Official Review: Galagamous The Galactic Garbage Collector

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bookowlie
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Official Review: Galagamous The Galactic Garbage Collector

Post by bookowlie »

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Galagamous The Galactic Garbage Collector" by Julia Irwin.]
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4 out of 4 stars
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Julia Irwin’s Galagamous the Galactic Garbage Collector is a children’s picture book about a hermit who resides in space. Galagamous lives on a red moon with Fizbot, a furry, green animal/creature known as a Yarper. They are frequently teased by the people of another planet, Megopolary, who don’t like hermits or Yarpers. When no one is willing to do garbage collection, the mayor of Megopolary travels to the red moon and requests the hermit’s help. While doing his new job around the galaxy, the plot thickens when Galagamous and his Yarper sidekick spot an unusual object.

Everything about this story is wildly imaginative. With his zig-zag eyebrows, wavy beard, and one long blue hair on his head, Galagamous is a memorable protagonist. His green, furry friend Fizbot looks like a humongous dog with oversized teeth. The setting is also creatively written. There are other children’s books with a space setting, but not many that introduce fictional planets or showcase a garbage collector.

While the story is somewhat long for a children’s picture book, there are only a few sentences on each page. The author does a good job of describing the characters and setting without bogging down the story. I was particularly impressed that the writing was fairly easy to understand, considering the unique plot and offbeat names. The term Yarper is explained well, as a fictional animal/creature who speaks in “yap” and “yarp” sounds. However, it would have been helpful if the word “hermit” had also been explained, since it’s a key aspect of the main character’s lifestyle.

The colorful illustrations tie in closely with the text and provide good visual clues for intermediate readers. The characters have a cartoon-like appearance, and their facial expressions appropriately match the action on each page. I wouldn’t recommend the book for beginning readers, since it is relatively long and contains a few made-up words. Beginning readers tend to gain confidence by reading very short books with short, simple sentences and words. Still, the book would be a perfect choice for parents or teachers to read aloud.

There is a universal theme of wishing you could be different vs. appreciating who you are. It’s always a nice perk when a fun children’s book can also be educational. The story is edited well, with no spelling or grammatical errors. There is also a smooth flow to the plot, with no scenes that veer the storyline off track.

I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. It is an enjoyable read, with an interesting plot and offbeat characters. I would recommend the story to children ages 5-8, especially those who enjoy quirky characters and stories set in space. Children younger than the recommended age range would likely prefer a shorter book with simple sentences and concepts. Hopefully, the author will decide to turn this entertaining story into a series. I can easily picture this lovable hermit and his furry sidekick embarking on other adventures.

******
Galagamous The Galactic Garbage Collector
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sarahmarlowe
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Post by sarahmarlowe »

What a great review! You described everything so well that I want to pick this one up! I love space settings in books for children. It seems to set their imaginations free. Thanks!
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Post by Helene_2008 »

The title of this book is quite a mouth-full but im glad you thought it was easy to read. I also like the theme/lesson of this book. Reminds me of The Sneetches by Dr. Suess!
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Post by Prisallen »

Being imaginative, colorful, having a good underlying theme, and being well written makes it a wonderful book for children. Thank you for a great review!
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Post by kandscreeley »

Now this sounds like a great children's book. I love the alliteration of the title, the colorful illustrations, and the great message about loving who you are. Another great review. Thanks!
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Post by Cecilia_L »

This sounds fun! My eight-year-old grandson would adore the alliteration. Thanks for the delightful review.
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Post by kdstrack »

This author connects with the imaginative spark of this age group. The creative setting, the unique plot, and the singular characters will surely enchant readers. As an added perk, the book presents a valuable message. Loved your review! Thanks.
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Post by Wriley »

The book also seems to be about discrimination since the other world people don't the Yarper for basically speaking a different language. Just from the review, I can see that the themes maybe much deeper than at first glance. The need for those who are different for jobs that natives don't want is also a theme in the U.S. presently.
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Post by bookowlie »

Thanks everyone for the positive feedback! Wriley - yes, the lessons in the story are deeper than the fun title suggests.
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Post by Intuitive Catalyst »

That title is a mouth-full for a kids book however it's a great review and I shall definitely recommend it to friends with young children who are always looking for good reads. Cheers
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bookowlie
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Post by bookowlie »

Intuitive Catalyst wrote: 07 Aug 2019, 11:54 That title is a mouth-full for a kids book however it's a great review and I shall definitely recommend it to friends with young children who are always looking for good reads. Cheers
I agree about the title being a mouthful! It's like a tongue twister.
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Post by Wambui-nj »

This sounds like a lovely and educative children's book. Great review.
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Post by jasmine-louise »

This books sounds so cute, I will have to get a copy :D
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bookowlie
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Post by bookowlie »

Thanks Wambui-nj and jasmine-louise for the feedback. The book is fun and also has a nice, positive message.
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Post by kislany »

Lovely review as always. I'm enjoying reading them. I'm not sure the book is for me, as I don't have children and I'm not around kids too much. Still, the book sounds like real fun.
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