Nova's Ark

Title: Nova's Ark
Author: David Kirk
Published: New York: Scholastic, 1999
Suitable for: (Age/Grade Level) 4-8 years, K-3
Length: 32pp.
Reading Level: 3, Interest Level 4-8 years
Genre: science fiction/humor
Plot:
Nova is a robot. He has a collection of wooden animals that have been passed down in his robot family for one thousand years. Nova dreams of flying in space like his father. His teacher says, "Exploration is in your wiring." Nova was looking at the controls of his dad's ship when he pulls the lever and takes off. He finally figures out how to control the ship. After four months he runs out of fuel and lands on a planet. He makes another robot dog to be a companion. Then he makes other animals that look like his collection of wooden animals. He even built a robot elephant to trumpet an S.O.S. Nova's dad comes to the rescue but his ship crashes. Nova's robot animals all offer a spare part to help rebuild his father. Nova gave his heart valve to his dad. Then they discover that the planet they have landed on is Zyte, and has crystals of unlimited energy. Nova and his dad come home as heros.
Characters:
Nova, the young robot explorer
Taspett, his father
Trumpet, the robot elephant
Use: Individual especially gifted readers
Discussion Questions:
Why did Nova take his fathers ship?
What was Novas most favorite possession?
What is Zyte and why is it important?
Do you think explorers have a lonely life? Why?
How did Nova save his father?
Related Activities:
The art in this book is made on a computer. Compare David Kirk's art to his brother's art in 'Hush Little Alien'.
Build some robot animals for your ark. You can use scrap materials.
Have a class discussion on where their parents work. Make a graph of how many have parents that travel a lot.
Related Works: Hush Little Alien
Censorship Issues: none

Worst Band In The Universe

Title: Worst Band In The Universe
Author: Graeme Base
Published: New York: Abrams, 1999
Suitable for: (Age/Grade Level) 4-8 years, K-3
Length: 32pp.
Reading Level: 3, Interest Level 4-8 years
Genre: science fiction/humor
Plot:
Sprocc, a space musician, wants to write his own music. The rule was everyone had to play the same song all the time. No one could change anything. Sprocc fights this tradition by entering the Worst Band in the Universe contest. The book has a CD of the author singing the song and playing the instruments.
Characters:
Sprocc a young Splingtwanger-player
Use: Individual especially gifted readers
Discussion Questions:
What planet does Sproc live on?
What was the only song he is allowed to play?
Related Activities:
Make your own instrument.
Make your own song.
Research music censorship.
Related Works: Hush Little Alien, Nova's Ark
Censorship Issues: none

The Robobots

Title: The Robobots
Author: Matt Novak
Published: New York: DK. Inc.
Suitable for: (Age/Grade Level) 4-8 years, K-3
Length: 32pp.
Reading Level: 2, Interest Level 4-8 years
Need Addressed: Differences
Genre: science fiction/humor
Plot:
The Robobots family is different than their neighbors. They are blue and talk to things such as mailboxes and fire hydrants. The people are a bit afraid of them. They would not hire D.A.D for a job or let M.O.M shop in the market. Widget and Toggel were not allowed in the school. Finally the neighbors came over to ask the Robobots to move. The Robobots showed them their flying furniture and their talking kitchen appliances. Soon the neighbors acted more friendly. The Robobots were happy even if they thought their neighbors were strange.
Characters:
M.O.M., the mother robot
D.A.D., the father robot
Widget, the boy robot
Toggel, the girl robot
Use: Large group discussions of how people discriminate, Individual.
Discussion Questions:
What is different about the Robobot family?
Why does D.A.D. think he can't get a job?
Why does M.O.M. think they won't let her in the market?
Why do Toggle and Widget think they can't go to school?
Why do the neighbors not like the Robobot family?
What changes the neighbors minds about the Robobot family?
Related Activities:
Draw an alien family and their house.
Make robots out of scrap paper, metal and other things.
How is your family different from your neighbors?
Related Works: Nova's Ark
Censorship Issues: none

