Panda Ray is a rare beast: a fun and weird adventure for kids where there is no Chosen One. Thank God. I’m a little tired of the Hero’s Journey.

Chris Zimmerman is an alien, or possibly a mutant. Either way, he’s in trouble because he keeps telling his fifth-grade class about his travels through time. His mother finds out and is furious, because those trips are family secrets. His punishment is going to be getting scooped out, wiping out any personality he might have.
So, of course, he and Gramps escape in a spaceship. Then things get interesting.

Recommendation: Buy it. I love seeing this odd little book on my shelf. Sitting between All My Friends Are Dead and The Gashlycrumb Tinies, it always elicits a grin and reminds me to be more creative.