The Big Flush (The Area 51 Files) by Julie Buxbaum

The Big Flush (The Area 51 Files) Reviews

• 
  Mehsi

  I received this book from the publisher/TBR and Beyond Tours in exchange of an honest review.
  
  
  OMG, I was so excited when I saw the sign-up on TBR and Beyond Tours. I really enjoyed the first book (see review here) and just HAD to sign up. Because I was already looking forward to more of this series. More adventures. More aliens. More fun!
  
  In this one we continue were we left off and immediately kick into the fun! Because SURPRISE, Elvis has family coming by. And not just any family, his parents. Yep. Along with a little brother. Cue lots of awkwardness but also tons of fun! Because that little brother was just such a fun addition to the gang. Sometimes little brothers/sisters don’t work out for me in books, but this little guy? He was just so adorable and fun. And I loved seeing him enjoy life on Earth more and more! Including wanting a birthday!
  
  I love that the threat to Area 51 was a toilet. I mean, a toilet. That doesn’t sound very threatening. At all. But given how fast it can go and what it can do, I guess the threat is real! It does fit with the book and how silly/fun it is at times. A toilet is just a perfect threat. Plus, something related to toilets also makes its appearance and EWW! Plus, the threat is not just a toilet, but also figuring out who is the spy that works with the aliens plotting this one. Because you can just figure that it isn’t the aliens. There must be someone inside helping them! I loved seeing the kids try to figure out things, even though the adults were all telling them to don’t do it. But you cannot stop Sky. And with that Elvis, Gertie, and Elvis’ little brother. Their investigation was a ton of fun and I loved seeing more of Area 51 and all that it entails.
  
  The ending was one big rollercoaster of fun and I just couldn’t stop reading! It was just so exciting!
  
  Once again, I wouldn’t mind to get the guide to Area 51 in my hands. Yes, Sky finds it boring, but to me it sounds a heck ton of fun!
  
  Six other things I loved were the chapter titles which always made me look forward to each new chapter, we definitely need more books with fun chapter titles. And then there are the illustrations which were just A-plus fun. Also seeing that the relationship between the hedgehog and the dog was still strong made me smile! Plus, new aliens including ones that are just Spotify in alien form! There tons of references (did you know that Nailed It is known across the galaxy?) and puns~ Oh, and seeing the baddies from the previous book changing their lives, they made me laugh, though I have to say for a bit I was also quite sus about them, I mean it is a BIG change!
  
  There was one thing and that was that Sky was a tad eh at times. Elvis is clearly not happy at times with his family around, which I couldn’t blame him, I mean hello they are everywhere and it is just superduper awkward between his real and his earth parents. But Sky was acting at times as if he should just be happy that he had parents. She had none. And I find that very toxic. It is sad that you lost your parents and it is a terrible thing. But people are allowed to be unhappy about their parents or talk negatively about them. As a girl with a very toxic mom, I don’t feel happy to hear that I should just be happy I at least got parents. Yay. No.
  
  All in all, I would recommend this book to all and I cannot wait for what is next. Not just because I need another adventure, but also because of what is mentioned at the end. I need deets!
  
  Review first posted at
  https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
• 
  Melissa (Nissa_the.bookworm)

  𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔
  👾 love aliens
  🏜️ believe in Area 51
  👦🏻 have an 8-12 year old
  🚽 enjoy potty jokes
  
  • 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓
  
  Sky Patel-Baum, Area 51’s latest arrival, thought she had finally figured out her strange new home. Sure, there are aliens everywhere, and her new BFF Elvis is from the planet Galzoria. But it turns out things can still get weirder. Because some special visitors just arrived with a warning: Area 51 is in danger!
  
  A hunk of space junk is headed right for the base! And it’s not just any hunk of junk! It’s a giant toilet! Even worse? A traitor on base is working with angry aliens to coordinate the attack.
  
  With one case already under their belts, Sky and her friends are on a mission to save Area 51. But what happens if their investigation goes down the toilet? That would stink!
  
  • 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒
  
  This is a cute read for all middle grade readers! Kids will learn all kinds of new words, as well as laugh at all of the jokes included. I know I was chuckling at a lot of them myself! The pictures also helped bring the story to life more as well because we got a good look at all of the aliens. I enjoyed the underlying themes of family and friendship too. Overall, kids around 8 and older with strong vocabulary will love this series! I can’t wait to see what happens at Area 51 next!
  
• 
  Nicole M. Hewitt

  This review and many more can be found on my blog:
  Feed Your Fiction Addiction
  
  I absolutely adored the first book in this zany MG series, so I jumped at the chance to review THE BIG FLUSH. At Barnes & Noble, I often recommend this book to younger MG readers or more reluctant readers. The combination of humor and fun illustrations makes it very accessible.
  
  This second book is very much in the same vein as the first: the kids once again have to solve a big mystery, but this time the stakes are even higher because their home is in danger of being blown to smithereens by a space toilet! (Yep, there's plenty of potty humor in this book. Honestly, I'm not always a fan of potty humor, but somehow in these books it seems to come across more silly than gross? At least to me.) Kids will love the inclusion of lots of crazy aliens - including a few new characters, two of whom look like giant T-Rexes to our MC. There are also some surprising check-ins with characters from the last book who have changed a whole lot. And Elvis's adoption and family are explored a lot more in this book. The mystery itself is engaging, and readers will have fun trying to solve it right along with our kid-sleuths. 
  
