A great addition to any Elementary or Middle School library

I am not a fan of banning books—which is probably a weird way to start this review, I know. But bear with me. Black Hole Radio - Ka'Azula is a great addition to a school library for many reasons. This is book 3 of the series, and I bring up book banning, because this particular story touches on racism. But never fear. If you’re worried that the topic is too much for your child, this book gently introduces it then shows how singling someone out for being a little different is a lotta bad.

I would put the book's tone and style on par with The Magic Treehouse series, except instead of the treehouse, you have the black hole radio device. And instead of history, you have alternate worlds. This particular book in the series addresses racism in a way that's reminiscent of Dr. Seuss's sneeches. And there are two characters that reflect the idea of being different—Matt, who is of mixed race, and Celeste, who has autism. A nicely diverse set of main characters who do normal things in a normal world as well as an out of this world world. ( )

Written in first-person present tense, this imaginative sci-fi adventure begins shortly after the end of Black Hole Radio - Bilaluna, the previous book in the series. The book’s prologue recaps what has gone before, so a reader can jump right into this book.

The story takes Hawk, Matt, and Celeste on another wild adventure, meeting aliens and experiencing new, advanced technology - in this case an immersive alien video game. Throughout the story, the book imparts an important message about not defining people’s worth by the color of their skin. And by extension, the aliens’ obsession with being “the beautiful blue color” highlights the folly of trying to adhere to an arbitrary definition of what’s beautiful and worthwhile.

Overall, the book is an entertaining, fun read, likely to appeal to its intended middle-grade readers. Compared to the previous two books, this book seemed less science-oriented and more focused on social issues. The glossary at the back is a great addition and good opportunity for further learning for readers.

(Read May 2022) ( )

Transistor-radio-wormhole-travelling friends Matt, Hawk and Celeste are back with new powers and new adventures!

Taking the lead as narrator in this book is Matt, who shares some of the cultural challenges of being mixed-race, along with issues his black relatives have had to endure due to racism. Likewise, on the planet of Ka’Azula, they encounter bird-like aliens, where Blue is the master race. (Da-ba-dee da-ba-die!)

We are brought through a fantastic adventure experiencing “first hand” what it is like to be an outsider based on skin colour and perception, a la Star-Bellied-Sneetches, working together to overcome racism and save the day in this edutaining third book in the “Black Hole Radio” series.

Entertaining and appropriate for children. ( )