This is a great found family novel with a sweet and innocent main character who is just trying to figure out where he is and what he's doing.

A gelatinous blob joins onto a space ship, and morphs into a young human boy. Given the name Trouble by the captain, he ends up learning more about humans and slowly gains the trust of the crew. (He also makes a wicked neon cow mac and cheese). Full of silliness, humor, adventure, and love, this is a great space epic for middle graders.

This was a delightful little space adventure. Trouble (who is named by the captain when discovered on the ship), is a shapeshifter. The only problem is that Trouble just spent a lot of time as a space blob of goo, and doesn't remember a lot of what happened to him before being a space blob of goo. In fact, he doesn't remember anything at all, just that he was very much alone. Now he's in a humanoid shape, and learning about the strange things that humans do (like have emotions?!), not to mention all the other space life that is on the ship. When their ship is attacked, Trouble does what he can to help out, and when he learns that there might be other shapeshifters out there, he decides he's going to do whatever he can to find those like him, and protect his "family". A great found family adventure, with lots of humor and a good amount of adventure too.

Such an interesting way to show gender fluid and neutral characters. Trouble is a shapeshifting creature that becomes self-aware when interacting with other aliens. I really appreciated the way the author uses different pronouns. The novel itself is a sci-fi novel that takes place in space on a ship with an interesting crew. Sarah Prineas tells Trouble's voyage of self-discovery and search for family with such humor and heart. I really enjoyed Trouble's journey and finding a family among such a diverse set of characters.

If you are a fan of Kate DiCamillo then I recommend you pick up this book.

Trouble in the Stars by Sarah Prineas, 256 pages. Philomel (Penguin), 2021. $17

Content: G (mild danger)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

The blob of goo floated across space until it reached a space station. Then trouble comes to the station – the military is seeking a dangerous escaped prisoner. So the blob shapeshifts and stows away on an out-going ship. The dog version is thrown out an airlock, but the human boy shape is begrudgingly accepted. As it tries to find a place for itself on the ship, Trouble, as it calls its new self also wonders if he might be the escaped dangerous weapon. How can that be true? Well, Peacemaker is in hot pursuit and Trouble may indeed live up to his name.

The cover of Prineas’ book gives a good peek at the cast of characters aboard the ship – a galaxy-wide variety of colors and shapes. Trouble is endearing – I wish my students embraced science fiction as much as I want them to!

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS

Trouble is a shapeshifter recently escaped from prison. They stow away on Hindsight, a ship traveling through space. Disguised as a young boy, he tries to evade the clutches of StarLeague, the galactic government. As he gets to know the crew, he starts to feel at home. When a surprise attack from the StarLeague forces Trouble to monstrously shift, he and the rest of the crew decide to take on a dangerous mission to find the all-knowing being called "The Knowledge," who might have answers about the other shapeshifters and where Trouble came from. Who really is Trouble? Why is StarLeague really after him? What important parts of his past did he forget? This action-packed, mystery, science fiction, adventure does a great job of keeping the pace going and engaging the reader. The author masterfully mixes in ship lingo in a way that is easy for readers to understand. The characters are entertaining and add a lot of humor to the book. Fans of Star Wars, space adventures, humor, and mystery will want to pick this one up.

Included in Vancouver Public Library's "100 Middle Grade Books to Love - New Worlds" list. An excellent scifi title that's heartfelt and adventurous without being too dense.

Trouble is a shapeshifter who finds themself on a spaceship. Trouble can change shape from a blob of goo to a puppy to a human. Trouble’s gender can change between different forms. When they stow away on the Hindsight, Captain Astra decides to keep Trouble on board until they reach the next space station. However, the Hindsight is being chased by the Starleague, the law enforcers of space, who are looking for an escaped prisoner. Trouble and the rest of the crew have to run from the law, while Trouble is also looking for the home that they came from.

This story introduced some complex ideas for young readers who may not have come across them in fiction before. One main idea was gender fluidity. Trouble’s gender changes depending on the shape that they are in. As a puppy, Trouble was a girl, but as a human Trouble was a boy. There were different species of humanoids on the ship that also expressed gender in different ways. Some were gender fluid, like Trouble. Another one shared a mind between different bodies. There were also some humans who identified as their biological gender. This is a great way to introduce complex gender ideas through science fiction characters.

Another large idea that was in this story was what it means to be a person. Since Trouble was a shapeshifter who didn’t have a permanent body, others questioned whether or not they were a person. Trouble also didn’t know where they came from, so they wanted to find their origins. This idea was explored more at the end of the story so I won’t give away the ending. I think this was a great way to introduce a complex idea with a complex character.

I really enjoyed this middle grade science fiction story!

Thank you Penguin for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Trouble in the Stars is a fun adventure that takes place (often literally) in space. Trouble can shift from a blob of goo, too a monster, to a rat, to a puppy, to a human boy, to many other creatures. His memory as the blob of goo at the beginning of the story doesn't allow him recall the events that catapulted him into outer space in the first place, but he does know he's running from something. Fortunately for him, he ends up on the space ship, the Hindsight, where Captain Astra eventually begins to see that Trouble has no one to take care of him, and he desperately needs that. This book is high action and mixes humor and some sorrow into the plot to round it out. It didn't take long to feel compassion for Trouble and hope that he could be protected. He is a likable character, and when readers solve the mystery of what his background is, as well as figure out his future, they will find themselves even more invested in his story. I do wish some of the other characters were given more depth, though. I would have enjoyed knowing their backgrounds. This was an enjoyable story, and I think it will become a favorite among students who enjoy sci-fi.

I received an electronic ARC from PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group through NetGalley.
What makes a person a person? Prineas takes readers through a space adventure that answers this as the adventures unfold. Trouble names himself after he escapes. We meet him when he is floating in space in his blob shape. Readers see his survival instinct as he changes shape to run from the soldiers. He doesn't have the memories to know it is him they seek but he stows away on a ship leaving the space port and studies the beings on board. He then takes a human shape and continues to learn what it means to be human. The rest of the crew runs through the gamut of emotions as well until they become a team along with a soldier they rescue when her spaceship is damaged. Through the rest of the book until the dramatic final battle to rescue the shapeshifters, readers see characters from a wide variety of species model what it means to be a family.
I love the play on words in the title. Prineas has found the balance to hold middle grade readers' attention through action and challenge them to look beyond the obvious adventures to the deeper meanings.

A shapeshifter and on the run from the government, Trouble stows away on the ship, Hindsight, to get away. Crewed by the best navigators and engineers in the galaxy, Trouble is soon discovered by Captain Astra. Taking pity on the shapeshifter, the captain agrees to drop Trouble off at the nearest space station instead of tossing them out of the airlock. As the ship travels, Trouble starts to feel safe until a StarLeague cadet shows up to capture Trouble. Can Trouble escape from the government? What did Trouble do to end up on the run? Action-packed, engaging, and fast-paced, readers will be drawn into this adventure hook, line, and sinker. The characters are likable, humorous, and help bring the story to life. Fans of science fiction, adventure, and space hijinks will enjoy reading this book. Grades 4 to 6, 4.5 stars

A fantastic space adventure with a lot of heart. We love found family! Chapters are super short - would make a good read aloud. Will be buying this for my middle school library!