Ka'Azula

Black Hole Radio #3

by Ann Birdgenaw

"Aurora Award finalist for Best Young Adult Novel (2023) Black Hole Radio – Ka’Azula!"
Stay tuned for another fantastic episode of Black Hole Radio – Ka’Azula!

Fifth-graders Hawk, Matt and Celeste have been given special gifts by the amazing aliens they’ve met so far on their intergalactic adventures. ESP and telekinesis come in handy when they are transported to the racist planet, Ka’Azula, where only blue skin is accepted. They have an action-packed adventure in a matrix-type video game with azulanimals and azulizards and a tricky escape room finale. With help from a sweet, red-skinned alien named Teal, they prove that what counts is not outside skin color but what's on the inside. But does Matt now understand what his father’s family has to endure on Planet Earth?

“Friendship, peace, and acceptance are the themes in Black Hole Radio. Even if it doesn’t yet apply to alien races in ‘real-life’ it is still something everyone should strive for in their lives. In a sense, the author wants her readers to apply the same beliefs in love, peace, and friendship that Hawk and Matt [and Celeste] share.”
—Entrada Book Review

Genres: Science Fiction

118 pages, Paperback

Published May 18, 2022

About the author

Aurora Award nominee for Best Young Adult Novel - Ka'Azula, (2023) and retired librarian. Ann always wanted to write a book of her own. She was inspired to write this story by a strange beeping coming from a box in her garage. When COVID-19 hit Canada and everyone was in quarantine or lock down, she had lots of time to imagine being sucked through a wormhole to other planets and what wonderful things she might find there. She is also the author of the soon to be published, humorous picture book titled, "The Squirrel Show". Stay tuned!

Ann lives in Montreal, Quebec, Canada with her family and two pups: Milo and Sheba.

https://awesomegang.com/?s=ann+birdgenaw

Reviews

[Stjepan Cobets · Rating 5 out of 5]

My rating 4.5

YA science fiction book " Ka'Azula (Black Hole Radio #3) by Ann Birdgenaw (Goodreads Author), E.M. Roberts (Illustrator) is fun and educational. I like the illustrations because they are simple and fun for children. I like how the author uses his imagination to show how it is not agreeable to hate others because of the color of their skin.

Hawk, Matt, and Celeste are best friends who met in previous adventures through intergalactic travel. Their journey continues, but this time Radio - Ka'Azula transfers them to a racist planet where everyone must be blue. Anyone who isn't blue ends up in jail. Their powers will come in handy to help their red alien friend Teal and somehow, through a matrix-like game, save their new friend.

I would recommend the book to fans of YA science fiction, and I'm sure that children will love the main character's adventures.

[Kirsty Carson · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 rounded up to 3

Fifth-graders Hawk, Matt and Celeste have been given special gifts by the amazing aliens they’ve met so far on their intergalactic adventures. ESP and telekinesis come in handy when they are transported to the racist planet, Ka’Azula, where only blue skin is accepted. They have an action-packed adventure in a matrix-type video game with azulanimals and azulizards and a tricky escape room finale. With help from a sweet, red-skinned alien named Teal, they prove that what counts is not outside skin color but what's on the inside. But does Matt now understand what his father’s family has to endure on Planet Earth?

Another exciting read from Birdgenaw filled with adventure and fun… but also with an important message that all young people should be taught. Friendship and kindness again triumphs to prove that it doesn’t matter what colour of skin you have, what race you are or how different you are from everyone else, if you can work together and accept others you will always succeed and it makes you a better person. I guess my only issue with this book was that it is starting to get a little repetitive and I would like to see more depth of character for our main trio.

[Khira · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third book in a series aimed at pre-teen audience (I'd say for ages 9-12). This story has the same strong themes of valuing diversity and inclusion as the previous ones. But where the previous book focused on neurodiversity, this one looks closely at themes of racism, albeit explored through the characters' adventures within an alien society. These types of books are very valuable for the younger audience and this one takes care to provide additional information and a useful glossary at the end. Where I felt it wasn't quite as strong as the previous one is in having a clear plotline. Some of the jumps in the story didn't quite make sense (such as transition from a basketball game to an extra-terrestrial journey) and I didn't always follow how one thing led to another. The writing style is well suited for the audience though and the core message comes through very strongly.

[Sotto Voce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Initially, I felt confounded because I didn't realize this was the third book. It mentioned events that happened previously that I knew very little about, and the relationships between friends are not fleshed out in this book. It makes sense when I found out.

