Rating: 
Summary: Fun For Kids of All Ages.
Review: I'm a recent convert to the Akiko comic book, and I decided to check out the children's books, as well. I found this book to be every bit as entertaining as the comic, and I think it would be a great way to get younger children interested in reading. The writing and art is great fun, and the book is a very attractive package for a relatively low price. Great for children, or adults who never grew up, like me.
Rating: 
Summary: A big disappointment after the excellent comic book
Review: I've been a huge fan of Mark Crilley's whimsical and beautifully-drawn "Akiko" comic books (also available in graphic novel collections), so I was definitely interested to see if he could capture the same fun and fanciful storyline in this version, his first prose young adult novel. Unfortunately, it doesn't translate well. The characters and situations are still great, but Crilley's very flat and dull prose doesn't have the scope to inspire the same amusement and sense of wonder that the illustrations of his comic version do. I found myself flipping absently through the novel just to look at the illustrations he's provided here--by far the best part of the book. Akiko is still the same spunky 10-year old Japanese-American girl, but her first person narration is unanimated and uninspiring. Worst yet: the novel ends, not even with a cliffhanger, but with a flat "To Be Continued"...the quest Akiko and Company have started never even really gets underway--this story is *not* complete. That's a cheap trick to play on a kid (or even an adult!) who's read your book so far. Sure, Crilley ends his graphic novel collections on similar minor cliffhangers, but what works well in the serialized, monthly comic book adventures is hard to swallow in a novel from which you expect a full, complete story. Granted, I'm an adult reading a kid's book, so I may be being too critical, but I think writers like Lemony Snicket, Philip Pullman and J.K. Rowling have more than proven kid's lit can intrigue, amuse, and inspire adults without talking down to kids. What's *good* about this book? The wonderful illustrations, the theme of sticking by your friends, the likeable heroine Akiko who's a bit unsure of herself but always willing to do what's right and stand up to her fears. But you can get all those aspects--in a much more entertaining style--in the graphic novel reprints of the comic book version. To find them, click on the "All Books by Mark Crilley" link or enter the ISBN #s (1579890091, 1579890199, and 1579890237) in the Amazon search field. In other words, Mark Crilley has created a wonderful character and fun concept...but this prose novel execution is not the best way to read it.
Rating:
Summary: An all-ages pleaser
Review: Mark Crilley's _Akiko on the Planet Smoo_ is one of those rare gems that both children and adults can enjoy. The story chronicles the adventures of fourth-grader Akiko, as she journeys to the far-off planet Smoo to rescue a missing prince.The strength of the book lies in Crilley's portrayal of the main and supporting characters. Each one has a specific and different motivation and perspective, but they surprisingly complement each other well, from bookish Mr. Beeba, to swashbuckling Spuckler; from the mysterious Poog to the robot Gax; and especially little Akiko's relationship to them all. The author does a good job making this text accessible to younger readers as well as veterans of fantasy fiction. Seeing the story through the eyes of Akiko helps the reader to identify with her situation, and with her important mission. Be aware, though, that the book is only the first part in a much larger story arc. If you enjoy the fantasy storytelling stylings of JK Rowling's _Harry Potter_ series, you should find _Akiko on the Planet Smoo_ a delightful excursion, as well.
Rating: 
Summary: A Huge Disappointment
Review: My 10 year old daughter and I read this together as part of our Mother-Daughter Book Group. Everyone in the group felt the same way about this book: devoid of characterization, bereft of plot, inauthentic dialogue. The abrupt ending serves no other purpose than to encourage you to buy a sequel. No thanks, we'll wait for Harry Potter #4.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Book to Read Aloud
Review: My 5 year old daughter and I love to read these books together. The chapters are short, the story is silly fun, and it's quite easy to get into character (if you want to add that element of different voices to your story). All in all we're both happily hooked on Akiko!
Rating: 
Summary: my idea
Review: My class is reading this book . We think it is great so far.His niece is in my class. Our Teacher is Ms Schwarck.
Rating:
Summary: We loved it!
Review: My Daughters and I love this book! It has been our bedtime story (2 chapters a night) and we just finished the first one. I'm going to go ahead and order the rest of the books in the series. My 6 year old can't wait for bedtime so we could read more about Akiko and her friends. It's a perfect mix of sillyness and adventure. The characters are lovable without being syrupy-sweet.
Rating:
Summary: We loved it!
Review: My Daughters and I love this book! It has been our bedtime story (2 chapters a night) and we just finished the first one. I'm going to go ahead and order the rest of the books in the series. My 6 year old can't wait for bedtime so we could read more about Akiko and her friends. It's a perfect mix of sillyness and adventure. The characters are lovable without being syrupy-sweet.
Rating:
Summary: Book club review
Review: This book was used for my Mother-Daughter book club. All the girls, age 9, thought the book was spectacular. I enjoyed the concept that Akiko was a girl on a quest to rescue the prince, as opposed to other stories where the girl is the princess waiting to be rescued. I did find that we were a little light on character topics for the girls to relate to in real life, but it was a fun a little book for them to read.
Rating:
Summary: Book club review
Review: This book was used for my Mother-Daughter book club. All the girls, age 9, thought the book was spectacular. I enjoyed the concept that Akiko was a girl on a quest to rescue the prince, as opposed to other stories where the girl is the princess waiting to be rescued. I did find that we were a little light on character topics for the girls to relate to in real life, but it was a fun a little book for them to read.
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