Do you know any fans of Percy Jackson or Star Wars? If so then please put SEVENTH GRADE VS. THE GALAXY in their hands, and they will love you forever.

Hilarious and hard to put down, this story is action packed with strong friendship themes. Jack is a lovable, honest main character. I started rooting for him on page 1 and never stopped!

I don’t want to spoil any of the fun details and world building that make this book so memorable, but know there are a ton of awesome, quirky characters. There are moments that will make you laugh out loud. And the technology is astounding—both in its coolness and how incredibly well thought out and executed it is.

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This book has everything in terms of plot, characters, twists and turns. Light speed travel, alien contact, friendship, evil galactic overlord, sarcastic spaceship AI, hair raising escapes, space battles, and a hero duty to save all human life.

But that's only part of the equation. You need engaging characters, a fast pace, and a carefully calibrated balance among action, humor, clever tech, and heart. This book scores high marks across the board on all of those important particulars. Our heroes are smart, spunky, and resourceful. They feel right together, and team heroics are the best heroics in books like this. The dialogue is funny and the humor is sharp without being edgy or sour. Many of the best bits and lines are deadpan, so the humor is more sneaky than in your face. (SPOILER: humans will forever be known throughout the universe as umjerrylochners because the first human, Jerry, to contact an alien didn't understand the question he was asked.) There are lots of supporting characters who contribute dry or antic or alien energy, and loads of amusing set pieces that add variety and clever style to the story, while still moving the narrative forward.

As a bonus, the characters each take a step up as the book advances. Lots of times in middle grade space operas we all end up more or less where we began as characters. Here, though, whether it's anger management, or responsibility, or self-confidence, or just trust, the three main characters learn something about themselves and about each other, which adds a bit of weight and gravity, (they aren't exactly the same thing), to the proceedings.

So, it was funny, it was well written, it was well plotted, and it was exciting. It's also set up for a sequel, so I'm happy.

(Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

I wasn't sure what to expect, but I enjoyed reading this. An interesting story with fun characters. Well written.

I think most middle school kids sometimes wonder if their schools are from outer space but Jack doesn’t have to wonder. His middle school is orbiting Ganymede (a moon of Jupiter).

When aliens attack and try to brainwash the whole school before stuffing them into prison, the kids must save the day! Thankfully Jack’s dad modified the engines and gave Jack special access to the computers on the ship in case of emergencies like alien invasions, and jack is smart enough to use it! Grumpy robot lunchladies, an absentee mom, action, adventure, sci-fi , and friendships made and kept even when the strain is big, are just some of the life lessons in this book. Well done!

Seventh Grade Vs. The Galaxy by Joshua S. Levy
Available March 5, 2019 from Lerner Publishing Group

Jack is your typical seventh grader except that his school is anything by typical. Jack attends PSS 118, a middle school that is currently orbiting Ganymede, a moon of Jupiter. That’s right-middle school in space!
What could possibly go wrong when you put several hundred middle school aged children on a ship in space? Just the ship suddenly launching into light speed and being attacked by mysterious aliens who are intent on brainwashing all the students and placing them in prison.
Are all of the highly dedicated and highly trained teachers going to save the day? Of course not! This is a middle grade science fiction adventure-the kids are going to save the day!
Jack’s dad was the science teacher on board the ship until he was caught making modifications to the ship’s engines without permission. With the ship under attack, Jack discovers that those engine modifications weren’t the only thing that Jack’s dad altered. He also gave Jack special access to the computers in case of emergency. It’s with this new discovery, and the help of his amazing friends, that Jack will try to save his classmates and teachers from the evil Minister.
This book was a lot of fun-there’s tons of action, snarky attitude, friendship drama, and crabby lunch lady robots. I found Jack to be a very relatable character. He has a mom who left the family, is being bullied at school because of a mistake his father made, and is trying to find his place in the world. All of this stress has placed a strain on his friendships with Ari and Becka and their relationships are tested over and over.
There is a lot that goes on this book that will interest young readers. There’s time travel, alien shopping malls, and even an alien arcade. I really enjoyed the crabby lunch lady robots and their constant complaints about working conditions.

