Rover and Speck: Splash Down!

Everyone’s favorite space rovers take on a dangerous rescue operation - inside the belly of the Beast! - in this hilarious title in the early graphic novel series.

Interplanetary space explorers Rover and Speck have set out on a dangerous mission deep into the mysterious unknown: a visit to Unexplored Planet K2-18b. Though all seems calm to Rover when they first splash down on the watery surface, they soon find themselves in the mouth of a gigantic blubber beast! With a little ingenuity (by Rover) and some furious paddling (by Speck) they manage to escape unharmed. But when the pair meet two local spikey-spikes whose brother was swallowed by the Beast, Rover knows the brother’s only hope is for the two brave explorers to go back inside the Beast to find him. Do Rover and Speck have what it takes to rescue the spikey-spike? Or will they - gulp - get swallowed, too?

Jonathan Roth’s series about two space rovers with wildly different personalities hits all the right notes for early graphic novel fans, with loads of action and humor and the funniest space rover buddy team (okay, maybe the only one) ever written. The drama is interspersed with just enough silliness to keep readers enthralled. Brightly colored traditional comic art adds to the book’s appeal. As a bonus, illustrated science fact boxes containing fun and accessible background information about marine biology, underwater creatures and other relevant science topics (and jokes!) appear throughout the story. The book ends with an engaging interactive art lesson from Rover and Speck on how to draw waves.

Author-illustrator Jonathan Roth has been fascinated with robotic space missions since the Viking lander sent back the first images from the surface of Mars. Jonathan, who teaches elementary art, lives in Rockville, Maryland, with his wife and two kitties, in a house on a rocky planet orbiting a fiery star in a barred spiral galaxy. He is also the author of the Beep and Bob series.