Moon Dogs

Title: Moon Dogs
Author: Daniel Kirk
Published: New York: Putnam, 1999
Suitable for: (Age/Grade Level) 4-8 years, K-3
Length: 32pp.
Reading Level: 3, Interest Level 4-8 years
Need Addressed: Lonliness, Loyalty
Genre: science fiction/humor
Plot:
Willy Joe Jehosephat wants a pet, but not any pet -- a moon dog. He builds a space ship to fly to the moon. A starving Earth dog stows away on the ship. Willy feeds the dog because it is so thin. When the Man on the Moon grabs Willy, Scrappy bites him. The moon dogs tell Willy that he already has the perfect dog.
Characters:
Willy Joe Jehosephat
Scrappy, the dog
Use: Individual
Discussion Questions:
Why should Willy have a dog?
Does Dad beleive in moon dogs? How do you know?
What does Willy do with the dog that ate his food?
Which moon dog in the picture would you want? Why did you pick it?
What did the man on the moon say he would do with Willy?
How did Scrappy save Willy?
Related Activities:
Draw a picture of a moon dog.
Draw a picture of the man on the moon.
What creatures live on the moon. Check other cultures' stories about the moon.
Related Works: Hush Little Alien
Censorship Issues: none

I Lost My Grandfather's Brain

Title: I Lost My Grandfather's Brain
Author: Bruce Coville
Published: Pocket, 1999
Suitable for: (Age/Grade Level) ?
Length: 164pp.
Reading Level: Interest Level grades
Genre: science fiction
Plot:
Plesket is going to sixth grade in Syracuse, New York. He is the son of the alien ambassador from Hevi Hevi. His best friend Tim appears to be talking to the tabloid press about him. Does Tim only like Plesket because he can sell stories about him? As if things could not get any worse, Plesket takes his grandfathers brain to school and loses it. Yes grandfather is dead of body but his brain can still communicate with his grandson and others.
Characters:
Plesket, an alien boy with purple skin and a knob on the top of his head.
Tim, the best friend of Plesket. He is what many would call a nerd or geek.
McNally, the human body guard of Plesket.
Linnsey, the female friend of Tim and Plesket.
Discussion Questions:
Normally McNally hates the coffee that Shhh-foop (sic) makes but he makes an exception in this story. Why?
Why does Pleskit bring grandfather to school?
What were some of the bad stories in the National Scoop?
Why did Plesket think that Tim was talking to the National Scoop about him?
How is Jordan able to charm Plesket and others?
Why is McNally angry with Jordan?
Who are the two new kids in class? What are they like?
What advice does Linnsey give Tim on page 78-9?
What did Briana do to Tim?
Related Activities:
The following quote describes Hevi Hevian education:

"Well there you go. In a culture that truely values children, it would not be tolerable for one school to be inferior to another. All schools would receive an equal share of resources and be required to meet equally high standards." p31

Why does it not describe schools in America? Do some research and ask your parents about the differences in schools.
What are tabloids? What type of stories do they write? How do they get their facts?
Do some research. Find out about people that have sued tabloids for telling false stories. Carol Burnett was one who sued because she was accused of being an alcoholic.
What are the differences between the way Americans treat their elderly and the Hevi Hevi treat their elderly? What are the similarities?
Should children of famous people such as the sons of Princess Diana be sheltered by the Press?
Write a story for the National Scoop on Plesket's eating habits. (page 71)
Related Works: My Teacher is an Alien
Censorship Issues: The reproduction of aliens by, in this case, eggs is handled very tastefully, but some may not want to use this as a topic of discussion.

My Teacher is an Alien

Title: My Teacher is an Alien
Author: Bruce Coville
Plot:
Peter and Susan are in Ms. Schwartz's sixth grade class. Ms. Schwartz is the coolest teacher in the world because she reads good books in class -- not dumb textbooks and has a play every year. One day, a male substitute teacher take over the class. He makes everyone read the textbooks and puts lots of red marks on their papers. Susan follows him home one day and hears a funny noise. She sneaks into Mr. Smith's house and discovers Mr. Smith peeling off his face. She over hears Mr. Smith talking to the mirror about a plan to kidnap school children to take them back to his planet for study. Later, she and Peter (class genius) go back to Mr. Smith's house and discover Ms. Schwartz is a stasis field. Mr.Smith / Broxholm is planning to take back with him five "average" kids. When the students in the class hear this -- no one wants to act "average". Finally the band concert gives Susan a chance to unmask Broxholm. Peter helps prevent Broxholm from being captured and agrees to leave with the alien to go to the stars.
Discussion Questions:
What is the difference between "book smarts" and "life smarts"? Which characters have which?
On page 11, Susan describes Ms. Schwartz's method of teaching reading. Who's method do YOU prefer -- Ms. Schwartz or Mr. Smith?
Why doesn't Susan like the way Mr. Smith checks papers?
Who would you tell if you thought your teacher was an alien? Why did you choose this person?
Why do all the adults trust Mr. Smith?
Susan's mother says, "Oh Edward...you seem to think that you can treat Susan the same way as you would a boy." Do parents treat boys and girls differently? Give examples.
How did Susan and Peter prove Mr. Smith was an alien?
What did the principal think happened to Ms. Schwartz?
What makes an AVERAGE student? If you knew that an AVERAGE child would be taken to outer space by aliens -- what would you do to make sure that you would NOT be chosen? Or what would you do if you wanted to be chosen?

