was plently of action to keep this story moving along at a good pace. Also, I like that the author did not use a lot of big words. For the younger readers it would be hard to pronounce the words and understand what they mean. Even though the author did put a glossary at the back of the book with the definitions. This is book one. There are five books in this series. So now is a good time to start this series. Plus check out the Itunes album to this book.
I absolutely loved the graphics in this book. They were not your usual graphics. They were just like out of a video game. They were eye catching, vivid and colorful and just popped off the pages. All the time while I was reading this book on my computer. Then there was the story itself. Gilbert and Aoleon are great together. I was a little jealous of all of the cool fun that Gilbert was having with Aoleon in her space ship traveling all over the world. There was plently of action to keep this story moving along at a good pace. Also, I like that the author did not use a lot of big words. For the younger readers it would be hard to pronounce the words and understand what they mean. Even though the author did put a glossary at the back of the book with the definitions. This is book one. There are five books in this series. So now is a good time to start this series. Plus check out the Itunes album to this book.
December 28, 2014
I mentioned earlier this year that I've been trying to expand my reading to try reading a few books that I wouldn't normally pick up. Well, this book is definitely one of those! Aoleon is geared toward young adults/teenagers but I actually really enjoyed it as well. I would consider it a science fiction book because it included alien, UFOs and the like.
This book is only part one of the story so it ends in a cliffhanger but even with that, it was a really good story. The illustrations are incredible. They are fun, brightly colored and vivid and I think they really added to the story. I think this would really appeal to young adults for that reason.
I don't want to give you the full story but it follows a young country boy in his adventure with Aoleon. They go for quite a trip! If you teach middle-grade children, have middle-grade children or would enjoy a quick sci-fi, check it out!
December 31, 2014
Aoleon, Martian Girl The photos in this book are unreal!
February 12, 2015
Introduction
This first installment of a juvenile science fiction story follows a boy named Gilbert Sullivan who befriends a female alien named Aoléon and has a series of adventures. The cover art of the series’ titular character is decent for the most part, with the alien on a hoverboard over a farmfield. The minor illustration of a furry violet alien with eyes at the end of the center two of its four stalks looks believable as well.
Dreams
The first chapter introduces Gilbert Sullivan, a young boy haunted by nightmares of alien abductions, with strange occurrences happening in real life in sync with his dreams. The first illustration in this chapter of Gilbert Sullivan sitting up in his bed is somewhat disturbing, with the boy having wide-open eyes and a crooked smile. While he does bear the same odd expression in the chapter’s second piece of art, it does give the reader a good feel for his bedroom. In the third and final illustration of the chapter, where Gilbert peers through his telescope, his gloved hands appear a tad oversized.
First Contact
The second chapter follows an alien’s voyage through space and eventual arrival on Earth, after which comes her introduction as Aoléon to Gilbert, and focuses on their initial interactions such as that with Tripod the dog and eventual conflict with Farmer Johnson. The second chapter’s opening illustration depicts a spaceship traveling at light speed, with the vessel being believable with prismatic effects in the space around it. The second artwork depicts a closer look of the intergalactic ship with Aoléon inside, the ship still being believable and appearing over a colorful explosive backdrop. The third two-part illustration depicts different views of the planet Saturn with its rings, near which Aoléon’s ship travels, these views being nice and believable as well.
The next artwork depicts the ship flying near the Moon and the Earth, both worlds having good texturing as well. In the subsequent image, Gilbert is within a cornfield under a bright starry sky staring at the viewer, and smiling, another odd design choice that nonetheless isn’t as odd as the first chapter’s initial illustration. In the art of Gilbert and Aoléon meeting for the first time, it somewhat seems as though they’re floating far above the ground instead of resting upon it. The illustration depicting Aoléon, Gilbert, and Tripod the dog is one of the stronger ones of the book, with Gilbert’s expression being more reasonable than in some previous pieces in the book. For the first illustration of Famer Johnson firing his shotgun, his expression looks somewhat odd and trapped between happiness and anger.
Flying Cows
This chapter opens with Air Force pilots pursuing Aoléon’s vessel, and integrates flying cows, whose expressions look somewhat creepy in the section’s first illustration, although the depiction of the pilot’s view and the sky definitely look better. The following two pieces depict the pursuit of the alien craft by Air Force pilots, whose vessels look realistic, with pretty scenery as well. The art afterward shows Gilbert and Aoléon in the spacecraft with the Air Force jets behind them, the former’s expression looking somewhat goofy, especially with his roundish teeth.
The Air Force pilots and the alien ship ultimately come near a passenger plane, another illustration depicting this encounter, Gilbert and Aoléon’s expressions appearing the same as in the prior piece featuring both, although the former’s definitely looks better from a distance. The pursuit takes the Air Force jets and the alien craft into foreign waters, another artwork depicting a pair of sailors thrown off their small ship. The next illustration depicts a nice view of tundra and mountains in the north of Earth, the chase not then being over.
