So in book three, we finally find out what happens to Zita, locked up in a cell and forced to work in a mine. The book ends on a cliffhanger, and we’ve been waiting nearly two years for the resolution. And just when you thought everything was going to be okay … her bad choices caught up to her and she was captured by the Doom Squad. To top it all off, there’s a robot trying to steal her identity. She’s tired of being paraded around … but then ends up on the run, suddenly a wanted criminal instead of a hero. In the second book, she’s actually trying to escape her reputation. She’s still young, so she makes some bad decisions at times, but it all works out. Without giving too many spoilers (at least, those that you couldn’t figure out for yourself), Zita becomes a hero in the first book thanks to her spunk and determination, and her desire to do the right thing even when it’s difficult.

“I Love Zita” drawing by my 7-year-old daughter. Throughout the books there are little hints and nods to other sci-fi stories, TV shows, and books, though my kids didn’t necessarily catch all of those. We love all the crazy aliens, the colorful characters, Randy the timid robot and One the vengeful battle orb. My daughters are huge fans: I’ve actually read the books aloud to them, and they’ve read them on their own countless times. Sure, she gets help from a host of characters throughout the book, but she’s certainly no damsel in distress. One of the things I loved about them was that the protagonist is a strong female character. The books are delicious eye candy, and a really fun read. In case you’re not familiar with the series, Zita is a young girl from Earth who, along with her friend Joseph, gets zapped through an interdimensional portal and finds herself on a strange world filled with aliens, robots, and a giant mouse named Pizzicato. To celebrate, First Second Books asked bloggers and librarians and teachers and authors to write or draw a piece called “ My Favorite Thing About Zita the Spacegirl,” and I was happy to join the party. Zita is back! The final volume of Ben Hatke’s sci-fi graphic novel trilogy is out now: The Return of Zita the Spacegirl.

Zita the spacegirl