Growing up, I loved to read Enid Blyton's book, which continued until I was an adult. It sent me places and carried me through adventures I didn't get in real life. Personally, I prefer realism, especially in children's story than trying to imagine a group of kids going through life-threatening situations with skills that are quite a stretch for me to believe (not the 'gifted' ability—that works in the story—but things such as driving like Fast and Furious expert and shooting like John Wick).

The basketball, school, and ordinary life scenes felt detached from the other two-thirds of the book when they visited the other world. It would be great if there were more relationships between these two parts or some continuation when they return for a bit.

For the characters, it's quite hard to get their age and distinction. Sometimes they speak like adults, and sometimes like children. There are also fewer unique personalities to each of them, but I give it the benefit of the doubt that they are reflected in earlier books. There is excessive use of high-fives that they feel forced to remind the readers that they are kids instead of working it into consistent conversation styles or other ways.

I like the imagination of the world, the bluest blue, and the meaning that anyone can bring home. I can relate to not knowing that we are different if not for others who make a big deal out of it. The author makes it simple; everyone is open-minded. It's on the contrary in real life, but it works for children's books, and hey, actually, it should work in real-life too! I think it's an excellent message; it just feels a bit too preachy at the end. The earlier and subtle indication works much better, imho.

I round this up for the benefit of the doubt that many issues I have are addressed in the earlier book.

3.5 Random Alien Candies out of 5 Azulizard Sausages

[J.E. Rowney · Rating 2 out of 5]

Initially I was put off by the clunky exposition of the prologue, which seemed like a poorly thought out way of catching the reader up on what had happened already in the series without really spelling it out. I haven’t read either of the previous books and still didn’t really have much of a clue going into the main body of the book.
The first third of this short novella focuses on a basketball game - something I know nothing about and have little interest in. I wasn’t sure how this fit with the prologue or where the book was going. Then suddenly everything changes and it’s all aliens and social commentary. On one hand the book seems to be trying to convey a lot of information and there is a mostly redundant glossary at the back, but on the other I felt like constant breaks in the narrative to explain things just kept interrupting the story.
I’m not the target audience for this book, but I felt that it didn’t work and I didn’t enjoy it, unfortunately.

[Rik Ty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ka'Azula is a fun short novel written with grade schoolers in mind. It is the third installment of the Black Hole Radio series, which is made of short science fiction novels starring three friends who get pulled through the cosmos by a radio with strange capabilities. This particular adventure pulls the children to “Ka’Azula", a world where the dominant culture has concluded that blue people are worthy, and people of every other color are not. The book keeps a light tone but explores the subject of racism and its effects.
In the story, two of the three Earth friends are turned blue by the Ka’Azulians so that they can be interacted with comfortably, and the one child who isn’t, winds up in a holding cell of some kind where he meets a very young inhabitant of the planet who happens to be red. The red child and the Earth child sneak into the compartment where the two blue Earth children are, and the four young characters begin playing a video game that pulls them into cyber-space. The son of the Ka'Azula chieftain is sent into the game to retrieve them, and there are interesting results. That’s the story without giving too much away. The book makes points about racism that are easy to understand, and easy to empathize with.
While the book is short, and written in a simple style, the author, Ann Birdgenaw, does several interesting things - she sends 3 likable kids on an adventure to another world - she gives the kids a few super-abilities (esp communications, and mild telekinesis), and when it comes time to up the stakes, she tells the kids and the readers that the only way for the group to have a good outcome, is to get to the final level of the video game and win. I thought that was a great idea - I think it’s a way of raising the stakes that most kids will instantly be able to relate to. It also is interesting in that it adds a fantasy world to what is already a fantasy world. In the game, Birdgenaw also offers riddles that the children and the readers are invited to solve, and the final escape-room level of the video game offers more examinations of problem solving. These are great bonuses!
Another great bonus are the book’s very charming illustrations. These show great economy and are always fun to look over - they include kids entering a video game, a video-game car, and a pizza the size of an entire table - fun! One last thing I noticed, Ms. Birdgenaw sets each chapter up so that there is roughly the same amount of text before an illustration, and the same amount of text after. Once I noticed this pattern, it created a fun sense of anticipation. I found myself looking forward to the upcoming illustrations. I think this pattern would become reassuring to children who were reading the book (“I read this long, and then there is an illustration. Then I read this much more and I have finished a whole chapter.”) This could reenforce a sense of accomplishment and seems like a nice reward system for any children who may be reluctant, or under-confident readers.
All in all, a great job. Kids will be able to fly through these books, and happily add the Black Hole Radio books to the series that they follow. Nicely done!