The pursuit of the alien and Gilbert takes them to London, another piece depicting them near London’s Houses of Parliament and the Westminster Clock Tower (known more commonly and erroneously as Big Ben, actually the name of one of its bells). The next illustration depicting Gilbert and Aoléon shows the former with a scared expression, arms and hands in the air, appearing goofy here as well, especially with his aforementioned roundish teeth. The chase goes to Paris, France, as well, the following artwork showing a bottoms-up view of the Eiffel Tower with the pilot that ejected from his plane soaring down to safety via parachute. The chapter concludes with a journey to Mars, a beautiful space illustration terminating the third chapter.
Situation Room
The penultimate chapter opens with a goofy illustration depicting the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Stryker, who discusses the prior occurrences involving the alien craft with the President, Vice President, and others, the chapter containing plenty of humorous banter and serving as the story’s chief form of comic relief.
Martian Megalopolis
The final chapter begins with a beautiful illustration depicting Gilbert and Aoléon’s arrival at Mars. The following art shows the ship at a closer view, near the planet’s underside, Gilbert having an excited expression and the Martian looking at him. They ultimately enter the planet’s atmosphere, populated by other spaceships, another piece of art depicting this and the lovely Martian surface. Following this is the vessel’s arrival at a well-described Martian city sticking out from one of its massive craters, illustrated well in the book. The next piece looks gorgeous as well, depicting a closer view of the Martian megalopolis, with nice lighting.
The further close-up of the city in the illustration depicted afterwards one could definitely describe as “trippy,” given its psychedelic coloring, although this is by no means a bad thing. Gilbert and Aoléon eventually land and depart their ship, the following art showing them upside-down, Gilbert in a space suit and not looking ridiculous for a change like he did in previous illustration. Many parts of the chapter that follow have occasional political commentary stemming from the fact that artificial intelligence, unswayable by greed or corruption, runs the alien city instead of living beings, with occasional humor, as well, after which the novel reaches its end and leaves room open for follow-ups.
Conclusion
In the end, in spite of some of the odd artistic choices in the illustrations, the first part of this new series is a good one, with the book always clarifying the settings of the various portions of its chapters, and while the art isn’t perfect, it does flow naturally with the story, and definitely helps in the end more than hurts.
This first installment of a juvenile science fiction story follows a boy named Gilbert Sullivan who befriends a female alien named Aoléon and has a series of adventures. The cover art of the series’ titular character is decent for the most part, with the alien on a hoverboard over a farmfield. The minor illustration of a furry violet alien with eyes at the end of the center two of its four stalks looks believable as well.
Dreams
The first chapter introduces Gilbert Sullivan, a young boy haunted by nightmares of alien abductions, with strange occurrences happening in real life in sync with his dreams. The first illustration in this chapter of Gilbert Sullivan sitting up in his bed is somewhat disturbing, with the boy having wide-open eyes and a crooked smile. While he does bear the same odd expression in the chapter’s second piece of art, it does give the reader a good feel for his bedroom. In the third and final illustration of the chapter, where Gilbert peers through his telescope, his gloved hands appear a tad oversized.
First Contact
The second chapter follows an alien’s voyage through space and eventual arrival on Earth, after which comes her introduction as Aoléon to Gilbert, and focuses on their initial interactions such as that with Tripod the dog and eventual conflict with Farmer Johnson. The second chapter’s opening illustration depicts a spaceship traveling at light speed, with the vessel being believable with prismatic effects in the space around it. The second artwork depicts a closer look of the intergalactic ship with Aoléon inside, the ship still being believable and appearing over a colorful explosive backdrop. The third two-part illustration depicts different views of the planet Saturn with its rings, near which Aoléon’s ship travels, these views being nice and believable as well.
The next artwork depicts the ship flying near the Moon and the Earth, both worlds having good texturing as well. In the subsequent image, Gilbert is within a cornfield under a bright starry sky staring at the viewer, and smiling, another odd design choice that nonetheless isn’t as odd as the first chapter’s initial illustration. In the art of Gilbert and Aoléon meeting for the first time, it somewhat seems as though they’re floating far above the ground instead of resting upon it. The illustration depicting Aoléon, Gilbert, and Tripod the dog is one of the stronger ones of the book, with Gilbert’s expression being more reasonable than in some previous pieces in the book. For the first illustration of Famer Johnson firing his shotgun, his expression looks somewhat odd and trapped between happiness and anger.
Flying Cows
This chapter opens with Air Force pilots pursuing Aoléon’s vessel, and integrates flying cows, whose expressions look somewhat creepy in the section’s first illustration, although the depiction of the pilot’s view and the sky definitely look better. The following two pieces depict the pursuit of the alien craft by Air Force pilots, whose vessels look realistic, with pretty scenery as well. The art afterward shows Gilbert and Aoléon in the spacecraft with the Air Force jets behind them, the former’s expression looking somewhat goofy, especially with his roundish teeth.
The Air Force pilots and the alien ship ultimately come near a passenger plane, another illustration depicting this encounter, Gilbert and Aoléon’s expressions appearing the same as in the prior piece featuring both, although the former’s definitely looks better from a distance. The pursuit takes the Air Force jets and the alien craft into foreign waters, another artwork depicting a pair of sailors thrown off their small ship. The next illustration depicts a nice view of tundra and mountains in the north of Earth, the chase not then being over.