  Great for readers who love Diary of a Wimpy Kid and The 13-Story Treehouse Series!
  
  ***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher for review. No compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
• 
  Stormi (StormReads)

  There are some new arrivals to Area 51 and with them they bring news of a large piece of space junk coming to earth and headed right for Area 51! It's really big space toilet! It's up to Sky and her friends to try and figure out more about this space junk and who is behind it.
  
  The adults want them to leave things alone but we all know kids never listen and so at times get in trouble but they also figure out who is behind everything.
  
  I am being very vague because some things I want to say I think might spoil some things for book two and that you just need to read it and find out.
  
  This is a story filled with fun illustrations by Lavanya Naidu that made me chuckle. I really Sky, Elvis and Zack and Mini Elvis (you just have to read to figure that out).
  
  This one leaves you with some information and a slight cliffhanger that makes you want to get to the next one so is it 2024 yet?!
  
  If you have a young reader I am sure they will enjoy this one!
• 
  Danielle Bush

  This is such a fun series! I love the characters, the story, (which is full of so many puns and middle-grade humor), and the pictures add so much!
  
  Sky, Elvis, and Zane have a new mission, to save Area 51 from a space toilet-turned weapon sent from a race of Break Throughs that have previously been exiled from Earth. There is no end to the suspects that could be helping with the attack, and Sky and her friends are ready and willing to hunt them down,
  
  I will definitely be reading any other books that come out in this series, and I can't wait to see what kind of shenanigans Sky and her friends are going to get into next!
• 
  Deborah Zeman

  What is life like living in Area 51? Filled with aliens, aka Break Throughs, and the threat of a giant toilet hurling through space, about to crash and obliterate Area 51 and all of Nevada. Not what Sky and her friends want to happen. Oh yeah, did I forget to mention the supposedly dead parents of her best friend Elvis, returning to Earth to watch over him, along with Mini-Elvis, his doppelgänger little brother? What ensues is a tale filled with lots of middle school humor and absurdity. This was the second book in the series, however, I had no problem reading it as if it were a stand alone. Loved the corresponding illustrations strewn throughout the story.
• 
  Larissa

  Such a funny book. You have the perfect mix of humor and friendship. I had not read the first book in this series, and you honestly don’t have to. It is the perfect book for kids to pick up and just enjoy on its own. I don’t know if I will ever look at space junk the same way again though. I love this idea of Area 51 being filled with so many different alien races. The fact that some of them look different depending on who is looking at them too is just so fun. This is just a fun quick book with beautiful art so perfect for the kid looking for an almost graphic novel who wants to branch out a bit.
  Thank you so much to Random House Children’s and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.
• 
  Kim Wilch

  This outrageous story is full of puns and humor, amazing characters on a mission, and plenty of high-spirited mischief. Don’t miss it when poop explodes over everyone. How crappy! Amongst the humor is a vivid setting and the pace is perfect. What’s not to love in this new middle-grade book?
  And better yet, the final chapter shares a teaser for the next book! YAY!
• 
  Latoya

  Super cute and fun to read with my niece. I enjoyed this book and trying to figure out the who done it. I think we are excited for the next installment because of how the book is left off and sets up the next adventure/mystery
• 
  Marsha

  Another cute one in this series. I think kids will enjoy this series.
• 
  PottWab Regional Library

  A
• 
  Ro

  Really really good.
• 
  Jame_EReader

  Thank you @bookopolis for this copy to read and review. My son read this in one sitting and he loves it!!!
  
  This series is a must read. i’ve read the first one and this second book is more creative than the first book, but some of the parts were not funny but rather silly. Actually some of the dialogues were catchy and funny and this second book could be read without the first book in order to know the story. It is already good on its own. I think the funniest part was when Sky and her friends were guarding the Area 51 being attacked by the angry aliens from all the toilet bowls falling from the sky. The corny parts was name-calling but it could be funny jokes for others but not me. But, I really enjoyed this series and this second book is seriously a must read for middle-graders if they want to be entertained. Overall great book!!!
• 
  Bookish2theMax

  Loved book one, and loved book two even more! So cute and there are great illustrations! Definitely read this! Recommend for ages 8-12!
• 
  v i v i n

  𝗗𝘂𝘀𝘁—A girl who struggles to breathe befriends a boy who seems shrouded in dust.
  
  "𝑱𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒐𝒏𝒆'𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒉𝒖𝒓𝒕 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔𝒏'𝒕 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚'𝒓𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒖𝒓𝒕 𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒔."—chapter 34
  
  𝗔 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗺𝗮𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀.—It's my first read of the author and I really like it. I can feel the MC struggle of her asthma and her effort to get out from the bullying.
  ⠀
  5 reasons why you should read DUST:
  1. It has some informations about asthma.
  2. Importance of friendship and family support.
  3. It is about bullying story in school.
  4. This book has unique chapter titles.
  5. The unpredictable twist at the end and ofc it has a lovely ending.
  ⠀
  If you're looking forward for a friendship, courage, and healing story, you can try to read DUST.