Hello book club, @internrachel @julia1

Recently, I read The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex. Everybody loves a good alien invasion, right? This one doubles as a road trip story, so it’s extra ambitious. A girl, her cat, and an alien named JLo travel across the USA and have wacky adventures. But that’s not all: it’s a fairly smart take on occupation and revolution that will appeal to those outside the target demographic of 12 year olds. Also, there are some interesting conversations about culture and gender. It takes a little while to get used to the tone, but it’s a captivating book. It is 432 pages. You should read it and give it to your kid and teach yourself to speak a language comprised of bubbles.

Next on my list was Gotham Central: Unresolved Targets by Ed Brubaker, Greg Rucka, and Michael Lark. It is 192 pages irl, but it is a graphic novel. If you like superheroes or police dramas or stories about imperfect people trying to be better, you should read this series. Also, there are lesbians. Gotham Central is about police officers dealing with everyday problems like budget cuts and local politics while also trying to stop a notorious psychopath with a silly nickname and delusions of grandeur. Occasionally, a vigilante crime fighter shows up to help, but superheroes and cops don’t always get along. This series is worth your time even if you don’t like comics.