[Francis Crowley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ka’azula (Black Hole Radio #3) by author Ann Birdgenaw, an elementary school librarian, is a science fiction novel for adolescents. The story is an adventure through the universe with 5th grade characters who have extra-terrestrial strengths, obtained in earlier series books. In 'Ka'zula,' The “Blackhole Radio” transports them onto an unknown planet, where they become a part of a video game intending to save their new friends. The characters are confronted with decisions of moral content with themes of inclusion while they make decisions to get through to the end of the adventure. As they journey through labyrinths of prejudice, they make principled decisions showing this new strange planet’s citizens and ‘Chief Topmost’ how to get along with each other and avoid societal ills. Upon completion of the mission, they are transported back to their home club, ready for the next adventure. I enjoyed the story, especially the educational glossary at the end of the book and recommend this for young readers.

[Zara Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a high energy adventure story about a group of friends who go on intergalactic adventures together, but this time around, the fifth graders find themselves trapped by aliens, and have to work together to find their way home.

It’s enjoyable from page one and I love how deftly the humor is interwoven with the complexities about growing up today, whether it’s nicknames for annoying teachers— Coach Soggybottom, for example, — or just the great friendship dynamics and playfulness that permeate school. For instance, yay, the girl is great at basketball, and everyone knows it, but how do you deal with being the only girl on a boys team? This parallels with the larger theme about aliens and what belonging really means, and how that gets defined, and who has the power to define it. The larger concepts don’t get in the way of the story, and this fast-paced tale is a great read.

I really like the illustrations that accompany the text as they’re clear and add a lovely visual element.

[Soph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting continuation of the action/adventure scifi series, Black Hole Radio. Our heroes are transported to a planet of hostile blue aliens who cannot tolerate any other skin color. Hawk and Celeste are given the 'sameness' capsule and turn blue but Matt, who is biracial, avoids it and is segregated with a sweet red being called Teal. Matt & Teal must escape the dungeon, find their friends and outsmart the racist virtual video games and escape room in order to teach the aliens that it's what's on the inside that matters. Highly recommended and relevant!

[Noor Al-Shanti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ka'Azula (Black Hole Radio #3) is like the Magic Tree House books but they go to space instead of historical time periods. It's been a very, very long time, but I enjoyed Magic Tree House so I thought I would enjoy this. Overall, it's written well and has some interesting situations once the kids gets to the planet Ka'Azula. The action part of it works very well, but the story also focused quite a bit on exploring racism and I didn't feel that the way that was done delved into the emotions enough.

Part of it is told from the POV of a biracial kid, but instead of actually showing us his feelings about the racism we get paragraphs of him remembering how "his father told him" such and such terrible thing happened to him, etc. If the kid is biracial he's going to have his own feelings about it, which I would have loved to see more of. Also, at the end of the book all the kids reflected on what they had learned (which, I don't necessarily buy that kids that age would do with long monologues like they did in this book) and this character was reflecting on how he "learned what it felt like" to be the target of prejudice because of your skin colour, which again, I don't think a biracial kid needs to go to a blue planet in space to find that out...

Another thing I would have liked to see more of would have been an exploration of the actual planet! They spent their time there inside a building and then inside a videogame, which for me - a lover of world-building - felt like a missed opportunity.

That's not to say it wasn't good. I'm not really young enough for its audience and I didn't really care for the few chapters at the start that focused on basketball, because it's just not my thing, but I think kids who are reading Middle-Grade level books will enjoy it. I also think it does an excellent job of being a series book that you can read alone. I never felt lost or anything even though it was technically book 3 in the series. The author does a great job of catching us up on the kids' previous adventures and then jumping into the action.

[S. Lynn Helton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written in first-person present tense, this imaginative sci-fi adventure begins shortly after the end of Black Hole Radio - Bilaluna, the previous book in the series. The book’s prologue recaps what has gone before, so a reader can jump right into this book.

The story takes Hawk, Matt, and Celeste on another wild adventure, meeting aliens and experiencing new, advanced technology - in this case an immersive alien video game. Throughout the story, the book imparts an important message about not defining people’s worth by the color of their skin. And by extension, the aliens’ obsession with being “the beautiful blue color” highlights the folly of trying to adhere to an arbitrary definition of what’s beautiful and worthwhile.