Full disclosure time: I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley. Thank you to Netgalley and Lerner Publishing Group for the opportunity to read and review this title.

PS 118 is your typical school, in the future, except it is a bit run down. But it is still the school of Jupiter's orbit, at least until it gets attacked, than all the weird and strangeness happens, and it is somehow left to three of the students to try and make everything right. This book is set at warp speed and never slows down I think Mr. Levy has a great book and I can not wait to see what happens in the next book.



This review will appear on my blog March 5th

I loved Levy’s debut! Jack, Ari, and Beckha are fantastic, well-rounded characters with nuanced relationships. Their evolving friendships and witty banter kept me flying through the book.

I would highly recommend SEVENTH GRADE VS THE GALAXY to any middle grade reader looking for high stakes adventure and accessible sci-fi. And though this book does standalone, I’m eagerly anticipating the sequel!

Levy's fun adventure story of a school in space is ideal for middle grade readers looking for something fresh and exciting, filled with everything they love about science fiction and friendship. The characters in this book are their own wonderful trio reminiscent of Harry Potter. I found myself worrying, triumphing, and laughing right along with them.

Imaginative and humorous, SEVENTH GRADE VS. THE GALAXY had me laughing in every chapter. Josh Levy brought together Jack, Ari, and Becka on a quest to save the PSS 118 from alien attack. These three had the perfect MG banter—one minute getting along fabulously, the next minute tumbling into disagreement (sometimes hilarious, sometimes heartfelt).

Of course, things did not always go as they planned, and those scenes were some of the most fun as Levy raised the stakes and forced Jack and his friends to push harder and trust each other if they wanted to succeed. What an adventure, filled with gum-chewing aliens, a school spaceship with an attitude, and unbreakable friendships!

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

A great adventure with wit and humor that I was pleasantly surprised with. Found myself laughing out loud at some points! I definitely saw the authors voice and can’t wait to see what he does in the future. Definitely someone to watch!

This was so much fun!!!

Levy's book details the adventures of Jack, Ari, and Becka after they accidentally transport their schoolship into a hostile alien galaxy. And yes, it's just as awesome as it sounds.

The voice was perhaps my favourite element of this book; it's funny, clever, and totally organic. The characters themselves are so loveable and distinct, with a great dynamic (although I think the ship itself was my favourite?) And each page absolutely bursts with imagination: gum-chewing alien queens, massive pet dragons unleashed in shopping malls, a time-travel arcade....I could go on and on!

Another thing I loved about this book was the confidence. Sci-fi often falters when authors try to over-explain, but Levy added just enough terminology to make things believable whilst creating a fantastic, accessible world. Occasionally Jack's plans felt a touch too confusing (or maybe it's my brain's inability to wrap itself around time warps) but overall, the tone and content felt perfect for middle grade readers. Great stakes, great breathless pace, and again, great FUN!

I'll definitely be recommending this one to sci-fi and adventure lovers! Thank you to Netgalley and Lerner Books for access.

What I Liked
The setting was great! Believable and fun, the near-ish future-humanity society that's been set up is easy to fall into. There is fun tech--holographic wallpaper, 3D printer pens, sassy robots--alongside very relatable modern-day teen struggles. The main characters are a great foursome! (I have included Doctor Shrew, the hamster, as a main character, because frankly the entire adventure would have frizzled to a halt without him.)

What I Would Have Liked to See
Nothing much to request! The ending is clearly a setup for a sequel or series, but it was well done and left just enough unanswered questions without leaving too much unaddressed.

My Favorite!
The tech was a hoot! Daydreaming about future advancements in technology is a fun pastime, and the stuff in this book was all super fun to get into.

TL;DR
Middle school students fend off corrupt alien government so they can get their school spaceship back home. But first, you gotta hit that alien supermall! Great read for sci-fi fans!