What a thrilling read! Although she may be a pretty average fifth grader, in a pretty average town, Akiko???s extremely dull life turns almost instantly into one of the most exciting adventures anybody could have.

Mark Crilley, the author and illustrator, combines sparkling humor with thrills and chills as he leads Akiko and the rest of her crew---Spuckler, Gax, Mr. Beeba (and later Poog) in taking on the dreaded Toogolians.

Whether it???s the deliciously-funny Mr. Beeba trying to speak Toogolian, or Poog swearing he???s never seen his dear friends before in his life, the reader is soon caught up with the heart-pounding twists and turns of discovering drobe mines, watching Ragstubble eating disgusting slimy, green and alive little wormy things, finding a way into the interior of the fearsome Core eater, doing battle with the well-armed Tri-Yarm sentries, watching with terrifying fascination as Poog is trapped in an enormous block of yellowish ice and Gax is rendered into a virtual pile of worthless junk.

I can???t give away the ending, of course, but talk about a roller-coaster ride of emotions! Akiko is at her courageous best as she uses her skills, wisdom, imagination and boundless energy to confront the dreaded Zeem monster.

It???s a page-turner alright. But do you know what? When I got to Chapter five I said to myself, ???If I don???t limit myself to reading just one chapter a day, I???m going to finish this book in one sitting! So from then on I disciplined myself to reading only one chapter a day.

I like being glued to the pages of a book I don???t want to end! And this one gave me almost three week???s worth of exhilarating fun!