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Alien Next Door #1
The New Kid
Zeke's just trying to fit in, but classmate Harris is onto him! Will Harris discover that Zeke is truly out of this world?-Read Book 1 in the bestselling Alien Next Door series.
Zeke the alien is on his way to his first day of school, feeling down because he has to start over again on a new planet, as his scientist parents constantly move to wherever their research takes them. When he gets to school, no one seems to notice anything strange or different about him except Harris, a kid obsessed with science fiction and aliens. Harris sees Zeke doing extraordinary things but can't convince anyone, least of all his best friend, Roxy, that Zeke might be an alien. Roxy just thinks Harris is jealous that she's becoming friends with Zeke. But when Roxy invites Zeke over to Harris's house, will Harris find a way to prove that he's right?
Zeke the alien is on his way to his first day of school, feeling down because he has to start over again on a new planet, as his scientist parents constantly move to wherever their research takes them. When he gets to school, no one seems to notice anything strange or different about him except Harris, a kid obsessed with science fiction and aliens. Harris sees Zeke doing extraordinary things but can't convince anyone, least of all his best friend, Roxy, that Zeke might be an alien. Roxy just thinks Harris is jealous that she's becoming friends with Zeke. But when Roxy invites Zeke over to Harris's house, will Harris find a way to prove that he's right?
112 pages, Paperback
First published March 6, 2018
53 people are currently reading
269 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
July 12, 2019
My thanks to little bee books for an ARC of this book. It was published awhile ago, but I misplaced it and just read it now.
Cute book about the new kid in school really being an alien from another planet and his next door neighbor and fellow elementary school student suspecting he isn’t what he appears to be.
Considering the world situation now, with stories of refugees and “aliens”, this otherwise innocent storyline really hit home. I think the overarching “moral” was that even if the new kid isn’t quite like you, he’s still a kid, with thoughts and feelings. The need and want to have friends and a place to belong.
There is suspicion, but there is welcome and acceptance too, which is important. Without the almost prescient storyline, three stars. With the timeliness of it? 4 stars.
Good for age range of 6-8, depending on the reader’s level. Some pictures every page or so, but several sentences to a short paragraph as well. Easy to follow and enjoyable. Recommended.
Cute book about the new kid in school really being an alien from another planet and his next door neighbor and fellow elementary school student suspecting he isn’t what he appears to be.
Considering the world situation now, with stories of refugees and “aliens”, this otherwise innocent storyline really hit home. I think the overarching “moral” was that even if the new kid isn’t quite like you, he’s still a kid, with thoughts and feelings. The need and want to have friends and a place to belong.
There is suspicion, but there is welcome and acceptance too, which is important. Without the almost prescient storyline, three stars. With the timeliness of it? 4 stars.
Good for age range of 6-8, depending on the reader’s level. Some pictures every page or so, but several sentences to a short paragraph as well. Easy to follow and enjoyable. Recommended.
February 16, 2023
I think we may have found a new favorite series! This was so cute! This is about a little boy named Zeke who comes to Earth with his alien parents who are sent on assignment to research humans. H goes to school and we get his perspective as well as another little boy, Harris's, perspective. It's a great story about fitting in and also accepting people who are different than you. We're excited to keep reading!
January 7, 2024
I really enjoyed this book! it is a great example of including people even if they are different. Harris treats Zeke like there is something bad about him ,because he thinks Zeke is alien but Zeke is just trying to fit in, I highly recommend this book! 😃
October 11, 2020
I'm working a lot with grade 3 this year, and I'm reading as much as I can of series that fit them as readers in that in-between stage. This one is hilarious and interesting in that a new kid moves in and seems different. Really different. Like, from another planet different. As the reader, we know he is from another planet (his parents are researchers who go from planet to planet studying people), and his new friend is convinced he is an alien but cannot convince anyone else. It's cute and funny and sweet, and I predict it will be a big hit.
April 4, 2022
I like this book. It is like a younger version of the twilight zone .
June 4, 2022
Definitely a cute book about making friends and learning that just because people are different it doesn't make them weird or mean.
June 22, 2022
Fun little book I read with my 6 year old. Might be a series we have to get
August 30, 2024
4.5 ⭐️
¡Qué mono! No pasó mucho en este libro, ¡pero estoy ansiosa por leer el próximo!
¡Qué mono! No pasó mucho en este libro, ¡pero estoy ansiosa por leer el próximo!
October 11, 2019
I really like this book! It was super quirky and strange but very creative and fun. I think it will make a great series for those starting off chapter books. There are plenty of fun black and white illustrations to break up the text and the text itself is large and has a good amount of challenging and fun vocab words without being overwhelming.