The pursuit of the alien and Gilbert takes them to London, another piece depicting them near London’s Houses of Parliament and the Westminster Clock Tower (known more commonly and erroneously as Big Ben, actually the name of one of its bells). The next illustration depicting Gilbert and Aoléon shows the former with a scared expression, arms and hands in the air, appearing goofy here as well, especially with his aforementioned roundish teeth. The chase goes to Paris, France, as well, the following artwork showing a bottoms-up view of the Eiffel Tower with the pilot that ejected from his plane soaring down to safety via parachute. The chapter concludes with a journey to Mars, a beautiful space illustration terminating the third chapter.
Situation Room
The penultimate chapter opens with a goofy illustration depicting the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Stryker, who discusses the prior occurrences involving the alien craft with the President, Vice President, and others, the chapter containing plenty of humorous banter and serving as the story’s chief form of comic relief.
Martian Megalopolis
The final chapter begins with a beautiful illustration depicting Gilbert and Aoléon’s arrival at Mars. The following art shows the ship at a closer view, near the planet’s underside, Gilbert having an excited expression and the Martian looking at him. They ultimately enter the planet’s atmosphere, populated by other spaceships, another piece of art depicting this and the lovely Martian surface. Following this is the vessel’s arrival at a well-described Martian city sticking out from one of its massive craters, illustrated well in the book. The next piece looks gorgeous as well, depicting a closer view of the Martian megalopolis, with nice lighting.
The further close-up of the city in the illustration depicted afterwards one could definitely describe as “trippy,” given its psychedelic coloring, although this is by no means a bad thing. Gilbert and Aoléon eventually land and depart their ship, the following art showing them upside-down, Gilbert in a space suit and not looking ridiculous for a change like he did in previous illustration. Many parts of the chapter that follow have occasional political commentary stemming from the fact that artificial intelligence, unswayable by greed or corruption, runs the alien city instead of living beings, with occasional humor, as well, after which the novel reaches its end and leaves room open for follow-ups.
Conclusion
In the end, in spite of some of the odd artistic choices in the illustrations, the first part of this new series is a good one, with the book always clarifying the settings of the various portions of its chapters, and while the art isn’t perfect, it does flow naturally with the story, and definitely helps in the end more than hurts.
December 26, 2014
I received a digital arc copy of this book from iRead Book Tours in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. All are my own opinion and is not compensated by any individual, organization, or company. This might contain minor spoilers.
This review originally appeared on Amiabooklover
WHAT A COOL BOOK!
I imagined myself as a kid who just loves SCIENCE, anything with SCIENCE and ALIENS. Then I read this. So of course, as a kid, I will look first at the pictures. The illustrations of this book are so amazing, colourful and look very three-dimensional. I love the quality of the images. It is very friendly to my eyes. I would love to see it on the big screen, if possible and if there’s a chance.
Plot is great. I believe the plot is very catchy for kids, at least. But I think for older readers, it is a bit common. Since I belong to that older group of readers, I think it is still good even though it’s common. The world-building is very fascinating and pretty cute. The characters are fun and cute and lovely.
I LOVE THAT AERIAL ACTION!!
I love the action! It's like riding a twister! It’s very moving and very fun—thanks to the COWS!!! The aerial escapade is my favourite part of the book! I would love to read and see more of it in illustrations. The book never gets a dull moment but I got little sidetracked with the confusing terms I didn’t know. I really feel what Gilbert feels. But thankfully, the author put glossary at the end of the book, so I get to know those terms I’m confused with.
This is just part one of the entire saga so there’s more parts to be excited of. I definitely recommend it to young readers out there and to young readers at heart, they will surely like it.
This review originally appeared on Amiabooklover
WHAT A COOL BOOK!
I imagined myself as a kid who just loves SCIENCE, anything with SCIENCE and ALIENS. Then I read this. So of course, as a kid, I will look first at the pictures. The illustrations of this book are so amazing, colourful and look very three-dimensional. I love the quality of the images. It is very friendly to my eyes. I would love to see it on the big screen, if possible and if there’s a chance.
Plot is great. I believe the plot is very catchy for kids, at least. But I think for older readers, it is a bit common. Since I belong to that older group of readers, I think it is still good even though it’s common. The world-building is very fascinating and pretty cute. The characters are fun and cute and lovely.
I LOVE THAT AERIAL ACTION!!
I love the action! It's like riding a twister! It’s very moving and very fun—thanks to the COWS!!! The aerial escapade is my favourite part of the book! I would love to read and see more of it in illustrations. The book never gets a dull moment but I got little sidetracked with the confusing terms I didn’t know. I really feel what Gilbert feels. But thankfully, the author put glossary at the end of the book, so I get to know those terms I’m confused with.
This is just part one of the entire saga so there’s more parts to be excited of. I definitely recommend it to young readers out there and to young readers at heart, they will surely like it.
June 5, 2015
Aoléon The Martian Girl: A Science Fiction and Fantasy Saga - Part 1: First Contact is a middle grade level children's book written and illustrated by Brent LeVasseur. It is science fiction - fantasy genre. From the cover of the book readers know they are in for a fun adventure. The bold and colorful design hints at the fun that awaits readers!
