Eat, Read, and Be Mommy

I might have managed a post yesterday–even though it was late in the day–except that my oldest daughter ended up inviting her boyfriend’s family over to play games, and it was fun–and it lasted until well past 10:30. (More like 11?) And by then, well–no coherence was happening, obviously. On the other hand, while winding down after my shower, I did manage to finish Unplugged and Unpopular, which was an entertainingly over-the-top (and relatively short) graphic novel about the “near future…”

…in which highly intelligent but physically weak aliens are mind-controlling the residents of Los Angeles through their devices, and until Erin gets grounded from screens, only the elderly are on to them. Once Erin’s ‘unplugged,’ she learns the truth–and joins up with her grandma and twin librarians (one of whom is her grandma’s boyfriend) to stop the aliens and rescue their captives, armed with soda cannons, syrup squirters, and a host of other unlikely (preposterous?) weapons. Believable? Not even a little bit. But lots of fun, regardless–especially since the aliens are unexpectedly purple–and furry. There is an occasional lack of consideration on Erin’s part that could have been addressed (or addressed more completely), but considering the general plot and tone of the story, that was probably too much to hope for. On the other hand, there’s commentary and info about managing and balancing screentime from the authors at the end, and that matters. All in all–ridiculous but enjoyable. Grab it for your kiddos this summer!