Baxter Moon: Galactic Scout

John has written a book that is very easy and fun to read by introducing some entertaining characters and incorporating a plot that could just leave you feeling good after reading this book. I loved reading Heinlein and Asimov when I was young, and this book reminded me of why I loved reading Science Fiction.

No one expects to save the universe when they get up in the morning. "Baxter Moon: Galactic Scout" follows Baxter as he falls into his new job of commanding a space shuttle crewed with, among others, a chimpanzee. He finds if he doesn't act fast, the Earth shall fall to an Alien Force - and the Earth won't even know it before it's far too late. "Baxter Moon: Galactic Scout" is charming science fiction novel, a top pick for community library collections catering to their fans.

Reviewed by Ian McCurley (age 14) for Reader Views (5/08) "Baxter Moon: Galactic Scout" takes place in the future, when humans have recently discovered the first two intelligent forms of life besides ourselves. It begins on a space station where scouts are being trained. After winning a video game contest, Baxter Moon received a full scholarship to the Galactic Academy of Scouts. Now he is in training, along with his squad mates, one of which is technologically intelligent, the other is strong and more mechanically oriented. Their squad leader is a genetically improved chimpanzee. When the devious TVtrons kidnap a ship full of human and aquan diplomats, the unarmed scouts are sent in to stop a war. On the ship they meet a beautiful Princess and are almost killed by re-programmed robots. Now they must free the prisoners, survive the TVtrons assault and avert a war. In "Baxter Moon: Galactic Scout" John Zakour writes with excellence. His book has a solid plot and conveys a humorous mood. Not only is this book funny, but is funny in a way that children will understand. His previous work with Nickelodeon can be seen in his humor. This book is for those who are of 12 years of age or younger and enjoy books about space or talking monkeys.

After winning grand prize in a video game contest, Earthling Baxter Moon found himself entering (with full scholarship) the Galactic Academy of Scouts, training to be a pilot. Now in his second year, he and his crew--a slow but strong-as-an-ox girl, her super-smart but klutzy twin brother, and a genetically improved simian, or GiS for short--have been given the overwhelming task of trying to avert a war between two planets! Trade negotiations between the people of Earth and the blue-skinned folk of planet Aqua had been going promisingly until both planets lost contact with their ships. Both sides of ambassadors are now missing, and each planet is quick to blame the other. With the situation so tense, Earth Force is reluctant to send their soldiers into questionable territory. The commander of the Galactic Academy has chosen Baxter's team and a rival squad for the mission of retrieving the missing council members. If they succeed, they'll have stopped an intergalactic war. Could it be the TVtrons, TV shaped bots who scour the universe in search of people to watch their programs? The computer systems and robots of the Station have been acting awfully strange lately... I was not surprised to find that the author of this book has written material for Nickelodeon cable network. This book reads like a one-hour TV program for children, with a shallow main character who, of course, is good at everything except for following orders. Baxter Moon may not be the most sympathetic, three-dimensional hero ever, but his exploits do lead to a humorous story, which will draw in the reluctant preteen who doesn't want to invest too much time or effort into reading. Reviewed by: Allison Fraclose

Baxter Moon won a scholarship to the Galactic Academy of Scouts and he loves attending school there because he is training to be a pilot. Since mankind went into space, they met only one other humanoid race the blue skin Aquarians. The two races do not get along but each race has something they want so they decide to negotiate in a neutral sector. Neither race hears from their delegates, so each accuses the other side of atrocities. To avoid an intergalactic war, Baxter and his team are ordered to the place where the delegates vanished to learn what happened. They are chosen because they are not certified to bear deadly arms. When they arrive at the location, they find mindless zombies, which mean they must destroy the cause before they too join the delegates. John Zakour has written a fabulous YA science fiction thriller filled with humor, action, and tense decisions that could impact both races. The support cast who make Baxter's team are fully developed and readers will enjoy their escapades especially GiS the brilliant bioengineered monkey and the extremely strong young lady Zenna. Hopefully this is the first in a new young adult outer space series because readers will adore Baxter. Harriet Klausner