Dav Pilkey hits the halfway mark in this cheerfully ridiculous, easy-reader series that spans the solar system, as Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot takes on the Jurassic Jackrabbits from Jupiter.

Little Ricky (a smart young mouse, for those of you just joining us) is having a birthday, and that's cause for some serious robotic celebration. The family--along with cousin Lucy ("a little PEST!")--piles on top of the Mighty Robot for a trip to see dino skeletons at the local museum. Unfortunately, General Jackrabbit, evil ruler of Jupiter's "billions of carrot-loving jackrabbits" (the carrots make the planet orange, you see), has other plans for our heroes. He's hoping to take over Earth, but he knows that first he's got to take down Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot. And how better to accomplish that than using the museum's dino skeletons, some of the General's own DNA, and a Meany Machiney to create three big, mean Jurassic Jackrabbits?

There's no doubt that Pilkey can be much funnier when he has more words to work with--witness any of the Captain Underpants books (and Ricky Ricotta is no George or Harold)--but this series at least gives younger readers something fun to do while working on their reading chops. And, of course, you don't have to read a single word to thoroughly enjoy Flip-o-Rama, Pilkey's "world-famous cheesy animation technique," which lets readers flip pages back and forth to animate the action. (Also includes step-by-step drawing tips from equally fun-loving illustrator Martin Ontiveros.) (Ages 4 to 8) --Paul Hughes