Akiko and the Intergalactic Zoo

Akiko Books #5

by Mark Crilley

Akiko starts Grade 5, leader of the safety patrol. From planet Smoo, the King, grateful for his son's rescue last year, sends Akiko, Spuckler Boach, Gax, Poog, and Mr Beeba on a paid vacation to planet Quilk, home of the Intergalactic Zoo. Creatures wander in every shape, color, and size, hard to distinguish from visitors. How will Akiko escape when the zookeeper adds her to his personal collection?

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Childrens, Young Adult, Fantasy, Middle Grade

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Mark Crilley is an American comic book creator and children's book author/illustrator. He is the creator of Miki Falls, Akiko, and Brody's Ghost. He is also noted for his instructional videos for drawing in the manga-style. Crilley distributes drawing advice to artists via YouTube videos and his DeviantArt account. In August 2010, he starred in some how to draw videos for Funimation on demand. Mark Crilley's wife is Miki Crilley who he named Miki Falls after. The two have a daughter, Mio, and a son, Matthew.
Link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Cri...

Reviews

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Akiko is an average girl who just so happens to get abducted by aliens now and again. Her latest adventure finds her on the planet Quilk visiting the renowned Intergalactic Zoo. Everything seems to be going well - they are even met by the owner who offers them VIP treatment - until things start to go very wrong. Yunk, the owner sees an opportunity to add an 'Earthian' to his collection, and attempts to kidnap Akiko. Luckily her friends are there to come to her rescue.

Even though Akiko and the Intergalactic Zoo is just one title in the Akiko series, you won't need to read them all to get this one. The pace is quick, and the adventure moves along throughout the text, which is periodically complemented by pen and ink illustrations to show some of the more interesting beasts. It's even nicer because there is a page in the beginning showing each character and their name - really allowing the reader to share in the author's vision of what some of these creatures look like. A great read for children who fantasize about visiting other planets and would like to do so from the comfort of their reading chair.

[Johnny Bennett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book five in the Akiko series shifts gears with a self-contained story that stands apart from the previous four, which formed a connected narrative arc. While it retains the charm and whimsy that define the series—along with its lovable cast of quirky alien companions—it lacks some of the tension, drama, and emotional buildup that the earlier books delivered through long-form storytelling.

This installment is lighter, faster-paced, and filled with fun and silliness perfect for its target demographic: late elementary to middle school readers. The setting of the Intergalactic Zoo provides plenty of colorful and imaginative moments, though the stakes feel lower and the plot more straightforward than previous adventures.

Still, there’s value here. Beneath the space hijinks lies a strong and meaningful message about self-worth and the dangers of measuring one’s value through others’ eyes. Readers who enjoyed Akiko’s earlier adventures will find this a pleasant return to her universe, even if it doesn’t quite sparkle the same way. A solid pick for series fans and young sci-fi lovers looking for a quick, entertaining read.

[Jocelyn Lugo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read these books out of order so I may change my rating another time.

[Amro Halwah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Akiko, a 12 year old girl is the kind of person who loves adventures. She has gone through a lot of danger where she fought different kind of aliens with different skills and evil plans. In this book she faces a new kind of danger where she will be kidnapped and there is no way to escape.
Akiko and the Intergalactic Zoo by Mark Crilley is one of the best books of this series that I’ve ever read. It has its own unique plot that differentiates it from the whole series and other books. In this book Mr.Beeba and his crew including Akiko are invited to the most popular intergalactic zoo in the Galaxy on planet Quilt where they get VIP treatment until the zoo’s owner starts acting in a weird way until the unpredictable happens- Akiko gets kidnapped by the zoo keeper where he wants to add her to his alien collection. Luckily her friends are there for her where they save her from this great danger after an epic battle.
I’m usually lazy and don’t like to read a book all at once or over 20 pages but, this book is an exception where I couldn’t stop reading after I started so, I figured out that the solution would be finishing the book. This is one of Mark Crilley’s interesting, mind-blowing, eye-popping science-fiction books of the series.
I recommend this book for people and middle school and under. I think that this book will be a good addition to your reading list and that it would provoke you to read the series like it did to me. If you don’t believe then I think the only evidence would be reading the book.

[Conan Tigard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Akiko returns in her first adventure after her initial four-part series (Akiko on the Planet Smoo, Akiko in the Sprubly Islands, Akiko and the Great Wall of Trudd and Akiko in the Castle of Alia Rellapor) in Akiko and the Intergalactic Zoo. Written and drawn by Mark Crilley, Akiko is a book for all ages, whether the Young Adult is reading it themselves, or an adult is reading the book to their child.

I really enjoyed reading about these five strange friends as they go on vacation in a very interesting zoo. Once again, Mr. Crilley uses his wonderful imagination to bring a story to life that is a real page-turner. The animations on the pages help bring the story to life and that pace of the book works very well.

Overall, Akiko and the Intergalactic Zoo is a pleasant addition to the previous quadology. How will Akiko ever get out of this mess? You are going to have to pick it up to find out.

I rated this book an 8 out of 10.

[Tessa Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I child, I remember finding this book at my schools library, taking it home with me, and reading it. I found it on Amazon and bought it as an adult only to reread it.
This book is about a young girl Akiko who often times runs off with a couple of rather comedic alien friends and has all kinds of adventures. The adventure in this book is meant to be a vacation for the characters since Akiko refuses to go until they told her how relaxing it would be. Nothing goes quite right unfortunately when the man in charge of the zoo decides someone in the group is far to rare to be allowed to leave. With the help of a few new characters, Akiko and her friends are forced to escape what was supposed to be a fun trip.
I enjoyed rereading this book even if it was for nostalgia purposes and I look forward to recommending it to friends of mine, even for their children.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was not our favorite Akiko, but it wasn't bad. Akiko is rewarded with a trip from King Froptoppit to thank her for rescuing the prince. Being Earthian is not all it's cracked up to be, however, and Mr. Yunk thinks she's a treasure to put in his private zoo.

I read another review of this book that screamed "Body shaming!" which is absolutely not the case. Yunk keeps Akiko with plans to assimilate her into his private collection when she is mature. Until that time, he feeds her much as we would feed a pet. It's not about her body image; it's about her age. Yunk sees Akiko as no more than a specimen he's lucky to have acquired. Speaking intergalactically, this is not an unreasonable theory.

[Nessie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a book I read to my son for bedtime over the last week and a half. I found it dull, and unimaginative. It borrows character types from every well known sci-fi movie, and a story that was very predictable. However, my son (who is 6) enjoyed it and has asked that we try to find more Akiko stories. I probably should rate this book higher since it wasn't written for someone of my age. My advise, let your kid read it themselves.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Blew me away. Def top 10 favorites. It had my heart pounding when Yunk captured her and knocked her out with chloroform. You think these are kids books but...there's a lot of action. And Mr. Beeba's vocabulary. Slay. AND THE PICTURES!! They keep me entertained and help me visualize what I'm reading.

[Josie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like this book because it has lots of really crazy animals and sometimes I wish I were there, too.

[Tristan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looked up words in dictionary for homework assignment in Jan 2010.
Read again Sept 2010

[Carol Hardesty · Rating 2 out of 5]

After the original quadrilogy, the series kinda went downhill, starting with this one. The rest of the "Akiko" series just don't have the same humor, heart, or adventure as installments 1-4.

[Alexa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actual rating: 4.5 stars.
Really good! I love Spuckler and the gang, and I really liked this plot idea. Great read!

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not quite as exuberant as the story arc in books 1-4, and the catfighting between Akiko and the first other female adventurer in the series was most unwelcome.

[The Brothers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Asher (7yo) read.