CAPTAIN RAPTOR AND THE SPACE PIRATES

Continuing the heroic work of making the spaceways safe for all law-abiding dinosaurs, Captain Raptor and the scaly crew of starship Megatooth return—this time in pursuit of the pirate ship Blackrot, whose bloodthirsty mob of “misshapen mutants and reptilian cyborgs” has stolen planet Jurassica’s trove of jewels. Repeatedly escaping near-certain death (“Could this be the end of Captain Raptor?” becomes an almost-plaintive refrain), the daring deinonychus escapes ambush, a metal monster lurking in the Perilus Nebula and a pitched battle before (did you doubt?) bringing the scurvy knaves to justice. Rendered in realistic, gloriously melodramatic detail, the toothy, armored dinosaurs look ready to burst out of their comics-style panels, blasters blazing. O’Malley and O’Brien have way too much fun here, and the Captain’s legions of fans will, too. (Picture book. 7-9)