Craig Thompson is conquering the world of kids graphic novels with Space Dumplins , his first full color all ages book, following Blankets and Habibi . It hits shelves next Tuesday, August 25th, and as you might expect from Thompson, it’s a visual riot of gorgeously organic spaceships, monsters, whale poop and a talking chicken sidekick. Heroine Violet is fierce and loyal on a quest to rescue her father from the belly of a space whale. It’s a fast paced romp of an adventure, but Thompson’s art–colored by none other than multiple Eisner winner Dave Stewart–is the revelation.

Publisher Scholastic has given The Beat the exclusive first look at the trailer for the book. And here’s the publisher’s description and some sample pages.

For Violet Marlocke, family is the most important thing in the whole galaxy. So when her father goes missing while on a hazardous job, she can’t just sit around and do nothing. To get him back, Violet throws caution to the stars and sets out with a group of misfit friends on a quest to find him. But space is big and dangerous, and she soon discovers that her dad has been swallowed by a giant, planet-eating whale. With her father’s life on the line, nothing is going to stop Violet from trying to rescue him and keep her family together. Visionary graphic novel creator Craig Thompson brings all of his wit, warmth, and humor to create a brilliantly drawn story for all ages. Set in a distant yet familiar future, Space Dumplins weaves themes of family, friendship, and loyalty into a grand space adventure filled with quirky aliens, awesome spaceships, and sharp commentary on our environmentally challenged world.