Way Off Base

The Area 51 Files #4

by Julie Buxbaum, Lavanya Naidu (illustrator)

Is Area 51’s cover blown?! Sky and her otherworldly friends scramble to protect its secrets when a UFO goes missing in the fourth installment of this laugh-out-loud, Edgar Award-nominated series for young readers.

For the first time since Sky got to Area 51, things seem to be under control. No bunker hideouts. No incoming space toilets. No kidnappings of beloved relatives. In fact, everyone is in a celebratory mood because a special government visitor is coming to Area 51!

But on the morning of the visit, a UFO goes missing from the science lab. And then a mysterious whistleblower goes to the media saying they have evidence of a UFO landing! Did someone steal the UFO in order to reveal it to the whole wide world? Sky and her friends have less than a week to solve the mystery of the missing UFO, or all of Area 51’s secrets will be at risk. Guess things aren’t so calm after all!

251 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 8, 2025

About the author

Julie Buxbaum is the New York Times best selling author of Tell Me Three Things, her young adult debut, What to Say Next, Hope and Other Punchlines, and Admission (pubs 5/5/20). She’s also the author of two critically acclaimed novels for adults: The Opposite of Love and After You. Her work has been translated into twenty-five languages. Julie’s writing has appeared in various publications, including The New York Times. She is a former lawyer and graduate of Harvard Law School and lives in Los Angeles with her husband, two children, and more books than is reasonable. Visit Julie online at www.juliebuxbaum.com and follow @juliebux on Twitter.

Reviews

[Linda (The Arizona Bookstagrammer) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you RHCBInfluencers @randomhousekids and Julie Buxbaum @juliebuxbaum for this free book!
“Way Off Base” (The Area 51 Files #4) by Julie Buxbaum. Illustrator: Lavanya Naidu ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Genre: Middle Grade Paranormal Mystery. Location: Area 51.

THE SERIES: Sky Patel-Baum and pizza-obsessed pet hedgehog Spike are sent to live with Uncle Anish in Area 51, secret military base with rules so classified not even the President knows them. Also, it’s full of lots and lots of aliens. Sky, Spike, Elvis (from planet Galzoria) and his fluffy pup Pickles have mysteries to solve in their mysterious home. (And why does the macaroni and cheese at Area 51 Middle School have eyeballs in it?)

THIS BOOK: For the first time since Sky got to Area 51, things seem under control. No bunker hideouts. No incoming space toilets. No kidnappings of relatives. A special government visitor is coming, and a UFO is missing from the science lab. Then a mysterious whistleblower tells the media they have proof of a UFO landing! Sky and friends must solve the mystery of the missing UFO, or all of Area 51’s secrets will be at risk.

Author Buxbaum has written a laugh-out-loud series full of action, adventure, and mysteries. Her characters include fantastic, funny extraterrestrials, clever friends-and a snarky little hedgehog. Illustrator Naidu’s charming black and white cartoon-style art supports the writing. Buxbaum’s series is a mashup of a chapter book and a graphic novel. It’s friend-filled, witty, touching, and it’s 5 stars from me 📚👩🏼‍🦳#thearea51files #juliebuxbaum #wayoffbase

[Jaida ✨Obsessed with classics✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

₊✩°｡⋆˚⁺₊✩°｡⋆˚⁺₊✩°｡⋆˚⁺₊✩°｡⋆˚⁺₊✩°｡⋆˚⁺

This one was my least favorite from the series. Chonky Spike was a really strange edition and some of the other new characters were also unnecessary and strange. Gertie and Zane kept flirting and I really didn't like it because they are twelve years old. And there was an insane amount of fart jokes that I didn't find funny in the slightest. I did like the other puns though.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sky ~ she was alright as always.

Elvis ~ I still really liked him.

Mini Elvis ~ he was adorable and so smart.

Zane ~ I don't know what to say about him tbh.

Gertie ~ she was annoying.

Uncle Anish ~ he was alright.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁
👽 IᒪᒪᑌՏTᖇᗩTIOᑎՏ
👽 ՏᑕI-ᖴI
👽 ᗰIᗪᗪᒪᗴ ᘜᖇᗩᗪᗴ
👽 ᖴᖇIᗴᑎᗪՏᕼIᑭ
👽 ᗴᗩՏY TO ᖇᗴᗩᗪ

𝗤𝘂𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀
~~~~~~~

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁
~~~~~~~
❤️‍🔥𝗥𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲| flirting and blushing

🤬𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲| none. I don't think so anyway.

🗡️𝗩𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲| none really.

🏳️‍🌈𝗟𝗚𝗕𝗧𝗤| none.

✝️ 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻/𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆| none.

🍷 𝗔𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗵𝗼𝗹/𝗗𝗿𝘂𝗴𝘀| none

⚠️𝗢𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿| human body parts are stored for recycling, shark attack (past), blood

[Kelly {SpaceOnTheBookcase] · Rating 5 out of 5]

Julie Buxbaum is back for the fourth installment of The Area 51 Files series with Way Off Base. Sky is enjoying Area 51 for the first time since she arrived; nothing is going wrong, everything is calm and all seems well. Until a whistleblower threatens to expose Area 51 to the public and the UFO from the space lab goes missing. How long does Sky and her friends have to solve the case? Only a week!

A chapter book with lots of illustrations, I really love the ease in which Julie Buxbaum writes these stories so they can be consumed easily by middle grade readers while still providing substance and valuable lessons. This has become one of my favorite middle grade series!

Thank you Random House Kids for the gifted copy.

[BookLoverScar · Rating 4 out of 5]

All I can say is. I HOPE THERE IS A FIFTH ONE!!!!!! AND 6th and so on!!!

[Amanda Lam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book is really mysterious so if you like mysteries then this is the book for you.

[Layne · Rating 5 out of 5]

a really funny book where our favorite characters are at it again