I would like to start off with a video of the author talking about some of his favorites and his book
Here is his website which is quite cool and will leave you entertained for quite a while. I did not realize everything this man does. Check it out here
From School Library Journal
Grade 5–8—When James, aka Jimbo, and his friend Charlie overhear two of their teachers talking in a strange language, their curiosity is piqued. They investigate the home of one of them, an elderly woman, and discover a note written in the mysterious language and a collection of brass bracelets. Then Charlie goes missing, and Jimbo and his sister embark on a trip to Scotland’s Isle of Skye, where they discover that aliens are kidnapping science-fiction fans to repopulate their dying planet. Haddon explains in the foreword that this novel is a revision of his Gridzbi Spudvetch! (Walker, 1994, o.p.). Though this book targets a younger audience than the author’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (Doubleday, 2003), the narrative is much more British, which adds a slight comprehension barrier to an otherwise accessible story. Readers of the “My Teacher Is an Alien” series (S & S) will appreciate Bruce Coville’s influences. Adventure and quirky humor keep the pages turning, and readers will connect to Jimbo with little difficulty. If they can overcome some of the cultural differences, they will appreciate the simple and engaging tale.—Chris Shoemaker, New York Public Library
(c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc.
My Thoughts
I rather enjoyed this novel. I will tell you that the fact that it is geared for that middle school grade level is perfect. It is hard to find a book that caters to this level without being too far below them or too far above them where they need to be in high school. I found the book interesting as the plot line was way out there beyond the solar system. I felt compelled to keep reading to see where the author was going to send the reader next. I found certain parts quite humorous where one of my favorite lines is when one of the characters informs the humans that the word “moon” is used by them to refer to “passing wind out of the bottoms”. That wording just cracks me up. There were several one liners that had me chuckling. The weird language that some characters speak threw me off. I realize that they are not human so I understand the point of this, but I found it to be nuisance at times. This was a fast read for me. It is light on content, high on imagination and humor, and perfect for middle school. I think students who read this will quite enjoy it. I think I am to the point now in my reading that I need to get back into some heavy content again so I will sort through the 30 plus books that just came in for me at the library and read something gritty. In the meantime, check this book out. I am sure this will be a high prized book at our library.
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