November 30, 2024
Very cute series I started with my 7 year old. He's looking forward to the rest of the books!
August 24, 2019
This book actually made me angry. First, nothing really happens. A kid moves to a school from another planet and his next door neighbor thinks he’s an alien. That’s it.
Worse, the alien’s parents tell him not to let anyone know he’s an alien AND YET he brings alien food to school and uses his alien powers in plain view of everyone. Come on. You mean to tell me your parents are super researchers and you’ve figured out you have to wear clothes but you didn’t figure out that Earthlings don’t eat purple string balls or move soccer balls around with their minds?
Worse, the alien’s parents tell him not to let anyone know he’s an alien AND YET he brings alien food to school and uses his alien powers in plain view of everyone. Come on. You mean to tell me your parents are super researchers and you’ve figured out you have to wear clothes but you didn’t figure out that Earthlings don’t eat purple string balls or move soccer balls around with their minds?
April 19, 2023
The New Kid (The Alien Next Door) is a fun scientific children's novel. The book is written from 2 perspectives. The first boy is Harrison, a human from earth, and Zeke, and alien who is trying to fit in on earth. Zeke just arrived to earth, as his parents are researchers who travel to different planets to gather data. When they arrive to earth, Zeke has his first day of school. When harrison notices the new kid doing strange things, he starts to suspect that something is off about Zeke. Harrison watches Zeke to prove his theory that Zeke is an Alien. On the other hand, Zeke is still trying to get used to life on earth as a human. His parents told him that he must act like a human and no one can find out that he is an alien. Zeke has to get used to human food, human clothes, and not using his powers. Although Zeke is not allowed to use his powers he does it anyway when he thinks no one is looking. After Harrison keeps seeing Zeke do strange things, he tries to tell his best friend Roxy, but she doesn't believe him and thinks that Harrison is just jealous of Zeke. Harrison invites Zeke and Roxy over to his house. Harrison believes this will be the perfect time to find out if his theory is true. This is a fun and cute book, and is an easy read. I would suggest this book to 2nd-3rd grade. The story has short and simple sentences, and has pictures on every couple of pages. The illustrations are fun, and help young readers follow along with the story.
July 25, 2019
Not my favorite, as it didn’t seem like anything really happened. I didn’t realize the whole series was going to be Harris trying to prove that Zeke is an alien. Good for diversity and encouraging acceptance. I would still recommend to sci-fi living kids. There’s nothing wrong with it, I’ve just read better.
January 2, 2023
This was an sweet little book with adorable illustrations. I do, however, think it lacked depth. I also do not like how so much of the book was the characters' thoughts. It was a little difficult for my 6 year old year (whom I was reading it to) to realize when the characters were speaking aloud vs dialogue that was only said in the mind of the characters. My only other complaint was the lacking of depth. I wish the alien, Zeke, had a little more backstory with maybe a pronunciation guide in front of or at the end of the book to make sure that I pronounce Zeke's planet and such correctly.
April 28, 2024
Has very cute illustrations on every page and fairly large print, but is fairly long with with 96pages. The story idea is fun, diverse characters, supportive friends and parents encouraging inclusiveness. Nothing really happens though besides Zeke starting school and meeting 2 friends. It's seems just half a story. Also, Zeke's parents want him to keep it secret, but Zeke constantly talks about his hometown, otherworldly games, shows off alien superpowers and eats alien food, although only one person seems to notice that.
March 13, 2023
I like this book. I recommend it. I liked everything but I don’t want to read the next book.
January 18, 2024
My son’s review: This story was interesting and cool because was Zeke an alien or not. The art work between the chapters kept me reading on.
January 30, 2024
My daughter and I enjoyed this book. Interesting concept about an alien kid visiting Earth with his researcher parents. Four stellar stars!
March 16, 2022
The Alien Next Door is actually not one book, but (to date) eight books that I picked up as a boxed set at Costco last weekend. (The set also included a children's activity book, with pictures to color, writing prompts, etc.) Their titles are The New Kid; Aliens for Dinner?!; Alien Scout; Trick or Cheat?; Baseball Blues; The Mystery Valentine; Up, Up, and Away; and A New Planet.
While each book stands somewhat on its own on the scale of an elementary-level chapter book, the whole series also works together as a continuous story with each individual book as a kind of chapter in it. My father, who got to it before me, read all eight books in one sitting, and was the first to complain that the last one ends abruptly without really resolving the storyline. Actually, his exact words were, "It just goes pbpbpbpbt." I myself managed it in two settings, but they went quickly in terms of total time. I'm glad to report that according to Fantastic Fiction, a ninth book titled The Marvelous Museum is supposed to come out in October 2022. So, I guess this series isn't over yet.
