Common Sense Media Review
By Mary Eisenhart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Silliness, time travel, saving the planet in wild finale.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 9+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Well, the first two missions to find a new planet for humans didn't exactly go as planned, so things are getting desperate as climate change, pollution, and other ills make Earth -- who, understandably, is complaining a lot -- uninhabitable. So it's time for the last-ditch effort: ASTRONUTS MISSION THREE: THE PERFECT PLANET. This sends our heroes AlphaWolf, LaserShark, SmartHawk, and StinkBug a million years back in time, hoping to keep the first humans from discovering fire and causing all this trouble in the first place. Easy-peasy, right? However, very little goes according to plan, starting with the fact that AlphaWolf is throwing a hissy fit at not being Mission Leader. Can the rest of the team and the Sapiens family save the day? And the planet?
Is It Any Good?
Jon Scieszka and Steven Weinberg deliver an info-packed, wildly visual, relentlessly silly finale to their trilogy celebrating planet-saving superheroes. AstroNuts Mission Three: The Perfect Planet takes AlphaWolf, LaserShark, SmartHawk, and StinkBug back in time to prevent Homo Sapiens from discovering fire -- yeah, like that's going to work. Complications, obstacles, and sudden breakthroughs ensue. And any team that's had to get a job done despite one of its members being all about himself will find the plight of diligent SmartHawk, relentlessly helpful LaserShark, and studious StinkBug all too relatable.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how AstroNuts Mission Three: The Perfect Planet uses a lot of silly humor to make a serious point -- in this case, about dire threats to planet Earth's survival. Do you think silliness can be a good way of bringing attention to something you think is important? What other stories you think do this well?
Have you ever had to work with someone who did nothing but whine, moan, and make it all about him while you were trying to get a job done? What happened? How did you deal with it?
If you could go back in time and change one thing, what would it be? How would things be different today as a result?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Steven Weinberg
- Genre : Graphic Novel
- Topics : Adventures , History , STEM
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Chronicle Books
- Publication date : September 21, 2021
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 240
- Available on : Nook, Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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