Astroblast! Code Blue

by Bob Kolar

A brand-new easy reader series with visual puzzles and games on every spread!

Radar must get his space crew back to the Snack Shack! They are all over the galaxy, so he needs your help!
* Navigate Jet through a labyrinth.
* Match the constellations on Halley's star map.
* Find the right engine to fix Apollo's rocket.
* Select the real Sputnik from among her many reflections.

When the gang's all back at home base, the real fun begins!

Genres: Childrens, Science Fiction

40 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2010

About the author

Bob Kolar is the author-illustrator of several books, including DO YOU WANT TO PLAY? and RACER DOGS. He also illustrated ALPHAOOPS! THE DAY Z WENT FIRSTby Alethea Kontis. Bob Kolar lives in Kansas City, Missouri.

Reviews

[KaitandMaddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun book, with little activities on most pages and a slightly surprising ending.

[Becky B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Radar has to round up the space crew for the Code Blue. They won't be ready for the party otherwise!

This is the kind of book that can keep kids busy for hours. Not only is there the cute, easy to read rhyming story line and the creative, eye-catching computer graphic animations, but there are puzzles to solve on almost every page. Most of the puzzles are i-spy style, but some are also mazes. There are also bonus puzzles in the back of the book (and answer keys too).

I've done a lot of tutoring with kids who have visual acuity problems due to things like lazy eye, etc. I wish I had had this book for them. The i-spy and maze activities are excellent exercises for kids with those eye-related reading issues. And the pizzazz of the book would help get them into it.

Overall, this is a spectacular choice for a book to build reading and visual acuity skills, and a superb find for parents or teachers looking for a book to keep kids busy for quite a while.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always say - I ALWAYS SAY - that Beginning Reader books have the hardest row to hoe. They need to reassure the new reader, they need to give the new reader a lot of achievable challenges, they need to do it in seven words per line or less, and on top of all that, they need to reward this stalwart little reader with a laugh, a surprise, superior art... SOMETHING that makes that kid want to keep at it. Learning to read can be hard.

Bob Kolar and Scholastic solve this puzzle with... puzzles! Every page of this jazzy little number has a visual puzzle: a what's wrong with this picture, a spot the difference, a maze, etc. Not only does this reward a little guy or girl who has struggled through the lines of text on the page, it keeps that kid's eyes ON the page, developing skills that are useful when learning to read.

[Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book, which is written in rhyming verse, shows a series of animals traveling and working in space. Each page features a puzzle or game in addition to the verse. Monkey works to recruit all of the other animals to respond to a code blue alarm. When everyone is finally together, a code red alarm sounds as aliens fly by.

This book would be appropriate to share with young readers that enjoy fantasy and science fiction or puzzle books. Young children may need the text read aloud, but children between four and six will enjoy finding the objects in each puzzle independently. The book could encourage print motivation. The rhyming verse could also promote phonemic awareness.

[Kate Hastings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grades K-2. RL 450. It's code blue at the Astroblast diner-- and none of the cooks are there to get started! Mazes, spot-the-difference and other puzzles are embedded in this early reader, which is sure to be a hit. (Though I can see where it might be problematic for library collections--kids will want to write in the book).

[Joella · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like how this early reader type book has lots of puzzles to do while reading. You can read the story through or stop on each page to "find all the things on this page that start with a letter 'A'" or things like that. Reading plus puzzles. I like!

[Sarah A · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite fun early reader that can be read as a simple story of expanded with activities. Fun, clear with interesting topics!