Alien Encounter

April 14, 2014
In this big-hearted, fast-paced, and deadpan first book in the Sasquatch and Aliens series, Harper (the Just Grace books) introduces a pair of nine-year-old boys who are propelled into an adventure that may or may not involve otherworldly creatures. Anxiety-prone Morgan first meets new kid Lewis as Lewis is hanging from a tree by his underwear. After Morgan reluctantly rescues Lewis (whose family just bought a creepy motel), a tentative friendship is born. When the boys return to the scene of the "killer wedgie" for an "underpants picnic," they are terrified by a slimy alien life form. Harper introduces a crackling cast that includes parents, siblings, and a next-door neighbor who provides a possible explanation for the unexplained phenomena. Harper's journal-like blending of short chapters with humorous titles, comedic drawings, and lists succeeds to great effect, especially Morgan's penchant for creating acrostic poems in response to uncertain situations (an acrostic for "motel" begins "Murders could have happened here"). There's no tidy resolution, leaving room for discovery in the teased sequel. Ages 7â10. Agent: Amy Rennert, Amy Rennert Agency.

February 1, 2014
In this stretched-out series opener, two lads do little more than hang out for chapter after chapter between encounters with (putatively) an almond-eyed alien and a sasquatch while the author hints at hidden doings. Morgan first meets manic new buddy Lewis when the latter is snagged on a high tree branch by his underwear ("That's a killer wedgie"). The 9-year-old narrator continues in a mix of chatty prose, comical line drawings, lists and acrostics to introduce his (seemingly) typical family and small town. Highlights are provided first by a terrifying brush with an (apparent) extraterrestrial and then a later glimpse of a big, furry figure. In between the sightings, Morgan joins Lewis, who has just moved with his (supposed) parents into a fixer-upper motel down the road, in chewing over their experiences and poking mild fun at the foibles of their older and younger sibs. Meanwhile, Harper folds in such oddball discoveries as the motel's stolen road sign buried deep in the woods and a secretive neighbor's surprisingly elaborate underground workshop. Clues or red herrings? Only future episodes will tell. Lots of tantalizing setup plus not quite enough plot fails to equal a story that stands on its own. (Fiction. 8-11)

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March 1, 2014

Gr 3-6-With an authentic, zany splash of fourth-grade humor, perspective, and imagination, this inaugural series title targets boys and will captivate elementary readers. Nine-year-old Morgan rescues newcomer, Lewis, who is stuck on a high tree branch with a wedgie. The boys become friends after their underpants escapade, and Lewis introduces Morgan to his family, the old motel his parents are renovating, and an unusual clubhouse. On a picnic in the Pacific Northwest woods, the boys encounter an alien who rummages through their food and then runs away. Terrified, they share the news with the local police and newspaper. Next, a letter arrives from Morgan's aloof next-door neighbor Mr. Lee, who reveals to the boys his secret underground movie costume workshop and the alien robot they saw. To help keep Mr. Lee's work secret, the boys recant their alien sighting and generate a new Sasquatch story of their own. Morgan's lively, energetic narrative is sprinkled with amusing cartoon drawings and spontaneous acrostic poems that highlight and explain his observations, insights, and understanding of people and events. Readability is further enhanced by frequent chapter/topic headings that break the text into short segments. Like Grace in Harper's popular "Just Grace" series (Houghton Harcourt), Morgan is a spunky, verbal, resourceful protagonist whose nonstop adventures resonate with self-discovery, family relationships, friendships, and creative problem-solving.-Gerry Larson, formerly at Durham School of the Arts, NC

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2014
Grades 2-4 Nine-year-old Morgan needs the perfect stick for a slingshot, just in case a bear reappears. Rather than finding the stick, Morgan finds a new boy, Lewis, stranded in a tree, hanging by his underwear. The boys begin a friendship that serves as a respite from their siblings. One day while sitting in that same tree, they believe they see an alien. They draw it and show their pictures to Lewis' dad, who arranges an interview for them with the local paper. Of course they begin to get calls, mostly prank, except for one from a zealous Sasquatch researcher. Now as the boys hurriedly modify their story, they uncover the mystery of the bear and learn some secrets at the same time. Young fans of the Magic Tree House mysteries will warm to Morgan and Lewisespecially Morgan's acrostics and squiggly drawings strewn aboutand eagerly await the next installment of their antics.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)