Overall, the book is an entertaining, fun read, likely to appeal to its intended middle-grade readers. Compared to the previous two books, this book seemed less science-oriented and more focused on social issues. The glossary at the back is a great addition and good opportunity for further learning for readers.

[Alexander Greengaard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Black Hole Radio: Ka’Azula is a children’s sci-fi adventure starring Matt, Hawk, and Celeste, three fifth graders who have access to interstellar travel through an old radio. They don’t get to control how or when they’re going to use the radio, however. The radio summons them when a planet needs their help. The premise for these adventures is lovely, and the stories give the author opportunities to explore real issues like climate change and racism.

This isn’t their first adventure through the radio. Previous treks have offered the kids special gifts, like telepathy and telekinesis. They don’t travel through the radio for a prize, though. They do it because someone, somewhere needs their help. In this story, the intrepid trio are summoned to a planet where only blue skin is tolerated. With the help of a new friend, they challenge these norms and help the people rethink their ideas about skin color.

Hooray for indie authors and Ann Birdgenaw for making this series a reality. The premise is a perfect bridge for helping kids explore real social and environmental issues without telling them how to think. Tackling issues like this can be tricky, especially with kids. Ka’Azula gives us a realistic scenario and lets the young reader engage with empathy. This is a perfect classroom read, especially for in-class reading and activities. There are lots of great discussion starters and literary devices for students to point out and consider. I’d definitely want this in a school library.

[JM · Rating 5 out of 5]

Black Hole Radio: Ka’Azula is the third installment in the imaginative Black Hole Radio series. Hawk, Matt, and Celeste are at it again, this time at the titular planet where they find that the differences between blue- and red-skinned aliens create a world of segregation and injustice.

I appreciate that each book in this series tackles a similar theme—that of inclusion, of acceptance, of finding and allowing oneself to be truly who they are. It is, perhaps, an oversimplification of race and skin color, but by placing the story in this fictional realm, and having the book aimed at young readers, it does end up hitting some good notes about equality.

As with the other books in the series I’ve read, this book’s visuals do add to the story as well. Reading this with my nine-year-old, there was a good balance of simply following along with the story, while also having the pictures to bring him back in if his attention waned.

The feel-good vibes throughout this story, as well as the wish-fulfillment-style storylines, really make this a great pre-adolescent series. The common, everyday lives of these kids are made extraordinary through other planets and the traits they inherit from visiting them (who wouldn’t want to share ESP with their best friend at that age?). Recommend for anyone whose young readers are starting to get interested in sci-fi.

[Mikkel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Relevant ideas covered in a fun accessible way for young adults

A fun, adventurous, relevant, and educational book. Ann Birdgenaw in Black Hole Radio Ka-Azula did such a marvelous job taking the reader on a journey to another planet and a new way of seeing each of us. She showed us that we are all worthy of being seen for who we are and not just the color of our skin (whatever color it may be!). These concepts were presented in a way that was easily digestible for young adults in a fun alien world. They were highlighted by graphics which were fun, engaging and let me envision the story deeper. The main characters were fun and had their own little spin on life that was fun to be a part of. She included and brought up the characters' differences but also how it just makes them their unique version of themselves reinforcing acceptance rather than discrimination. Overall a fun read that makes you see how discrimination affects others and how to accept each other for who we are. 

[J.S. Webb · Rating 5 out of 5]

This third book in the Black Hole Radio series is another fun adventure that was enjoyed by myself and my two preteen kids. It could be read as a standalone novel, but would be better enjoyed in order even though there's a quick recap of the first two books.

This is an important book in the series as we get Matt's point of view. Between Matt and Hawk, the two boys in the space club, Matt is the more sensitive and cautious of the two. And we can see his vulnerability as he deals with racism in school as well as his worries about space travelling through the wormhole of the Black Hole Radio. As usual though, these big thèmes are blended into a fun adventure in a cleverly built world. My kids loved the idea of an immersive video game challenge on a faraway planet and they found Teal, a friendly alien, to be a loveable character.

As a parent there's a lot to love about this book. It's funny, touching, and deals sensitively with big topics that kids have to face in the real world. Highly recommended!

