An adventurous expedition that combines sweet hilarity and scientific fun facts, Jay Hosler’s, Last of the Sandwalkers, is as well-rounded as a clover mite’s body. As author and illustrator, Jay Hosler cleverly incorporates scientific data that is both entertaining and educational. Think The Magic School Bus cartoon paired with Disney’s movie A Bug’s Life and you’ll have a pretty good idea of the delightful, albeit stimulating, read (and watch/pictures) you are in for.

Protagonist Lucy may be an inch tall, but her brave, plucky nature compliments her methodical mind, corroborating her as a fearsome defender of family and science. The challenging exploits that her colleagues and family encounter are adventurous and charming, as Hosler weaves their combating situations into academia that will leave the reader in awe of bug-related life.

Lucy isn’t the only beetle the reader may grow fond of. The supporting cast all lends antennae to make this quandary well worth your time.

The annotations found at the end of the novel not only give readers a better idea about what they are reading, but also pleasantly help them feel more familiar with the author.

A fantastic read with delightful pictures, this is a great graphic novel for children or teens who are interested in biology, specifically entomology, but aren’t quite ready for heady text books.

This book was sent to Compass Book Ratings for review by First Second Books

Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language:  None

Violence/Gore:  Report of the desolation of a city with many casualties (2x); depiction of character threatening to punch another character; extended scene (about 3 pages) characters are attacked and almost eaten; character describes how they devour their pray, somewhat graphic; characters fall from great height (2x) minor injuries; character states that they will get revenge; characters try to free another character from an attacker; character trips (2x); extended scene (about 2 pages) characters fight off an attacker, attacker fights back, hitting and pecking; character tries biting another character; character shoots a poisonous substance into the eyes of another character; character admits to eating another character’s leg in the past; character threatens to eat another character; implication that characters may be eaten; verbal threat against another character; character defends friend against would be assailant with laser power; character grabs another character by the neck; character pushes another character from a great height, proceeds to set an explosion, implication that the fallen character died; character tells a brief story of insect sisters who chopped up their opponents into bite sized pieces; non-descriptive brief scene character watch a fight to the death; characters try and protect another character by warding off attackers using their strength, poison, and eating them; characters fly into another character; character throws another character off themselves; character recalls how his/her antennae were ripped out by hooligans; extended scene (about 7 pages) characters fight one another with laser beams, poison, grabbing, and throwing; character cuts off their hand, brief no blood; character threatens to trap another character; character threatens to kill another character.

Sex/Nudity: Character tries to hug and flirt with another character; character asks another character who his/her mate is and inquires about dating; characters kiss.

Mature Subject Matter:

Bigotry, death, social injustice, totalitarianism.

Alcohol / Drug Use:

None