The Fourth World (Legend of the Locust, Book 1)

Buried deep below the Nevada desert, in a place often called Area 51, is a very special and ancient school where the best and brightest children come to learn the technology that will bring mankind to its next step of evolution -- a place amongst the stars. 'The Fourth World' follows four children through their entry into this school: 'Fintan Reilly' is a young, often bullied Irish boy who has a big destiny; Zach Adams, from Fresno, is his diametric opposite, and instant best friend; Ayako Katsuragi is a brilliant Japanese girl, a military brat who is as capable as she is smart and Nizhoni Benally is a Navajo from New Mexico, who is as tough as she is beautiful, and who somehow shares a secret past with Fintan. The book follows their first year in their new school, with an Alien as headmaster, and where they learn everything from Cosmic History through to how to fly a flying saucer, and comes to a shocking conclusion in a field trip to Mars where ancient secrets are uncovered.