[Isaac Nasri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ann’s novella, Ka’Azula, is a work of children’s fiction that is centered on fifth graders and main characters Matt (protagonist), Hawk, and Celeste. Each plays a special part in their school’s basketball team, but that livelihood changed once they teleport to a bizarre planet known as Ka’Azula. This is a planet where anyone is declared a citizen by blue skin.

Upon first reading this, I assume this is centered on basketball fantasy until the characters were teleported. Reading Ka’Azula, is a takeback to my childhood, back when I used to read work such as the Percy Jackson series, and Ka’Azula is a good reminder of that thanks to its first-person POV. Its prose being in the present tense is another interesting component as it sets the story’s urgency and liveliness in narration. I may no longer be a part of the audience the book is gearing toward, but the book’s style is a memory reminder.

[C.M. Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Black Hole Radio series brings on another exciting adventure for Hawk, Matt, and Celeste. The three of them must deal with a planet where anyone who is not blue is treated as a toxic or lesser being. The story is well-paced with lots of action to keep readers anticipating what will happen next.

Matt’s journey on this strange and new planet parallels his journey of learning to appreciate his mixed heritage. In the end, a blue and red alien he meets accidentally merge colors while trapped in a game and end up becoming friends with one another. I liked how this shows that when we celebrate what makes each of us unique, something new and exciting can come of it.

All in all, the story of what happens on Ka’azula continues the adventure while leaving readers with valuable takeaways. A fantastic tale for kids who are into space adventures!

[Denis Roubien · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book I read by this author, starting just after the end of 'Black Hole Radio - Bilaluna'. It is, again, an entertaining adventure in the genre of space fantasy for young readers, with great lessons about acceptance and friendship. The alien world visited by the book's protagonists is a society full of prejudice, where only blue skin is accepted and those with a different colour are victims of discrimination. The descriptions of this world are fascinating and the illustrations constitute an additional asset. The book is highly educational on social matters and at the same time highly entertaining. Therefore, I would recommend it to all young readers.

[James Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

The third book in the Black Hole Radio series that follows the adventures of three preteens who transit through wormholes to far-off planets. This one is told mostly from Matt's perspective, as they visit a society with bird-like humanoid aliens that love the color blue. When that blue love extends to individuals in their society, it leads to issues of non-inclusiveness and discrimination that threaten and deeply disturb Matt. But the lessons are subtle in a story full of adventure, with new friendships made and an elaborate jump-into-the-video game series of scenes that include car racing, chicken fights, lizard attacks, and a challenging escape room. Kids will love all the action and learn a message while laughing. Birdgenaw at her best, my nieces and nephews and I can't wait for the fourth.

[Ed Morawski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aimed squarely at ten year olds - and hits the target quite well.

Admittedly this is not my usual reading fare, however I do happen to have three grandchildren ranging from eight to eleven so I know they would love this book and I recommended the series to their parents.

Speaking of the fact this is book three of a series, I didn't read the first two but had no trouble following the story. If the kids like this one they can always go back and read one and two.

The book is well written and being short and sweet (120 pages) will not overly tax a youngster's attention span.

[Lou Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

What’s not to love about a book that combines sci-fi adventure with video games? A story that also addresses the important issue of racism in an accessible way. Not forgetting that, as the parent of an autistic child, I’m always excited to see neurodivergent key characters. If you have a reluctant reader in your house, I’d give this series a try!

[Susie Clifft · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blue is perfect

Another adventure with Matt, Hawk, and Celeste starting with Matt making a slam dunk and Celeste being recruited tp play too.

But the real fun begins when their sucked through a worm hole to a planet that discriminates against any alien or person that's not Blue. The AIN law of sameness..

Great chase scene when the kids and a red alien friend are sucked inside a video game. The goal is to destroy anyone not blue. The leaders son, the Bluest One is sent to stop them from completing the game.

Great riddles are solved and great lessons learned. You'll love their journey.

[Diane Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great addition to any Elementary or Middle School library

I am not a fan of banning books—which is probably a weird way to start this review, I know. But bear with me. Black Hole Radio - Ka'Azula is a great addition to a school library for many reasons. This is book 3 of the series, and I bring up book banning, because this particular story touches on racism. But never fear. If you’re worried that the topic is too much for your child, this book gently introduces it then shows how singling someone out for being a little different is a lotta bad.

I would put the book's tone and style on par with The Magic Treehouse series, except instead of the treehouse, you have the black hole radio device. And instead of history, you have alternate worlds. This particular book in the series addresses racism in a way that's reminiscent of Dr. Seuss's sneeches. And there are two characters that reflect the idea of being different—Matt, who is of mixed race, and Celeste, who has autism. A nicely diverse set of main characters who do normal things in a normal world as well as an out of this world world.