My Teacher Flunked the Planet

Title: My Teacher Flunked the Planet
Author: Bruce Coville
Plot:
The Earth Question is going to be decided. Plan A calls for Earth to be left alone. Plan B calls for the aliens to take over the Earth and stop wars, disease and poverty BUT control Earth. Plan C calls for Earth to be restricted to the solar system by sabotaging scientific advancement. Plan D calls for the destruction of Earth. Peter, Susan, Duncan, Broxholm, and Kreblim (the home economics teacher) agreed to do the report. They have to be fair because BIG JULIE is watching. They pretend that Susan won a home economics scholarship and that Kreblim will travel with her. They visit a forest dying of acid rain, a chemical spill in Russia, war in Asia, and starving people in Africa. "Last year fourteen million children died because we chose to spend our money elsewhere." They also go to a children's shelter for runaways where they meet Ms. Schwartz and Peter's dad. They are in disguise so are not recognized. They begin to understand how Peter's dad has trouble showing love for his son. They also learn that Hoo-Lan has used Earth's television programing to slow down scientific advancement. Television watching makes us STUPID! They also discover that all humans are connected mentally but we block it. Peter asks the council to send teachers to Earth to train humans so we are ready to take our place with the more advanced alien races.
Discussion Questions:
How did Susan talk her parents into letting her travel with the aliens?
Describe BIG JULIE. What does he look like and what does he eat?
Why did aliens choose children to explain the "human heart" rather than adults?
Why did Kreblin say "It's as if there is some secret rage driving you to destroy things around you."
Why was Duncan the only one that could answer the door when the police came?
Why did Hoo-Lan take Peter to the Tisha Halmton Home for Wayward Youth?
How did Peter prevent the aliens from using Plan D?
Related Activities:
Research famous people that were or are known for their intelligence.
If you were Mr. Smith / Broxholm, who would you pick from your class to study and why? (Pick only POSITIVE traits about your fellow students)
Research the circle of child abuse. How has Duncan's treatment by his father affected the way he treats other children?
Peter says "I'll bet you this very minute, even while you are reading these words, some kid who's bright enough to cure cancer when he or she grows up is being hassled for being an egghead." Is Peter correct? Give examples.
Television is called the "vast wasteland." Do you think television affects how you learn and behave? What do experts think?
Research the problem of hunger in America?
Is teaching the world's most important job? Why are teachers in America treated with so little respect?

Lizard Music

Title: Lizard Music
Author: D. Manus Pinkwater
Published: Dodd Mead, 1976?
Suitable for: (Age/Grade Level) grade 5-8
Length: 157pp.
Reading Level: 6, Interest Level grades 6-12
Need Addressed: Humor, Being different
Genre: science fiction
Plot:
Victor's parents go away for two weeks and his older sister takes off with her boyfriend. Victor manages to take care of himself. He does notice a number of "Lizard incidents" and discovers that there is an invisible island with a colony of intelligent lizards living in the lake nearby.
Characters:
Victor - a boy who many would call a geek or nerd. His hero is Walter Chronkite, the television news anchor.
Chicken Man - a strange black man that has a pet chicken under his hat. He has a number of other names as well.
Use: Individual, but could make an interesting large group discussion. I find it a fun book to read out loud which is not surprising since Pinkwater often speaks on public radio.
Discussion Questions:
What references are there in this story to Chicago? What is Hambergerville's real name? What is the real name of the Hogsboro Zoo? What is the real name of Lake Mishaboo?
What did Victor do to keep his parents from worrying about him being alone? What places did Victor see lizards?
How does Victor describe game shows? Are game shows of the seventies the same as game shows of today?
What are some other names for the Chicken Man?
How did Victor get to Lizard Island?
What was unusual about Claudia?
Note: D. Manus Pinkwater and Daniel M. Pinkwater are the same person. He changes which version of his name he uses for his childrens books because he knows it drives librarians crazy.
Related Works: The Snarkout Boys and the Avocado of Death
Censorship Issues: Some may be upset by Victor trying to smoke a cigarette. Others may be upset by the word "boobs" as a portion of female anatomy.

