Jacob Wonderbar and the Cosmic Space Kapow [Hardcover]

Nathan Bransford (Author)

Book Description

Release date: May 12, 2011 | Age Range: 9 and up | Series: Jacob Wonderbar (Book 1) | Lexile Measure: 810L (What's this?)

Jacob Wonderbar is used to detentions, but when a spaceship crashes near his house, he finds himself in a whole new level of trouble. After swapping a corn dog for the ship, he and his two best friends, Sarah Daisy and Dexter, take off on a madcap adventure. They accidentally cause an epic explosion, get kidnapped by a space pirate, and are marooned on planets like Numonia and Paisley, where the air smells like burp breath and revenge-hungry substitute teachers rule. And that's only the beginning . . . It turns out that there's an entire colony of space humans, and Jacob's long-lost father just might be one of them.

The first book in debut author Nathan Bransford's hilarious space adventure series has dynamite friendships, peculiar planets, and nonstop action. You'll never look at the stars the same way!

Editorial Reviews

Review

“fast-paced and hilarious”

(Booklist )

“There’s plenty of set-up for future volumes; fans will hope they won’t have to wait long.”

(Kirkus )

“There are enough good lines to keep smiles coming frequently.”

(School Library Journal )

“A thoughtful adventure that will leave readers contemplating both the outer and inner workings of the universe.”

(Bulletin of the Center for Childrens Books )

“Loaded with laughs, imagination…a highly original novel that’s certain to appeal to reluctant and avid readers alike.”

(The Repository )

About the Author

Nathan Bransford writes a popular blog and Twitter feed about writing and the publishing industry. He gets more than 150,000 page views a month on his blog, has more than 90,000 followers on Twitter, and will be hosting extensive games, parties, and giveaways in the lead-up to publication. Nathan lives in San Francisco, California.

Product Details

• Age Range: 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Dial; 1 edition (May 12, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803735375
• ISBN-13: 978-0803735378
• Product Dimensions: 5.7 x 1.1 x 8.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #911,524 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Nathan Bransford is the author of Jacob Wonderbar and the Cosmic Space Kapow (Dial, May 2011), Jacob Wonderbar for President of the Universe (Dial, April 2012) and Jacob Wonderbar and the Interstellar Time Warp (Dial, March 2013). He was formerly a literary agent with Curtis Brown Ltd. and is now the social media manager at CNET. He lives in Brooklyn.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A fun romp and my middle graders love it! July 18, 2011

By J. A. Huss

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I pre-ordered Jacob Wonderbar when I heard that Nathan Bransford wrote a middle grade novel...and as a publisher of non-fiction science curriculum, this was just the ticket! The story is so fun and the dialog is a hoot (which is always my favorite part of any book, but especially a book for kids...I love listening to my son chuckle in the other room as he's reading!) My normal grown-up reading list is always science fiction, so finding a good middle grader read that added to the "wonder" of space was perfect. I read this book out loud over the course of a week long summer camp and all the kids enjoyed it - they even asked to take turns reading so they could do the voices of the kids.

This one's a keeper and definitely worth the kindle price.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A wild romp through space November 18, 2011

By Meghan C. Ward

Format:Hardcover

This book reminded me so much of the books of Roald Dahl - a great, fun read for children and adults alike. The planet that smells like burp breath was a particular hit with my 10-year-old nephew. The characters are wonderful - the rebellious Jacob Wonderbar, the feminist and over-scheduled Sarah Daisy (straight out of The Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother with her Mandarin and piano lessons), and the reluctant Dexter all captured my heart. The imagination of Bransford infused the story with originality. A planet populated by substitute teachers ... it doesn't get any better than that. I look forward to the sequel, Jacob Wonderbar for President of the Universe.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Imagination runs wild June 28, 2011

By Loralei Matisse

Format:Hardcover

One word describes Jacob Wonderbar and the Cosmic Space Kapow, first novel by Nathan Bransford, and that's fun. Well, actually two words... silly and fun.
Jacob Wonderbar, a 12 year old, whose favorite pastime is joking with and making fun of substitute teachers, is always in trouble. At least that's what it seems to his best friends, Dexter and Sarah, but lately Jacob is getting into more and more trouble at school.
One night, while sitting outside and trying to talk to Jacob about what's going on, the three friends hear a loud crash and see lights from the nearby forest. Natural curiosity sends Jacob running into the forest. A spaceship, a man in a silver suit, an odd request and a curious exchange propel the three 12 year olds into space and into some truly bizarre adventures.
What makes the story fun is the ridiculous, practical joke and even, innocent adolescent thinking that happens in each adventure. Nothing fancy, or superficial. And it's a story about friendship.
And this friendship is tested in space, where these three kids will do anything for each other, including eating strange planetary food, running mazes and walking in space.
As a first book designed for kids in mind, I thought the book might be full of sensational stuff - with all the techie junk like iPods, cell phones and other gadgets kids these days are in to, but surprisingly, it contained a simple storyline and kooky thought processes. A story brought from Nathan Bransford's imagination to let us use our imagination - something rare these days.
With Nathan's background in publishing, you can definitely see he learned a thing or two about creating a page turner with a great storyline. I read this book in about 4+ hours (it's about 200+ pages) over two days.... At one point, as I was ending a chapter and wanting to keep going, I was reminded of a Sidney Sheldon quote. Sidney Sheldon created books with a chapter ending that made the reader want to continue.
While not a Sheldon type of book, Nathan Bransford definitely has a fantastic first novel that children or parent, or someone like me without kids, will be able to devour in a day or two. And when finished, will say `that was a great story.'
Fun, simple, great pace throughout.
A definite read for young and old alike. Read more ›

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific book! June 4, 2011

By Mira

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Terrific book! I think both boys and girls will enjoy this one. It's fast paced and there are some very funny parts, things that I remembered and chuckled about after I finished the book. It's loosely similar to a Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, although not really. It has its own twists and surprises, and it targets a different age group. I thought it was imaginative, with images and events that would appeal to kids.

There are three main characters, and they all have their own stories and character development. Although light-hearted, there are some important themes underweaving the narrative - how to become brave; how to deal with your anger; how to deal with sadness at feeling rejected and missing someone. I really liked that there was a strong female character here, but there was also a male character who was stuggling with not being assertive - a nice balance to the more assertive, confident main character. Then all the storylines come together, helping the reader feel the importance of friendship. That was heartwarming for me.

I was impressed and I recommend this as a good book for kids who want a fun adventure book. As an adult who enjoys kid's literature, I'm looking forward to the sequel. I'm also looking forward to more of this author's work!

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun and heartwarming too August 23, 2011

By Baird

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I heard about the book through the Nathan's blog, thought it sounded fun for kids, and didn't plan to read it. Then I read the excerpt he put on the blog, I think it was the first chapter, and I was hooked. The writing is so engaging and charming, you can't help but smile while you read. I expected middle-grade cheesiness, and I got a genuine, heartfelt, funny book worth having.

The plot is zany and displays a witty sense of humor that goes beyond kid-humor. It's up to date in its cleverness and pays attention to how kids think and talk nowadays. I'm a scout leader for boys of about this age group, and I can tell this story is perfect for them.

The part that really surprised me was the successful injection of serious themes and meaningful character development within a short, silly middle-grade book. It's no Les Miserables, but you actually come to care about two of the main characters by the end, and empathize with them in a way I didn't think was possible in a story about corndogs and talking spaceships. Well done, Mr. Bransford!