The book is 94 pages with chapters entitled: Dreams, First Contact, Flying Cows, Situation Room, Martian Megalopolis.
The novel opens with a young boy named Gilbert Sullivan waking up from a bad dream. He lives on a farm in Nebraska, and always dreams vividly before crop circles are found in his area. When he wishes to travel far away, past the moon, he gets his wish in an unexpected way.
Gilbert is watching from a telescope in his bedroom with his cat Xena when he sees an unusual light. He goes outside to explore and the adventure begins as he meets a Martian girl named Aoléon. They are chased by Gilbert's neighbor, Farmer Johnson, and his basset hound, Tripod. However, Gilbert and Aoléon escape and take off in a flying saucer above a field of levitating cows.
Young readers will enjoy Gilbert and Aoléon's adventurous travels traveling above earth, chased by an officer from the U.S. Air Force.
They end up traveling to Aoléon's home planet of Mars. The descriptions and pictures of Mars are fascinating. Gilbert's experiences on the distant planet are sure to intrigue young readers and encourage them to read on. There are five exciting books in this series!
The illustrations throughout this book are exceptional. They are plentiful, and the design is bold and fresh, sure to draw a young reader into the story.
The storytelling is fast paced, with engaging characters that children will enjoy. The book has a great blend of description and dialogue, ideal for a reluctant reader or any child who likes fast-paced science fiction.
The book is 94 pages with chapters entitled: Dreams, First Contact, Flying Cows, Situation Room, Martian Megalopolis.
The novel opens with a young boy named Gilbert Sullivan waking up from a bad dream. He lives on a farm in Nebraska, and always dreams vividly before crop circles are found in his area. When he wishes to travel far away, past the moon, he gets his wish in an unexpected way.
Gilbert is watching from a telescope in his bedroom with his cat Xena when he sees an unusual light. He goes outside to explore and the adventure begins as he meets a Martian girl named Aoléon. They are chased by Gilbert's neighbor, Farmer Johnson, and his basset hound, Tripod. However, Gilbert and Aoléon escape and take off in a flying saucer above a field of levitating cows.
Young readers will enjoy Gilbert and Aoléon's adventurous travels traveling above earth, chased by an officer from the U.S. Air Force.
They end up traveling to Aoléon's home planet of Mars. The descriptions and pictures of Mars are fascinating. Gilbert's experiences on the distant planet are sure to intrigue young readers and encourage them to read on. There are five exciting books in this series!
The illustrations throughout this book are exceptional. They are plentiful, and the design is bold and fresh, sure to draw a young reader into the story.
The storytelling is fast paced, with engaging characters that children will enjoy. The book has a great blend of description and dialogue, ideal for a reluctant reader or any child who likes fast-paced science fiction.
December 21, 2014
I would give this 4 1/2 stars
I don't normally read books aimed at middle grade aged people, but this one sounded interesting so I had to check it out. So glad I did because the book is fast paced from the beginning and doesn't stop until it leaves you hanging waiting for part 2! Gilbert is a typical boy and Aoléon is your typical Martian, I guess? Who knows what a typical Martian is like! Anyway, Aoléon takes Gilbert on the ride of his life in the spaceship and while it makes him nervous, he is also very excited by this experience. After evading NORAD and NASA and every other government entity, they head to Mars where Gilbert gets a taste of what it is like on Mars. I was surprised that during this escape that the spaceship didn't seem to bring about as much attention as I would have thought considering it was close to the ground in several countries and seen by many. This story is very engaging, descriptive and made me laugh along with keeping me on the edge of my seat during various parts of the book. I was very sad to see part 1 end.
There are also illustrations in this book that are amazing. Very lifelike and reminds me of some animated movies like Book of Life or Toy Story...there is probably a better example but that is what I could come up with off the top of my head! There is one illustration I wish I could show you because it cracked me up....I was reading along and it talks about how Aoléon does something as they are trying to leave and cows start floating in this bubble. Then the military shows up trying to shoot down the spaceship and all of a sudden a cow is in the line of sight of the plane....I flip the page on my Kindle and there is the image. It was just like I imagined and 100 times better.
I don't normally read books aimed at middle grade aged people, but this one sounded interesting so I had to check it out. So glad I did because the book is fast paced from the beginning and doesn't stop until it leaves you hanging waiting for part 2! Gilbert is a typical boy and Aoléon is your typical Martian, I guess? Who knows what a typical Martian is like! Anyway, Aoléon takes Gilbert on the ride of his life in the spaceship and while it makes him nervous, he is also very excited by this experience. After evading NORAD and NASA and every other government entity, they head to Mars where Gilbert gets a taste of what it is like on Mars. I was surprised that during this escape that the spaceship didn't seem to bring about as much attention as I would have thought considering it was close to the ground in several countries and seen by many. This story is very engaging, descriptive and made me laugh along with keeping me on the edge of my seat during various parts of the book. I was very sad to see part 1 end.
There are also illustrations in this book that are amazing. Very lifelike and reminds me of some animated movies like Book of Life or Toy Story...there is probably a better example but that is what I could come up with off the top of my head! There is one illustration I wish I could show you because it cracked me up....I was reading along and it talks about how Aoléon does something as they are trying to leave and cows start floating in this bubble. Then the military shows up trying to shoot down the spaceship and all of a sudden a cow is in the line of sight of the plane....I flip the page on my Kindle and there is the image. It was just like I imagined and 100 times better.