My Teacher Fried My Brains

Title: My Teacher Fried My Brains
Author: Bruce Coville
Plot:
The story is told from the class bully's perspective. Duncan is having a terrible first day in junior high. He has a fight with his brother, his father hits him in the head, he gets lost looking for his classroom, Susan saves him from being hit by a bully; Mr. Black makes him stand out in the hall for being late and talking. Duncan is bored so he pulls the fire alarm. He realizes too late that the purple ink will give him away so he hides in the dumpster where he finds a glove made of very human-like skin. Duncan realizes that there must be another alien pretending to be a teacher. His science teacher uses a machine that generates electricity. Duncan volunteers to be a subject and finds an unexpected benefit -- the machine has stimulated his brain and made him smarter. He even begins to enjoy reading books! He sneaks into the school to give himself additional treatments. However it turns out to be the sympathetic home economics teacher that is the alien and she needs Duncan's brain as a communication device. As a human radio, Duncan can communicate with Peter on the alien ship. Duncan, Susan, Peter, Broxholm, decide to work on saving the Earth from the aliens that want to destroy it. These aliens that dislike humans are upset over the humans being so war-like and harming the environment.
Discussion Questions:
Why was Duncan so mean to everyone?
What was Duncan's horrible, terrible, no good, very bad first day at junior high like?
How do poots reproduce themselves?
Why did Duncan suspect the science teacher was an alien?
How did the "brain fry" change Duncan?
Why did Mr. Thomson think Duncan was Peter's best friend?
Where did Mr. Thomson think Peter was? Where was Peter really?
Describe Kreblim. What did she look like without her mask?
Why should Duncan have guessed it was the home economics teacher as the alien -- not the science teacher.
Why are aliens so interested in the human brain?
Describe Duncan's parents. Why did Duncan say his life was not like "Leave it to Beaver"?
Why did Duncan talk to the reporter?
Why did Kreblim need Duncan's brain? Why did she choose Duncan over other kids in the school?
Who is going to make a report on the Earth Question? Do you think this team will make a fair report?

Tiger in the Sky

Title: Tiger in the Sky
Author: Shelia Finch
Published: Avon, 1999
Suitable for: (Age/Grade Level) 7-12
Length: 246pp.
Reading Level: 7, Interest Level grades 7-12
Genre: science fiction
Plot:
The future life is too soft. Aliens have given humans the technology to travel the stars in an instant, but only the young can survive the travel. So people of the future borrow spunky kids from the past to help with problems dealing with alien cultures by Yanking them. The Yanked kids are needed to go to Oort One where cute fuzzy alien animals are breeding quickly. When several of these animals get together, electrical equipment starts to go haywire. These "tribble-like" pests are big problems even if they are sort of cute.
Characters:
Nan (real name Shenandoah) is a mixture of Chinese and Native American. She knows martial arts and loves animals. She is taken accidentally when Jerry is sally-ported.
Jerry is a nerd type. He had surgery when he was a young child and his mother over protects him.
Will is a cabin boy from Francis Drake's ship, the Golden Hind in the year 1579.
Discussion Questions:
Why are the people of the future so soft?
How was Jerry Yanked? What lured him?
What ideas did the Yanked kids think of to get rid of the pests?
What animal does Nan ask to be brought to Oort One?
What extinct animal is later brought to Oort One?
Why was Nan taken with Jerry? What did the people of the future tell her about her future?
What did we learn about Will's role on the Golden Hind?
What does Jerry suggest the people of the future do about Will?
Related Activities:
Build a replica of the Golden Hind.
Write a diary that Will might have written on the ship.
Describe a zoo of the future and what extinct animals you might have in it.
It is hinted that Jerry will be a hero in the future. Make the front page of a newspaper with a story about Jerry doing something very heroic.
Related Works: Yanked!, Jurassic Park
Censorship Issues: none

Yanked!

