Albert Hopper's Virtual Launch

Where was I Saturday afternoon? Attending a virtual book launch for Albert Hopper, Science Hero: Blasting Through The Solar System!, the second in the Albert Hopper series by author/illustrator John Himmelman. The event was sponsored by Bank Square Books in Mystic, Connecticut, a lovely store I've visited a view times over the years. I was a fan of Himmelman's Tales of Bunjitsou Bunny, so I was highly motivated to attend.

The Albert Hopper books are kids' humor on the subject of science. While Himmelman was reading from them, I wondered if they might be considered a next generation Magic School Bus with a much different structure and less chaotic looking on the page. Albert Hopper, like Ms. Frizzle in the School Bus books, is an over-the-top adult main character. Okay, Hopper's a frog, but he's an adult frog. Adult main characters in children's books aren't common. But Albert Hopper has two junior scientists traveling with him. Ms. Frizzle, too, is surrounded with child characters. The first two Hopper books focus on one particular science topic, as the School Bus books do. 

I was particularly taken with the excerpt from this newest book in which Pluto insists that it should, indeed, be considered a planet, while one of the child characters argues it needs to meet three requirements to do so. Good luck, Pluto.

I will be watching to see what happens with this series.

On Saturday, I ordered a copy of the first book in the series, Albert Hopper, Science Hero, Worming to the Center of the Earth, for a young family member who is homeschooling this year. Perhaps I will get a review.

Here are more virtual book launches coming up.