Bloop: A Hilarious Picture Book About a Pug Alien Finding Family with Dogs for Children

by Tara Lazar, Mike Boldt (Illustrator)

Bloop, the little green alien, must conquer Earth, and his first step is figuring out who’s in charge.

In his quest to become the next Emperor of Planet XYZ, Bloop makes too many bloopers. So he’s sent to Earth to conquer that crazy planet first. Who’s in charge there? One visit to the park and Bloop knows: dogs, of course! Bloop tries to master these maddening mutts and prove that he’s top dog. But once Bloop gets a taste of the good life on Earth, what will he do when he’s summoned back to XYZ?

Genres: Picture Books, Dogs, Science Fiction, Aliens, Childrens, Animals, Space

40 pages, Hardcover

First published July 6, 2021

About the author

Street magic performer. Award-winning ice sculptor. Hog-calling champion. These are all things Tara Lazar has never been. Instead, she writes stories for children featuring quirky characters and hilarious happenings. Tara writes the 7 ATE 9 series of picture books from Little Brown, illustrated by Ross MacDonald. Her next book is BLOOP, about an alien who comes to conquer earth but thinks the dogs are in charge! Tara lives in New Jersey with her husband, two daughters, and an adopted stray cat named Phoebe who thinks she is in charge of the planet. Visit Tara online to read about all her books at taralazar.com.

Reviews

[Gheeovondre D’Buttersnaps · Rating 4 out of 5]

I giggled out loud while reading, and my coworkers laughed at me... worth it.

[Haylee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want the next book to be Bloop meeting Stitch

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is so adorable I can't even!

[Stefanie Burns · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny book! Bloop, an alien dog, is ordered to conquer Earth to prove his worthiness to rule Planet XYZ. Bloop goes to Earth to observe and learn and realizes that dogs must truly be the ones who rule Earth. They have humans that do everything for them. It's laugh out loud funny and cute. Sure to be a hit!

[Brandie Bridges-Sells · Rating 5 out of 5]

My kids loved this book so much my husband and I read it twice. My kids enjoyed the premise of this book and they said they hope to read another bloop book because the book ended on a cliffhanger.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

How to take over the world? Maybe Pinky and the Brain should have been taking notes from this book. Bloop has been sent on a mission to conquer Planet XYZ, which looks suspiciously like our homeworld. Unfortunately, Bloop has a predilection for making too many bloopers. Fortunately, Bloop is stubborn and sure that he can prove that he has what it takes to be the ruler of this strange planet!

Is it better to be the Emperor of XYZ, prove himself, and move on in his planetary quest or are the stars aligning in a different direction for Bloop? Engaging, colorful art ties perfectly with the funny story.

[Chaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Again...I'm here for the dogs

[Meghan Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it!!!

[Robin Pelletier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bloop is a hilarious picture book about an alien race tasked with infiltrating earth and becoming supreme rulers. Of course, the best way to infiltrate is to become… canine companions. That way dogs can rule from within society.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bloop has been preparing to be the next ruler of Planet XYZ, but he's just made too many bloopers. So, the emperor sends him to earth with the promise that if he can conquer earth, then Bloop will be ready to assume the role of emperor when he returns. Bloop (who looks like a dog with antennae) comes to earth and immediately realizes who's in charge: the dogs!! After all, humans feed them, walk them, clean up after them, and bow down to them. Bloop eventually finds himself part of a human family and must decide if the emperor-ship is worth giving up his earthly family.

A little on the long side, this is still a fun group read aloud for ages 4-8.

[Mindy Alyse Weiss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clever text and adorable illustrations will have you laughing your way through this fun book. It’s a treasure overflowing with humor and heart.

I love the way Bloop sees our world. You’ll never look at dogs the same way again.

[Laurie Wallmark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bloop, an alien dog-like creature, has figured out how to conquer Earth. But he keeps making bloopers, and things don’t go as he planned. This cute book is laugh out loud funny. You won’t want to miss Bloop’s antics in this hilarious book.

[Laura Zimmermann · Rating 5 out of 5]

My mini Goldendoodle definitely believes she is in charge and I have no doubt she would completely identify with Bloop if only she knew how to read. The text and illustrations in this fun read-aloud from Tara Lazar and Mike Bolt are filled with humor young ones are sure to enjoy.

[Margaret]

Undoubtedly, humans with canine or feline members in their families can agree on certain shared experiences. The unconditional love of our furry friends, some shown more easily than others, is without question. This love supplies us with an incomparable form of companionship. Each dog or cat has their own unique personality regardless of their breed. Their individual quirks generate an endless supply of joy and laughter.

Our social media accounts are filled with photographs of our dogs and cats in their most precious, to us and sometimes to others, moments. In Bloop (Harper, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, July 6, 2021) written by Tara Lazar with illustrations by Mike Boldt, an extraterrestrial is sent to Earth to prove his worthiness. Imagine his surprise at discovering the wonderful life enjoyed by its rulers.


My full recommendation: https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/...

