Early Book Review: Galaxy Games by Greg R. Fishbone

Galaxy Games: The Challengers by Greg R. Fishbone is a children's book due for release on September 28 2011. Tyler Sato is thrilled to have finally turned eleven. Despite some serious effort from his older sister, Tyler has a great birthday which includes a star named after him from his family in Japan. When his astronomer father brings Tyler and his friends to the observatory for a pizza party and chance to chart the star, something unexpected happens. The star seems to have appeared very recently, and his father starts studying the star. Soon astronomers around the world are watching, because the object dubbed TY SATO seems to be hurdling through space towards Earth. Meanwhile, up in space young M'Frozza is on a mission to find a team to take on the challenge of the Galaxy Games in place of her world's team, saving their planet from being dishonored in a universal sporting event. Can Tyler and M'Frozza, and maybe members of the human race, all come together in the honor and sportsmanship of the Galaxy Games?

Galaxy Games was a fun read. It was also a read that rang true on several levels. The ability of children to accept people for who they are, without focusing too heavily on what their race or background is, was realistic to me. As was the reactions of adults to aliens and to possibilities of change and the unknown come to their doorstep. Despite these large themes and the incredible tidbits about several different cultures, the main characters were still worried about the same things anyone in the target audience for Galaxy Games would be thinking about on a normal day. The typical cancers of school, friends, sibling, games, playing, getting through normal days are the major focus of most of the characters. It just made the book, and the characters than much more real to me, even though I am well out of the intended age range. The few back-and-white illustrations in the book helped me to picture the aliens the way the author intended, and did add another fun level to the story.

I recommend Galaxy Games for readers between none and twelve; some older teens and parents will enjoy the story as well. I think that many boys and some reluctant readers will find a lot to like in the story, and it might encourage them to keep reading. The realism of the characters makes the science fiction aspects of the story seem extremely plausible. The use of several cultures, and the importance of understanding and excepting more than your own culture, was an important part of the story that added something special. I will admit to having to put the book down and start over once. However, that was more a burn out on my part than any fault with Galaxy Games, which I know because as soon as I started reading it again the story really got its hooks into me, or were those tentacles?