Kaput and Zosky Book

Would-be world conquerors Kaput and Zosky are at the pinnacle of their careers. So why does victory always slip from their grasp?

On one planet the natives surrender to Kaput and Zosky without a fight – where’s the fun in that? On another, Kaput finds that he’s won the lottery – and the prize is invested by well-meaning people against his will until he learns he now rules their planet. He doesn’t even have to shoot anyone first! Mayhem and hilarity abounds in these thirteen stories told with bright, cartoony art by Lewis Trondheim.

VOYA

AGERANGE: Ages 11 to 15.

Kaput and Zösky are zany partners determined to rule the universe. The only problem is that something always goes wrong when they land on a planet. Humor is exhibited in the colorful drawings of the odd-looking characters (Kaput has an enormous overbite, a red Mohawk, and an egg-shaped body) within the small panels. The situations the team finds itself in and interchanges between the two are equally funny. When they visit Earth, they vow to "devour all their chocolate desserts," but the size of earthlings, including their insects and litter, is too intimidating. The horrified duo simply flees without putting up much of a fight. On another planet, they are mistaken for Cabbage Patch kids by a lonely couple. Between each of Kaput and Zösky's adventures, there is an even shorter strip featuring another character, Cosmonaut, a tiny man who also visits planets and often attacks various creatures. Colored backgrounds vary, depending on the mood and tone of the planet the characters encounter, but the insatiable appetite for blood and power never seems to escape them. The cartoonish illustrations on the front and back covers might discourage older teens from opening the book, but the occasionally thought-provoking stories are far from juvenile. Translated from French, adaptations of the Kaput & Zösky series have appeared in televised cartoons in the United States and other countries. Readers who are looking for an adventure story featuring less-than-perfect heroes will enjoy this book. Reviewer: KaaVonia Hinton-Johnson
April 2008 (Vol. 31, No. 1)