Title: Yanked!
Author: Nancy Kress
Published: Avon, 1999
Suitable for: (Age/Grade Level) 7-12
Length: 246pp.
Reading Level: 7, Interest Level grades 7-12
Need Addressed: Heroism, Responsibility
Genre: science fiction
Plot:
The future life is too soft. The Gift Givers, space traveling-aliens, have given humans the technology to travel the stars in an instant, but only the young can survive the travel. So people of the future borrow spunky kids from the past by Yanking them to help with problems dealing with alien cultures. There are nine steps for a society to reach the technology and thought processes of the Gift Givers. Step one is colonizing their own solar system and that is done. Step two seems to be understanding how to use the gifts the aliens have given them. It is time for step three. A human has figured it out but is killed by the Pannurish before he can pass on his wisdom. Five kids with "grit" are sent to rescue the children of a spaceship and find this missing peice of wisdom.
Characters:
Jason Ramsey is a gifted black athlete but he doesn't have a lot of drive. His coach is on his case about missing practices.
Sharon, a girl who is growing up way too fast because she has to be the mother for her baby neice Tara.
Jofrid, an Icelanic girl from the year 987 who speaks her own mind and has a way with plant medicine.
Robbie, a pickpocket from London of 1810, who likes to gamble.
Sor Spo Gillen, a "perfect" boy from 2337.
Discussion Questions:
What did Robbie take with him that he was told not to?
What did Sharon take with her that she was told not to?
What did Jofrid keep in her pockets?
How does Jason build the Yanked kids into a team?
How are the Yanked kids able to understand each other?
What happens to an adult that uses a sally port?
What does Sharon use on the robot to stop him from using a weapon?
How does Robbie get the information from the Pannurish?
How did the dying captain leave a message for the people of Earth?
Why did Sor want to kill Robbie? Who was hurt?
Related Activities:
Research Iceland of about the time of Lief Erickson. Jofrid is not a typical girl of that time period.
Compare the pickpockets of Oliver Twist to Robbie.
Write a paper on ways Sharon could earn enough money to take care of Tara.
Jason used football to build the kids into a team. Research and discuss how businesses build team spirit.
Related Works: Oliver Twist, Tiger in the Sky, The Game of Worlds
Censorship Issues: Sharon's mother uses some mild bad language. Sor is provoked to violence over Robbie's "selling" of baby Tara.

The Game of Worlds

Title: The Game of Worlds
Author: Roger MacBride Allen
Published: Avon, 1999
Suitable for: (Age/Grade Level) 7-12
Length: 246pp.
Reading Level: 7, Interest Level grades 7-12
Need Addressed: Heroism, Responsibility
Genre: science fiction
Plot:
The future life is too soft. Aliens have given humans the technology to travel the stars in an instant, but only the young can survive the travel. So people of the future borrow spunky kids from the past to help with problems dealing with alien cultures. In the year 2345, Adam from North Carolina in 1999 AD; and Aaron, a Jew from Nazi Germany in 1938; and Roberto, a slave from Brazil in 1883 have skills needed to help those in the future deal with the Devlin, a hostile culture.
Characters:
Adam is a boy from a working class family who is a troublemaker. He has put a cherry bomb in a teachers car and is asked to confess his guilt.
Aaron is a Jew who was Yanked (the term for being brought to the future) a few days after Kristallnacht. He is being chased by a group of German boys.
Roberto is a slave that will be beaten because he wishes to bathe in the sea. He lives in filth and depravity. He longs to run away but is afraid of what retaliation will be done to his family.
Discussion Questions:
What choice did the principal give Adam?
Why did Adam run away from being Yanked and Aaron and Roberto welcome it?
Why did the people of the future need those with "grit?"
Do modern conveniences make us weak?
Why was Roanoke a good name for the crash site?
Who is Least?
What is a Broca Amplifier and why is it needed in the story?
There is an old saying, "It takes one to know one," How does this apply to Adam's suggestions in the negotiations with the Devlin?
What were the Devlin doing with the survivors of the Roanoke crash?
What laws apply to embassies? Do the aliens on Negotiations Island have the same laws as on Earth?
Related Works: Yanked!, Tiger in the Sky
Censorship Issues: none