- Stuck on Earth
The Lugonians' sun is about to go supernova, which means the planet's residents have to hightail it out of their current solar system before the whole place literally goes down a black hole. Setting their sights on Earth as a potential candidate for their next home, the alien race sends Ketchvar III, member of the Galactic Confederation and species evaluator extraordinaire, to scope out the blue and green planet and determine whether humans contribute anything of value to the intergalactic balance or if they should simply be annihilated to make way for the new residents. Unfortunately for Ketchvar, the mission requires him to view the world through the eyes of a fourteen-year-old boy, and the Confederation happens to randomly choose one of the most unlucky teenagers around: Tom Filber, a nerdy and generally disliked fellow with a dysfunctional family and a target on his back for bullies. While initially presented as a quirky take on the human race and all our silly idiosyncrasies, the story quickly takes on a more serious tone, especially as the reader realizes how depressing Tom's life really is: he's the product of an alcoholic father and an abusive mother, and his home life is no more accommodating than the violence and ridicule that await him at school. The narrative structure too becomes more complex, similar to Libba Bray's Going Bovine (BCCB 11/09), in that halfway through the book the reader becomes aware that Ketchvar may not be the most reliable narrator and may actually just be a figment of Tom's imagination; the revelation comes naturally enough to make the reader feel sympathy for Tom's plight. Insightful, funny, and a tad strange, this is a great read for any kid who has ever felt a bit alien.