Doughty young Sardine and her cohorts continue to vanquish hilariously dopey Supermuscleman, mad scientist Doc Krok and other villains in nine more or less independent new adventures that range from helping out a crowd of cartoon characters angrily protesting because they're so lamely drawn ("Hey! You could at least draw me some pants!") to rescuing acres of stolen French fries and herds of wild "Burgeegies" in the mouthwatering kingdom of Yummy. Presented in colorful, crowded cartoon panels and well-endowed with both self-referential comments ("Comics are cool but we only get 10 pages per story . . . A movie's longer, so we'd have more time to kick Supermuscleman's butt") and characters with names like Emailia and Fetcher Bone, this expert mix of action, gross humor, and clever side remarks will, despite the lack of a cohesive plot line, draw carloads of Captain Underpants graduates.

Feisty Sardine and her equally spunky pals Little Louie and (good) pirate Captain Yellow Shoulder continue their series of pun-filled, frolicsome adventures. In this round, the tales include an Internet-inspired bit of hooliganism, a boxing match, a fast-food fight, and a rock concert. Scoundrel Supermuscleman appears often, and there are several unique characters here—among them, the locals of the planet Topdog and the Queen of Applet. Some characters smoke and drink, and there's a sexy dog-woman character in a straining halter top, but the tales, which originate in France, are still wonderfully appealing, and the bouncy, bright art perfectly suits the Sardine troop's energy and sass. It's never too late to pick up this series.

New from the ambitious and wide-ranging First Second, the Roaring Brook imprint that published Gene Luen Yang’s National Book Award-winning graphic novel American Born Chinese is Sardine in Outer Space 3, written and illustrated by Emmanuel Guibert and Joann Sfar (The Rabbi’s Cat). This is the latest in a wacky series that relates the adventures of a space-pirate girl named Sardine and her cohorts as they come up against all manner of oddball characters and dodgy situations, such as defeating Supermuscleman, Chief Executive Dictator of the Universe, in the Space Boxing Championship.

Gr 4-8—Intrepid Sardine and her wacky group of space-faring pirate friends are at it again! Not one to let odd situations slow her down, Sardine leads the gang as they confront Supermuscleman in an astoundingly creative assortment of adventures. From a planet made of fast food to a retirement home in space to a rock concert that shakes the universe, the situations the characters find themselves in are unrelentingly silly and will leave readers giggling. The bright, colorful illustrations are filled with manic action and fascinating details that will draw children in and have them coming back for more.—Dawn Rutherford, King County Library System, Bellevue, WA