As for the eight books so far, most of them came out in quick succession in 2018 and 2019 and have charming illustrations, featuring an apparently American (or maybe Canadian?) boy named Harris who begins to suspect that the awkward, lonely new kid next door may actually be an alien from outer space. The more sure of this he becomes, the more his family and his best friend, Roxy, think he's just being mean because Zeke is different. But Harris is right; and after the first couple of books, he and Zeke become friends and Harris begins to share in his secret. Harris and Roxy help Zeke learn about such strange human customs as scouting campouts, trick-or-treating, baseball and Valentines.
Then Zeke finds out his parents, Xad and Quar, have finished their research on Earth and they have to move back to the planet Tragas. At first, Harris and Zeke look for a way to delay their departure. In the last book (so far), Harris reveals Zeke's secret to Roxy, and the two of them stow away on the ship and get to experience the "new kid" phenomenon from the other side, disguised as aliens on a strange new world.
Written at an elementary level, the books are simple and light but they also carry themes, such as being kind to people who are different from you, not cheating or taking shortcuts. They look at American(?) cultural customs in a humorous light, with charm, goofy humor and an occasional flash of wit. The weirdness of Tragas and its cultural customs comes in for some imaginative treatment, too, modeling Harris and Roxy's openness to having new experiences and, of course, their loyal friendship with Zeke. I feel even better recommending these books knowing that there's more to come.
A.I. Newton is also the author of the "Little Olympians" series, also illustrated by Sarkar, in which kid-sized Greek gods go to camp to learn how to use their powers and get along together. Their titles, up to the most recent release, are Zeus, God of Thunder; Athena, Goddess of Wisdom; Hermes, the Fastest God; and Artemis, the Archer Goddess. I can't actually find any information online about A.I. Newton as a human being. For all I know, he may be a fictitious pen-name, maybe with a whole list of author credits under another name.
About illustrator Anjan Sarkar, I've learned that he's a British illustrator of Indian heritage who has contributed art to such books as Rum Pum Pum by David L. Harrison and Jane Yolen, Queen of the Hanukkah Dosas by Pamela Ehrenberg, and Level Up! Last One Standing by Tom Nicoll, among 20-some books.
While each book stands somewhat on its own on the scale of an elementary-level chapter book, the whole series also works together as a continuous story with each individual book as a kind of chapter in it. My father, who got to it before me, read all eight books in one sitting, and was the first to complain that the last one ends abruptly without really resolving the storyline. Actually, his exact words were, "It just goes pbpbpbpbt." I myself managed it in two settings, but they went quickly in terms of total time. I'm glad to report that according to Fantastic Fiction, a ninth book titled The Marvelous Museum is supposed to come out in October 2022. So, I guess this series isn't over yet.
As for the eight books so far, most of them came out in quick succession in 2018 and 2019 and have charming illustrations, featuring an apparently American (or maybe Canadian?) boy named Harris who begins to suspect that the awkward, lonely new kid next door may actually be an alien from outer space. The more sure of this he becomes, the more his family and his best friend, Roxy, think he's just being mean because Zeke is different. But Harris is right; and after the first couple of books, he and Zeke become friends and Harris begins to share in his secret. Harris and Roxy help Zeke learn about such strange human customs as scouting campouts, trick-or-treating, baseball and Valentines.
Then Zeke finds out his parents, Xad and Quar, have finished their research on Earth and they have to move back to the planet Tragas. At first, Harris and Zeke look for a way to delay their departure. In the last book (so far), Harris reveals Zeke's secret to Roxy, and the two of them stow away on the ship and get to experience the "new kid" phenomenon from the other side, disguised as aliens on a strange new world.
Written at an elementary level, the books are simple and light but they also carry themes, such as being kind to people who are different from you, not cheating or taking shortcuts. They look at American(?) cultural customs in a humorous light, with charm, goofy humor and an occasional flash of wit. The weirdness of Tragas and its cultural customs comes in for some imaginative treatment, too, modeling Harris and Roxy's openness to having new experiences and, of course, their loyal friendship with Zeke. I feel even better recommending these books knowing that there's more to come.
A.I. Newton is also the author of the "Little Olympians" series, also illustrated by Sarkar, in which kid-sized Greek gods go to camp to learn how to use their powers and get along together. Their titles, up to the most recent release, are Zeus, God of Thunder; Athena, Goddess of Wisdom; Hermes, the Fastest God; and Artemis, the Archer Goddess. I can't actually find any information online about A.I. Newton as a human being. For all I know, he may be a fictitious pen-name, maybe with a whole list of author credits under another name.