January 16, 2016
Aoléon The Martian Girl: A Science Fiction and Fantasy Saga - Part 1: First Contact, written and illustrated by Brent LeVasseur What a cool adventure this book turns out to be. It about an earth boy named Gilbert and a martian girl named Aoléon. This story starts out on earth in Gilbert's room. Where he wakes up from a dream. We meet up with meeting Aoléon who enjoys crop circling. She shows up in farmer Johnson wheat field. Gilbert goes find out what just flew though his room brighten his bedroom with light. Then their adventure began once they are followed by farmer Johnson and his dog Tripod. We meet with several different characters. A Controller named Buzz at US Airbase. I do not want spoil any of fun for though young readers. It gave me a laugh as I was reading it. The characters are fun reading about in his book. Even the president of the United States with his personality and actions. This book is filled with action and adventure book.The illustration in the book is every colorful. The pictures are down quite well. I would say i really enjoyed the Mars picture when they were flying back to Aoléon home. This book really good for young readers. Anyone that enjoys action and adventures and along with those who enjoy learning about space. The pictures are wonderfully drawn. I enjoy looking at pictures and I even looking at them for a few minutes.
December 24, 2014
This review first appeared on my blog Christy's Cozy Corners.
This book is so cute! It is not the type of book I'd pick up to read, but I am glad I was asked to do a review of it. I literally laughed out loud at several parts during this book.
Gilbert Sullivan has been having strange dreams, but when he sees Aoleon's ship, it's no dream. Aoleon and Gilbert have to make a quick escape when Farmer Johnson comes after them for trespassing in his crops. Unfortunately, that quick escape garners the attention of the US military and a chase ensues. This chase creates some havoc all over the world, but it sure is fun! Of course, they're never really in any danger of being caught since Aoleon's craft is so much more advanced than anything the US military can come up with! Gilbert's wildest dreams come true when Aoleon takes him to her home planet, Mars!
Floating cows and witty humor make this a book even adults will like. There are several pop culture references that only adults will recognize, and these were the points I really laughed at in the book. This is a book your kids will really like. The graphics are cool and the website associated with this book will be ones your kids will visit over and over! I definitely recommend Aoleon.
This book is so cute! It is not the type of book I'd pick up to read, but I am glad I was asked to do a review of it. I literally laughed out loud at several parts during this book.
Gilbert Sullivan has been having strange dreams, but when he sees Aoleon's ship, it's no dream. Aoleon and Gilbert have to make a quick escape when Farmer Johnson comes after them for trespassing in his crops. Unfortunately, that quick escape garners the attention of the US military and a chase ensues. This chase creates some havoc all over the world, but it sure is fun! Of course, they're never really in any danger of being caught since Aoleon's craft is so much more advanced than anything the US military can come up with! Gilbert's wildest dreams come true when Aoleon takes him to her home planet, Mars!
Floating cows and witty humor make this a book even adults will like. There are several pop culture references that only adults will recognize, and these were the points I really laughed at in the book. This is a book your kids will really like. The graphics are cool and the website associated with this book will be ones your kids will visit over and over! I definitely recommend Aoleon.
December 19, 2014
I have to be honest – the story line wasn’t really my thing, but it was definitely something my kids and hubby would like and it was enjoyable (just not my every day, typical normal read!)
It is recommended for middle grade and while I felt the wording may be a little difficult for my 1st grade (6 year old) son, but I think my 3rd grade (almost 9 year old) daughter would have minimal issues reading it. I am certain both of them would enjoy the story.
This is book one of five and was a quick read for an adult.
This isn’t your typical chapter book as it does have “pictures” but I wouldn’t really call it a picture book either. It’s a perfect combination of the two and the illustrations really are something else.
The backgrounds on all of the illustrations were quite beautiful.
The people/martians looked a little computer animated and sometimes out of place, but I my kids and hubby loved all the illustrations and I didn’t feel it took away from the story. They really added a nice element to the book and a few of them I found myself stopping the story to really check out the picture.
All in all, definitely a book that I could see maybe 4th grade through 8th grade really enjoying.
It is recommended for middle grade and while I felt the wording may be a little difficult for my 1st grade (6 year old) son, but I think my 3rd grade (almost 9 year old) daughter would have minimal issues reading it. I am certain both of them would enjoy the story.
This is book one of five and was a quick read for an adult.
This isn’t your typical chapter book as it does have “pictures” but I wouldn’t really call it a picture book either. It’s a perfect combination of the two and the illustrations really are something else.
The backgrounds on all of the illustrations were quite beautiful.
The people/martians looked a little computer animated and sometimes out of place, but I my kids and hubby loved all the illustrations and I didn’t feel it took away from the story. They really added a nice element to the book and a few of them I found myself stopping the story to really check out the picture.
All in all, definitely a book that I could see maybe 4th grade through 8th grade really enjoying.
