Crankian Dethbert Jones has recently joined the Space Cadets and is looking forward to finding a pen pal from another planet so that he can earn his Cosmic Correspondent badge. When an alien from Earth responds, Dethbert learns more than he could ever imagine about his new friend and himself.
Dethbert’s experiences with jealousy, puberty, crushes, crustard (which I need in my life), and sibling quarrels on Crank, although sometimes surreal, are reminiscent of the ups and downs of childhood. This 10-year-old’s story is relatable, even though he’s galaxies away. Dethbert is the pen pal I never knew I needed.