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favorite children's authors has come out with a book about an alien dog. He wears a collar of shame dogs wear when they have had stitches or injuries. But Bloop is green and wants to be the next ruler of Planet XYZ. Bloop is sent to earth to learn how to rule it and return to planet XYZ. The silly observations made by Bloop when observing earth dogs made this reader giggle. It is fun to read aloud and stop, inspect the illustrations for robots, royal retreats, and floofers. And go right back and find where the cone went.

[Becky B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bloop is in line to be the next Emperor of Planet XYZ, but his father says he needs to prove his worth first by conquering the Planet Earth. His first job will be to figure out who is in charge and then work his way to the top.

Bloop is a rather cute alien invader. The way he assumes dogs are in charge because of the way they are served by humans is humorous, and the conclusion of the story is sweet. This will help readers look at the human/dog relationship in new ways, and get a few laughs along the way.

[Aileen Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've always know Tara Lazar was funny and since I'd not yet read Bloop, I requested it from my children's librarian who happily complied. It took me a moment to started reading because the end papers and illustrations by Mike Boldt were captivating, But when I did, I was not disappointed. Bloop's misunderstanding about who was in charge on earth was hilarious and I almost snorted when I saw Mike's rendition of robot hydrants on Bloop's home planet leak on him instead of the other way around. So I'm pretty confident when I say kids will love this story!

[Patti Ranson · Rating 4 out of 5]

BLOOP by Tara Lazar
Bloop has confirmed what Seinfeld pondered in 2012. “Dogs are the leaders of the planet. If you see two life forms, one of them is making a poop, the other one's carrying it for him, who would you assume is in charge?”
As it turns out, aliens ARE watching earth through their telescope and Bloop is one of them! Bloop, who happens to look like a pug, is charged with conquering our crazy planet, Earth, to prove himself as a leader. His encounters with “robots”, a royal guard and of course, servants, takes the reader on an adventure of hilarity and hugs. Such fun!

[Emma Pearl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those books that is so original and inventive, but warm and familiar at the same time, like a great song - even though you've never heard it before it strikes some chord deep within you that makes it feel like an old friend. The story is skillfully written from a(n alien) dog's perspective and is so endearingly funny. I love the bacon bit so much! As a writer, this is a text I will read again and again trying to understand how it all comes together so successfully.

[Roberta Abussi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is THE mentor text for funny books. Of course dogs are in charge. It couldn't be otherwise! The story is fresh, original and wonderfully written, the illustrations are vibrant, and alive. Definitely a book that I will read over and over and over again.
Thank you Tara for yet another masterpiece.

[zOdAê aKAê · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHAT A CUTE STORY & CUTE ILLUSTRATIONS! great to read to a child or have an early reader read to you. love the dogs. the background characters are even POC. you can connect to aliens or dogs! how fun. i love it. will bloop accomplish his mission to conquer planet XYZ?

a fun storytime read for K-5th I would think too bc of the dogs lol.

[Sara Fajardo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sure-fire crowd pleaser for dog lovers. My children and I chuckled heartily as we read about Bloop, a canine-like alien trying to take over the world. Adorable photographs with laugh-out loud visual puns that pair well with the snappy writing. Finished reading and my kids insisted we go back and read it again.

[Nadina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was hilarious. The book started out fairly simply, then it gets sillier and funnier as the story progresses. The ending is predictable in a sense, but still works perfectly and I could not imagine the book ending any other way. I love the colorful illustrations and feel they fit well with the story. A wonderful story I would absolutely recommend.

[Panda Incognito · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is cute and funny, and the illustrations are very colorful and fun. People who enjoyed this would probably also like Invasion of the Unicorns, and vice versa.

[Jen Fier · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fabulous concept! An alien surveys the scene on Earth and determines the dogs are in charge. OF COURSE! I laughed aloud many times at Lazar’s play with words and dialogue. Mike Boldt created a truly lovable alien pug. And their interplay together is interSTELLAR! Overall, a sweet and funny tale about family, love, and pups.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bloop must prove himself to his father, the emperor of planet XYZ, that he is worthy to rule the planet when the time comes. But Bloop is prone to making too many bloopers. It is so much so that his emperor father sends him on a special mission to prove his worth: take over the planet earth! Will Bloop succeed?

[Katie Reilley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute picture book about Bloop, an alien (dog) from planet XYZ who’s sent to conquer Earth to prove he’s good enough to be the next emperor. Once he arrives, Bloop realizes that dogs are the leaders on Earth, and he’s determined to fit in and become top dog.

[Kailei Pew · Rating 5 out of 5]

We loved BLOOP in our house! My kiddos couldn't get enough of this alien dog's takeover of earth. Illustrations pair nicely with the text to create a wonderful read aloud that we've enjoyed multiple times already. Sure to become one of our go-to read alouds.

[AMY · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! Kids will love this story about an alien that looks like a dog who comes to Earth to complete a mission of taking over the world. The illustrations are outstanding and hilarious. HIghly recommended for Grades K-2.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cute indeed. Not only does Bloop fit in but his "alien invader" looks like my cat. I enjoyed the illustrations and the message that home isn't only where you come from but where you are most comfortable.