Survival in SPAAAAAACE

Bradford, Chris. Lunar
July 1, 2025 by Union Square Kids

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Luna and her dad, a Moon Miner, are driving his Rover around the moon, taking core samples, when they are recalled to the Hub because of a meteorite warning. When the Rover flips, they manage to hop back, and get back in time. Once back, the warning becomes an order to evacuate in the Earth Return Pod, since the Hub is in the path of the meteorite. After a series of mishaps, Luna doesn't make it into the EARP, which takes off without her. She does manage to escape an explosion the damages the hub, and has to take stock of her skills and supplies to try to survive alone on the moon. She knows from her training that the most important things to have are oxygen, water, food, power, and a pressurized shelter, but also must locate some way to communicate with Earth so they don't assume she is dead, but send help. She realizes that the landers scattered about the moon have antennae and communication abilities, so sets out in the rover to find one. It's quite a distance away, so she takes careful stock of all of her supplies, and eventually manages to make contact with Earth's Gateway, who agree to send rescuers. 

Strengths: There were so many good details about being in space! Of course, none of these encourage me to travel there, since your blood can boil if you don't have on your pressurized suit, and when you do have your suit, you need diapers! I love how smoothly Brandford weaves in the scientific details. I think most children's worst fear is to be left, and where worse to be left than on the moon! She does have great skills, and has paid attention to all of the safety precautions, which was good to see. This has engaging illustrations and dyslexic friendly font and page coloring.
Weaknesses: I do not want to go to space, and in reality, I'm pretty sure that Luna would have died. Because of this thought, it would have been nice to see her safely rescued instead of being shown patiently waiting. 
What I really think: This is a good space survival adventure in the style of Sylvester's MINRS, Swiedler's In the Red or Emerson's Last Day on Mars  but suitable for emerging readers. 

Bradford, Chris. Stellar
July 1, 2025 by Union Square Kids

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Stella and her brother Ryan are vacationing with their parents at the Galaxy Space Hotel. While Stella is super excited about everything she sees and experiences, Ryan would rather lose himself in a video game. There are some adjustments to be made in space, like dealing with space motion sickness, which is caused when the lack of gravity results in fluid pooling in the head, but the family feels well enough to go to the space museum on the International Space Station. Stella is expecially excited, since the ISS is due to be deorbited the following year. When there is a solar flare, and the group needs to head back to the shuttle to avoid a proton storm, Ryan has to be found. He's stuck, but then manages to spin away into space! Stella goes after him, and the two end up very far away from the ISS. The two eventually get back in the craft, only to find that it is falling out of orbit. Ryan uses his gaming skills to try to figure out how to operate the ISS, which is a challenge since many of the buttons are labeled in Russian. Heading toward Earth with less coolant than is optimal, will the two be able to survive?
Strengths: The combination of Bradford, who is a seasoned writer who devotes himself to fast-paced, exciting stories like the Bodyguard series, and Barrington Stokes publishers, who actually think about what tweens want to read because they ask them, is brilliant. Stella's story is short, but definitely engaging. There are some fun things that will speak to young readers, like Ryan's addiction to video games, and his reluctance to follow his sister's instructions. There is a lot of science information included in a casual way that was very instructional. Charlotte Grange's occasional illustrations heighten the appeal for the graphic novel set. In the E ARC, the page background color was a soft yellow. I haven't seen a print version, but the print version of Bradford's GAMER does have this dyslexia friendly paper.
Weaknesses: I found it hard to believe that the children would manage to survive, but young readers will not have this same objection.
What I really think: There are not as many easy to read space adventures like Landers' Blastaway or Levy's Seventh Grade vs. The Galaxy, but perhaps there should be. I will definitely be buying a copy.