December 29, 2014
This is a new type of book from graphic artist and writer Brent LeVasseur. instead of one book, Brent has put together a series of shorter stories featuring Aoléon The Martian Girl. They are aimed at middle grade readers, and are ideal for reading on a mobile or tablet.
Each book in the series is relatively short, the one I read (book 1) was 94 pages and about 25,000 words long. However on the plus side it has about 40 full page illustrations. And the illustrations of the flying cows on p44 is funny enough to merit the cost of the book on its own.
The book is great for kids in that it introduces all the stables of science fiction: crop circles, first contact, space elevators, telepathy and much more. As such it is a good first step into the genre.
Perhaps one weakness is the book does not follow any specific reading scheme, and I was not sure whether the vocabulary was too complex for younger readers, while the story was possibly too simplistic for the older readers.
I wish this series the very best of luck as a charming and original visual treat. Certainly something to download for the kids ahead of a car journey!
Each book in the series is relatively short, the one I read (book 1) was 94 pages and about 25,000 words long. However on the plus side it has about 40 full page illustrations. And the illustrations of the flying cows on p44 is funny enough to merit the cost of the book on its own.
The book is great for kids in that it introduces all the stables of science fiction: crop circles, first contact, space elevators, telepathy and much more. As such it is a good first step into the genre.
Perhaps one weakness is the book does not follow any specific reading scheme, and I was not sure whether the vocabulary was too complex for younger readers, while the story was possibly too simplistic for the older readers.
I wish this series the very best of luck as a charming and original visual treat. Certainly something to download for the kids ahead of a car journey!
December 30, 2014
Aoleon The Martian Girl is a middle grade sci fi story. This review is for part one of the book. I don't usually review this genre but thought I would give it a try. I really liked it and think that most children, boys or girls would enjoy the book. The main character is a Gilbert, young farm boy from Nebraska and a young Martian girl.
There are crop circles appearing in Mr.Johnson's fields and he thinks that Gilbert is the culprit, but that is not the case but Gilbert goes to investigate and finds Aoleon, a Martian girl just sitting within the crop circle. Now this is most peculiar as Gilbert has never seen such a thing as crop circles let alone a Martian girl. His curiosity is piqued though so he goes along with her on her saucer. Of course any young child enjoys a good adventure and so does Gilbert. I think it will be fun to see what adventures await him with Aoleon in the next chapters.
The book is illustrated, by the author, and the pictures are very vivid and imaginative that will be sure to delight the reader. I think at this age pictures that go along with the story are a great thing. It gives the childs imagination something to give them an insight into the story.
There are crop circles appearing in Mr.Johnson's fields and he thinks that Gilbert is the culprit, but that is not the case but Gilbert goes to investigate and finds Aoleon, a Martian girl just sitting within the crop circle. Now this is most peculiar as Gilbert has never seen such a thing as crop circles let alone a Martian girl. His curiosity is piqued though so he goes along with her on her saucer. Of course any young child enjoys a good adventure and so does Gilbert. I think it will be fun to see what adventures await him with Aoleon in the next chapters.
The book is illustrated, by the author, and the pictures are very vivid and imaginative that will be sure to delight the reader. I think at this age pictures that go along with the story are a great thing. It gives the childs imagination something to give them an insight into the story.
January 12, 2015
Gilbert lives in Nebraska on a farm. We start the story with him waking up from a nightmare of aliens and boarding a UFO. He sees strange lights and gets up to investigate. He stumbles upon Aoleon, a Martian that has come to create crop circles. They get chased onto the UFO to escape farmer Johnson then get chased by the US Air Force in a top secret plane.
After escaping, Aoleon get a call from her mother to come home before dinner gets cold. So, she brings Gilbert home with her to Mars. But when they land, things are more troubling than they look. It seems that both Gilbert and Aoleon are going to have more adventures.
This is a great mid-grade story. I loved the illustrations, they gave the story more depth and I think will help keep younger readers involved. This is part 1 of a series. I really like how the story started and the little twist at the end. I am very interested in seeing how the story progresses.
This is a great story for mid-grade readers and others. Make sure to check it out.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
After escaping, Aoleon get a call from her mother to come home before dinner gets cold. So, she brings Gilbert home with her to Mars. But when they land, things are more troubling than they look. It seems that both Gilbert and Aoleon are going to have more adventures.
This is a great mid-grade story. I loved the illustrations, they gave the story more depth and I think will help keep younger readers involved. This is part 1 of a series. I really like how the story started and the little twist at the end. I am very interested in seeing how the story progresses.
This is a great story for mid-grade readers and others. Make sure to check it out.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
January 16, 2015
Aoleon book one is off to a great start for an easy and fast science fiction read. The numerous color pages rendered in 3D look fantastic and work to make it an even easier and fast read. Though the images occasionally dont look as high fidelity as other 3D works in videogames and movies it is off to a great start. I think it some additional details on textures can be provided it will further enhance the visuals and make it look close to 2010 era 3D visuals than say early 00's era visuals. The faces of characters, locations, and even backgrounds looked pretty stunning. Occasionally the clothing and other items in the foreground looked a bit too smooth and lacking detail to really get me fully immersed. However, I think the target audience wouldnt mind. The silly faces, toyish creatures (like the dog), and actiony moments with some touches of motion blurring were really the best highlights and made me love everything with a high speed chase that serves as the huge moment in the book.
