Albert Einstein once said that play is the highest form of research and imagination is more important than knowledge. When I released my first Space Cop Zack picture book in August 2013, I also published a series of blogs about the power of imagination, covering everything from how imagination empowers humans to learn how to think symbolically, its role in problem-solving, and its psychosocial and psychological benefits. At that time, I also mentioned that Space Cop Zack is about the “beta version” of imagination—childhood imaginings that help us develop our imaginations into powerful tools that can serve us well throughout our lives.
Space Cop Zack, Protector of the Galaxy and the second book in the series, Space Cop Zack, GARG’s Secret Mission, was well received, the first book winning a Readers’ Favorite Book Award and a Gold Medal in the UK Wishing Shelf Book Awards, and the second book winning a Silver Medal in the UK Wishing Shelf Book Awards.
So what new adventure is Zack up to in book three, The Lost Treasure of Zandor? Zack and his trusty robot companion, GARG, are racing the nefarious Captain Menace to find a lost treasure buried deep in the caverns of Zandor. Along the way, Captain Menace sends his three trustiest minions to try and stop Zack and GARG. Will they beat the evil captain to the lost treasure? That will all depend on your imagination!
The Lost Treasure of Zandor has received enthusiastic pre-release thumbs up from the UK Wishing Shelf Book Review. The verdict? “A fantastically fun space adventure packed full of SoloCopter Lifts, Noot the Tall and Terrible, and a big robot called Cantobor.”—A ‘Wishing Shelf’ Book Review
Space Cop Zack: The Lost Treasure of Zandor is now available to order from Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, Amazon.ca, Amazon.co.uk, and other online booksellers.
Read the Full Review:
I must begin by saying that, nowadays, I spend a lot of my time enjoying modern thrillers; and even the odd YA novel full of weeping teenagers finding love and then discovering it wasn’t. But I don’t spend so much time curled up with a
comic-style space opera for 7–11-year-olds. Well, no longer. I’m now a big fan!
Space Cop Zack: The Lost Treasure of Zandor follows Zack and his robot, GARG, as they attempt to stop Menace and his evil pals from nabbing a lost treasure. This is very pacey stuff. Every page is filled with a new challenge for the hero to overcome, whether it be Jeweled Cave Clingers that bite or a molten mudslide. Now, I’m no longer a ten-year-old boy, but I still remember what I enjoyed back then. And, trust me, I would have enjoyed this. It reminded me of the old 1960s space comics: Buck Rogers and Lost in Space, with a strong hero to rally behind and a host of evil monsters that were, simply put, evil—in every way. No greys. Just good and bad. And kids love it when they know who to cheer for and who to boo. Well, there’s plenty to cheer for in this visually stunning, battle-filled adventure.
Just a note on the drawings: WOW! They are soooooo cool! I loved them. All of them. The story’s good but the pics blew me away.
To sum up, this is a fun adventure that 99.9% of 7–11-year-old boys are going to love. Not only is it superbly illustrated, but the plot is so fast-paced, I almost needed a sleep after reading it. I can just see a bunch of boys enjoying this and then discussing at length who’d win in a fight between Jeweled Cave Clinger and sleeping Ultracompact Land Fish.
Wonderful stuff!
A ‘Wishing Shelf’ Book Review
If you’re looking for a series of exciting adventure books that helps reluctant readers, take a peek at the award-winning Sir Kaye series published by Cardboard Box Adventures Publishing. The audio editions of the Sir Kaye books are available on Audible.com, Amazon.com, and iTunes.