[Kevin Carlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great YA sci-fi story with a diverse cast of characters and a positive message. Having grown up reading Bruce Coville, and particularly his “My Teacher is an Alien” series, this is exactly the sort of sci-fi I would have loved as a kid. I appreciated the subtlety of the names of the aliens all having an affiliation with the color blue, right down to the “Azul” in the name of the planet. Even the red alien is named “Teal,” and there are some subtle aspects to his respective character arc that are very well done.

[Peter Boyde · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series just keeps getting better. My son and I just finished this fun space adventure and we can't wait for the next one! Hawk, Matt and Celeste visit a racist planet that only tolerates blue skinned aliens even their own inhabitants. Lots for adventure as the trio along with an unfortunate red-skinned alien try to escape their captors in an exciting video game climax. My 8 year old son really liked this part. It gave us the opportunity to discuss racism and why it's hurtful and damaging to society.

[Diana Febry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast-paced, fun read for young readers/audience, giving an easy-to-understand message about racism and inclusiveness.
Three youngsters have a magic portal to other worlds. In this adventure, they end up in a land where only blue things are considered good while things of different colours are considered defective. Through the magic of an interactive video game, they show the planet's leader he is wrong to discriminate on the basis of colour.
A clear message wrapped up in an imaginative, exciting story perfect for younger children.

[S.D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boys will Enjoy
This is the third book in the Black Hole Radio series for young readers. Matt, Hawk, and Celeste aren't your regular fifth-graders. They are intergalactic travelers and each has an incredible super-human talent. There's lots of action, Sci-fi adventure, aliens, danger, and a storyline that includes a live-action videogame scenario with high stakes for our young adventurers. The story moves fast and reluctant readers will easily move from one episodic chapter to the next.

The pictures were a nice addition to the story.
I did not read the summary review of the series prior to reading the book. (It didn't pop up on my Kindle.) Because of this, the opening first person narrative mislead me into thinking it was the main character of the story—I had to reread the opening twice to make sense of things and sort the characters out.

I loved the concept of the story. Like the original Star Trek series, Ka'Azula has a varied cast and points out the inequalities of society. While the moral message of this story is important, it overwhelms and feels preachy to the detriment of the action and storyline. Sometimes less is more. Having said that, I doubt a fourth or fifth grade boy would be distracted.

[K.T. Munson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall

Targeted for 10 year old's this imaginative story is the third installment. I didn't realize that at first on the Amazon version and had to go back. It is much clearer on Goodreads - so make sure you go back and start with book 1. However, I was already a few chapters in so I just kept going. There is a lot of telling rather than showing which made it difficult to connect with the characters. Most of the writing is clunky and rough, even if the story itself was very creative.

Although the plot had an excellent message about the horrors of racism, it glossed over the violence to the other race (killing them in a game) and started the book with the children using their powers to win a basketball game which was not sportsmanlike at all. In fact it put me off of the story right from the go because they were using ESP and telekinesis to get the ball into the basket. It was nostalgic to read about a basketball game since I played it for most of my childhood, but had a hard time getting past them cheating by using their powers (that they'd apparently gained in the first two books). Not a good message at all.

Rating

3 stars (rounded down)

Creative with mixed messaging and clunky writing.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was excited to read the third installment in the Black Hole Radio series and I was not disappointed. This is another action-packed adventure that is sure to draw in young readers. Hawk, Matt and Celeste are drawn back into another crazy adventure through the wormhole. The story starts out with our characters discovering their adventures have left Celeste with a bit more power than she had before. Before too long the beep, beep, beep of the black hole radio is drawing them back into another adventure that will test their powers and as usual reveal some very important truths. Birdgenaw is an expert at approaching difficult topics in a way young readers can grasp, and this chapter tackles the timely topic of racism. Kids will enjoy a light-hearted romp in outer space with a deep and lasting message of hope and unity.

[Soph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun and action-packed! The third book in the series does not disappoint. After finding out that Celeste has the power of telekinesis, which accidentally makes them all basketball stars, the radio sucks them through to a planet that is racist against all but blue skin. Matt, a biracial character, realizes what his father's family has had to deal with on Earth and the power of being yourself. Themes for children to read about and learn about. Recommended.