It is a good book for young and old and a nice one hour read.
It is a good book for young and old and a nice one hour read.
December 17, 2014
My Thoughts...
First off...let me say I hardly ever read "Science-fiction and Fantasy," but since I am just a kid at heart I decided to give this one a try. It sounded like a fun read and I wasn't disappointed it was a delightfully fun romp around the earth, and what fun being chased by the U.S. Air Force over the mountains and the hills of France, and onto Mars...
It also had some humor which made this Gramma chuckle a few times. And the illustrations were fantastic and brought the story to life. It was exciting seeing the illustration of the megalopolis city on Mars. Nothing like I've ever seen before! It was an exciting read and kept me on the edge of my chair wondering what will happen next....Thanks to the author for gifting me this book.
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading and reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers and authors I am under no obligation to write a positive review.
First off...let me say I hardly ever read "Science-fiction and Fantasy," but since I am just a kid at heart I decided to give this one a try. It sounded like a fun read and I wasn't disappointed it was a delightfully fun romp around the earth, and what fun being chased by the U.S. Air Force over the mountains and the hills of France, and onto Mars...
It also had some humor which made this Gramma chuckle a few times. And the illustrations were fantastic and brought the story to life. It was exciting seeing the illustration of the megalopolis city on Mars. Nothing like I've ever seen before! It was an exciting read and kept me on the edge of my chair wondering what will happen next....Thanks to the author for gifting me this book.
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading and reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers and authors I am under no obligation to write a positive review.
December 17, 2014
This book was a pre-order gift in exchange for an honest review.
This is part one of a series of five. Aoleon, The Martian Girl. Gilbert is a fun loving character, a farm boy from Nebraska whom is swept away into an explosive journey of adventure by an extra terrestrial girl named Aoleon.
Beautifully large color illustrations through the book that decorates lavishly it's design. If your middle-grade child enjoys YA sci-fi novels, this definitely fits the bill. It was well written, very descriptive and well adapted for our imaginative kids.
Meet strange mischievous aliens and killer robots - With evil rulers on extreme planets and out of this world deserts and volcanoes, it leaves nothing out of this esteemed and creatively inspired action-packed debut to your child's library. My son can't wait for part 2 to become available, and I must admit I quite enjoyed reading it myself. I give it a five star review.
This is part one of a series of five. Aoleon, The Martian Girl. Gilbert is a fun loving character, a farm boy from Nebraska whom is swept away into an explosive journey of adventure by an extra terrestrial girl named Aoleon.
Beautifully large color illustrations through the book that decorates lavishly it's design. If your middle-grade child enjoys YA sci-fi novels, this definitely fits the bill. It was well written, very descriptive and well adapted for our imaginative kids.
Meet strange mischievous aliens and killer robots - With evil rulers on extreme planets and out of this world deserts and volcanoes, it leaves nothing out of this esteemed and creatively inspired action-packed debut to your child's library. My son can't wait for part 2 to become available, and I must admit I quite enjoyed reading it myself. I give it a five star review.
January 2, 2015
As a retired middle school teacher, I can attest that Aoleon The Martian Girl is an incredible science fiction adventure for this targeted age group. The superb writing and exquisite illustrations are more than enough to keep students engaged.
Young teenagers always complain about being bored. Reading and sharing Gilbert Sullivan’s escapades when his boring life changes after meeting a Martian girl named, Aoleon, is priceless. The friendly alien takes Gilbert for a ride in her flying saucer. What student wouldn’t enjoy such a fantasy?
The graphic illustrations not only captivate readers, but vastly enhance the story. The example set for students for writing their own adventures, and creating their own art, is invaluable.
While this is science fiction, the story integrates true science vocabulary along with made up terms. I appreciate Brent LeVasseur included a Glossary; however, to be listed in the table of contents would complement a teacher’s instruction.
Young teenagers always complain about being bored. Reading and sharing Gilbert Sullivan’s escapades when his boring life changes after meeting a Martian girl named, Aoleon, is priceless. The friendly alien takes Gilbert for a ride in her flying saucer. What student wouldn’t enjoy such a fantasy?
The graphic illustrations not only captivate readers, but vastly enhance the story. The example set for students for writing their own adventures, and creating their own art, is invaluable.
While this is science fiction, the story integrates true science vocabulary along with made up terms. I appreciate Brent LeVasseur included a Glossary; however, to be listed in the table of contents would complement a teacher’s instruction.
March 17, 2015
After quickly flicking through the pages of this book the thought that came to mind was “oooo! this is going to be fun!” The story was charming with quite a bit of dry humour that a young person would enjoy. Brent used vivid descriptions to describe Gilbert’s home in the Nebraskan countryside. I especially enjoyed reading them as they transported me back to my childhood living on a farm in the prairies. The artwork just popped and I felt myself wanting to see this as a film.
