Francie arrives in Roswell to be her friend’s maid of honor during a UFO festival. Are almond-eyed aliens kidnapping earthlings? The idea is ludicrous, until a tumbleweed-shaped creature hogties Francie with lightning-quick tentacles and forces her to drive into the arid landscape. The alien, nicknamed Indy, also snares others, including a hitchhiker and an Old West enthusiast with an RV. Francie and the hitchhiker bond while trying to figure out what Indy wants, and discover feelings for each other. I love audacious fiction, especially with a satirical edge: Indy learns to communicate by watching classic westerns, and other aliens are shaped like a yucca plant, a ball of twine, and a cabbage.
A delightful novel about alien invasions, conspiracies, and the incredibly silly things people are willing to believe—some of which may actually be true—from the Nebula and Hugo award-winning author of Blackout and All Clear
“An absolute blast with abundant humor, copious references to old westerns, and . . . a delightful, intergalactic twist on the romantic comedy.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
A WALL STREET JOURNAL BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR • LOCUS AWARD FINALIST
When level-headed Francie arrives in Roswell, New Mexico, for her college roommate’s UFO-themed wedding—complete with a true-believer bridegroom—she can’t help but roll her eyes at all the…
I loved this classic when I was a kid, so I had to share it with my granddaughter. She loved it, too. Elmer Elevator is a startlingly independent kid who listens to an alley cat. He learns of a baby dragon who is held captive by the animals of Wild Island. The cat knows exactly how Elmer should stow away to get to the island, and how to thwart the captors: hair ribbons, lollipops, rubber bands, magnifying glasses. I like that it’s both preposterous, and a triumph of kindness and ingenuity in the face of adversity. I adore the illustrations by the author’s stepmother. Two sequels feature anxious canaries, the dragon’s gorgeous family, and men who want to put them in zoos.
In “My Father's Dragon” a young boy runs away with an alley cat to a faraway Island to rescue a baby dragon. Armed with two dozen pink lollipops, rubber bands, chewing gum, and a fine-toothed comb, Elmer makes a successful journey and overcomes the fierce beasts on wild Island. The first of a three part series which includes Elmer and the Dragon and The Dragons of Blueland, it is both a Newbery Honor Book and an ALA Notable Book.
This graphic memoir takes a kid’s-eye view of sibling tussles, screw-ups, a family background of toil and loss, the pull of two identities, and 1970s pop culture. Pedro is dismayed to learn that his family will drive from California to Jalisco to persuade his long-widowed grandfather to move into their very crowded house. Martín mixes graphic styles and pops in irreverent explainers on subjects like Mexican food, music, and toys. Being shaken down by border guards, hanging out with cousins, reburying Abuelita, and dealing with an undead deer in a Winnebago, Pedro connects deeply with what his parents and grandfather have endured. In between poignant parts, I laughed myself silly.
An unforgettable graphic memoir about a Mexican American boy's family and their adventure-filled road trip to bring their abuelito back from Mexico to live with them that National Book Award Finalist Victoria Jamieson calls "one of those books that kids will pass to their friends as soon as they have finished it."
Pedro Martin has grown up hearing stories about his abuelito-his legendary crime-fighting, grandfather who was once a part of the Mexican Revolution! But that doesn't mean Pedro is excited at the news that Abuelito is coming to live with their family. After all, Pedro has 8 brothers and…
My sheep encounter a rocket in their meadow. While green sheep from space are out exploring, the earth sheep climb aboard and put the rocket into orbit. Oops! Since piloting a spacecraft is not in their skill set, it’s lucky that an alien sheep is still aboard. Somehow the accidental astronauts manage a space walk, but they’re not up to landing the craft. The alien sheep brings them in on autopilot. “Prepare for touchdown. Home at last! Rocket sheep have had a blast.”