What is so special about this book is the fact that Brent uses a fun method to teach young people about astronomy, geography, physics and science. (don’t tell your kids!) The vocabulary is pretty impressive – this book makes learning fun! The end of the first book is really action-packed and I hadn’t expected a cliff-hanger. I really want to know what happens next…when is the next book coming out? :D
What is so special about this book is the fact that Brent uses a fun method to teach young people about astronomy, geography, physics and science. (don’t tell your kids!) The vocabulary is pretty impressive – this book makes learning fun! The end of the first book is really action-packed and I hadn’t expected a cliff-hanger. I really want to know what happens next…when is the next book coming out? :D
December 29, 2014
I have a middle school child and thought this sounded like the sort of book she would love. I was right, this was right up her alley. I read it while she was sitting next to me and she kept looking over my shoulder looking at the great graphics and reading the story with me. I loved that she was caught up in the story and kept asking me to turn the page so she could keep reading.
While the story was great, I have to say that I loved the graphics. I read this in iBooks and the graphics almost appeared 3D like. The fact that I could see what Gilbert looked like and how his face was reacting to what was happening enhanced the story. I loved the alien, Aoleon. It was great how human like she was. I laughed when Aoleon’s mother called her asking where she was because it was dinner time.
This is a cute and fun short story perfect for any middle aged reader.
While the story was great, I have to say that I loved the graphics. I read this in iBooks and the graphics almost appeared 3D like. The fact that I could see what Gilbert looked like and how his face was reacting to what was happening enhanced the story. I loved the alien, Aoleon. It was great how human like she was. I laughed when Aoleon’s mother called her asking where she was because it was dinner time.
This is a cute and fun short story perfect for any middle aged reader.
December 22, 2014
I just got done reading the first chapter and wanted to share my thoughts.
It is one of those book which just captures your thoughts right from the beginning. Anyone with a little imagination can easily see each character and situation play out. They are all so vividly portrait like with an artistes brush. It really reads like a movie. No details is spared including the characters we fly past. We can feel ourselves sucked into this universe. We are with Aoléon on her spaceship or immersed in the vast martian city. I found myself having to pull myself out of this brilliantly created world. More then once my break time lasted longer because I couldn't put my pad down. I know it’s supposed to be for a younger audience, but I still found it really interesting. I’m waiting with anticipation for the next chapter of this series.
It is one of those book which just captures your thoughts right from the beginning. Anyone with a little imagination can easily see each character and situation play out. They are all so vividly portrait like with an artistes brush. It really reads like a movie. No details is spared including the characters we fly past. We can feel ourselves sucked into this universe. We are with Aoléon on her spaceship or immersed in the vast martian city. I found myself having to pull myself out of this brilliantly created world. More then once my break time lasted longer because I couldn't put my pad down. I know it’s supposed to be for a younger audience, but I still found it really interesting. I’m waiting with anticipation for the next chapter of this series.
August 7, 2016
This book was definitely not my usual type of read, but I’m so glad I decided to give it a try! The story was well written and vivid and I could see in my mind what the author was writing.
The illustrations were full of bold colors and I found most of them to put a smile on my face. I also loved the name Gilbert Sullivan, the main character, since it reminded me of the theatrical Gilbert & Sullivan, and Gilbert Sullivan the Irish singer-songwriter.
I loved everything about this book. The story alternated between being thrilling and humorous and the illustrations were adorable.
I think all kids, both boys and girls, would enjoy this fun book. I plan on reading it to my grandson.
This is part one of a five part story and I hope to read the rest of them.
The illustrations were full of bold colors and I found most of them to put a smile on my face. I also loved the name Gilbert Sullivan, the main character, since it reminded me of the theatrical Gilbert & Sullivan, and Gilbert Sullivan the Irish singer-songwriter.
I loved everything about this book. The story alternated between being thrilling and humorous and the illustrations were adorable.
I think all kids, both boys and girls, would enjoy this fun book. I plan on reading it to my grandson.
This is part one of a five part story and I hope to read the rest of them.
December 30, 2014
Learning can be fun and this book is perfect for that. Filled with super fun illustrations and a story that keeps moving, you and your kids might just fall in love with this book series. Just don't tell them that they may be learning along the way! While the book says that it's geared towards middle-grade readers, I would put it more at an upper elementary age group. It's a bit simplistic for my middle schooler and some of the words would be too complex for the early elementary crowd. Since the book is about 94 pages long, I think that it would be perfect for those early chapter book readers. The story is fun and fast paced and before you know it, you'll be asking when the second installment comes out.
December 23, 2014
Intended for middle-grade readers ( age 10-14) this sci-fi adventure of meeting a Martian girl is likely to engage the younger end although the language at times is quite sophisticated and semi-technical, so likely to stretch older readers too.
The illustrations are lovely and I can see this developing into a range of branded merchandise if the series takes off.
It is humourous in places – more of that please as flying cows certainly caused a chuckle, as did Aoleon being told off by her mother.
I can’t wait until my sci-fi mad seven year old is able to read it himself. This is just the first part of five so there should be plenty more to look forward to.
The illustrations are lovely and I can see this developing into a range of branded merchandise if the series takes off.
It is humourous in places – more of that please as flying cows certainly caused a chuckle, as did Aoleon being told off by her mother.
I can’t wait until my sci-fi mad seven year old is able to read it himself. This is just the first part of five so there should be plenty more to look forward to.
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