About illustrator Anjan Sarkar, I've learned that he's a British illustrator of Indian heritage who has contributed art to such books as Rum Pum Pum by David L. Harrison and Jane Yolen, Queen of the Hanukkah Dosas by Pamela Ehrenberg, and Level Up! Last One Standing by Tom Nicoll, among 20-some books.
May 9, 2022
My grandson reads to me every morning for 15 minutes and he recently began going through the books we had for him very quickly, so we went to the bookstore to look for something new. He picked this one, and has enjoyed reading it and the following books a lot. I never have to remind him it's time to read before the school bus comes any more. In fact, this morning he finished book 3 and asked if I could get him the next book today. I told him he'd have to wait for tomorrow. He asked me to get it at the store and not order it so he wouldn't have to wait too long to read it. That's when I realized I hadn't reviewed this series yet.
This grandson is 7 years old and nearing the end of his first grade at school. He's a decently strong reader and it can be hard to find books I consider appropriate that he wants to read. The crazy covers and "Alien" idea appealed to him immediately. I love that the books show strong, caring families, friendships at school, are diverse, and reinforce decent values, like being kind, apologizing for mistakes, etc. The story line is really holding his interest; he'll stop reading to wonder what will happen next. So far I'm a big fan of these books, and happy to see there are 8 of them, with #9 coming out October 2022. I don't know if he'll still be reading them by then, though. Kids change so quickly!
Slight
As an adult I don't mind listening to these books, there's some humor in the fact that no one seems to notice what's going on around them. This series is considered 3.5 grade level in AR; 3rd (650) by Lexile; 4th by DRA; 2-3 by Scholastic. I suppose some fourth graders might enjoy it, but I think it reads kind of young for that. There are chapters, but also large black and white pictures on almost every page. I'd definitely check out the first book before buying them sight unseen for a child over 8 years old. I appreciate that they're not super expensive, and the smaller size makes the book easier for him to hold. All in all this is a series worth checking out for young readers.
This grandson is 7 years old and nearing the end of his first grade at school. He's a decently strong reader and it can be hard to find books I consider appropriate that he wants to read. The crazy covers and "Alien" idea appealed to him immediately. I love that the books show strong, caring families, friendships at school, are diverse, and reinforce decent values, like being kind, apologizing for mistakes, etc. The story line is really holding his interest; he'll stop reading to wonder what will happen next. So far I'm a big fan of these books, and happy to see there are 8 of them, with #9 coming out October 2022. I don't know if he'll still be reading them by then, though. Kids change so quickly!
Slight
As an adult I don't mind listening to these books, there's some humor in the fact that no one seems to notice what's going on around them. This series is considered 3.5 grade level in AR; 3rd (650) by Lexile; 4th by DRA; 2-3 by Scholastic. I suppose some fourth graders might enjoy it, but I think it reads kind of young for that. There are chapters, but also large black and white pictures on almost every page. I'd definitely check out the first book before buying them sight unseen for a child over 8 years old. I appreciate that they're not super expensive, and the smaller size makes the book easier for him to hold. All in all this is a series worth checking out for young readers.
November 14, 2021
I bought this book for my niblings for Halloween and we just now got around to reading it. it's a chapter book of almost a hundred pages, with illustrations on each page. we split it between two days (but only read two chapters the first day and then read the last eight the next day haha).
I thought the book was interesting. you find out early on that Zeke IS an alien, and his next-door neighbor, Harris, picks up on it. Harris tries to talk to his best friend, Roxy, and his parents about it, but they don't believe him. the book clearly wants to address xenophobia and human intolerance of those different from them, and there were some great lines from Roxy and Harris's mom. the first time Zeke explains a cultural difference to his class (he whistles outside the door instead of knocking), Harris says, "weird, huh?" to Roxy and she replies, "I think it's kind of interesting." a different time, Roxy says, "Just because someone is different doesn't mean they're weird" and another time his mom says, "He might be different, but that's no reason not to be his friend."
these are great messages for kids. and maybe it's a bit more accessible or interesting for them bc they know Zeke actually IS an alien, while the characters in the book don't. I expect in the subsequent books, Harris will learn more about Zeke and they'll become better friends as Harris connects with him more and sees past their differences.
my last note is that Harris and his family are Black, while Roxy is Latine (based on her last name being Martinez and the way she's illustrated), so I think it's significant that both these characters who become friends with Zeke likely have their own experiences feeling different or othered. Harris's mom lightly mentions this at one point, so that adds an interesting dynamic to the story. it presents a great opportunity for adults to discuss xenophobia, racism, and othering to the kids they read to or with. all three children might share that reality, even though their identities are distinct.
I thought the book was interesting. you find out early on that Zeke IS an alien, and his next-door neighbor, Harris, picks up on it. Harris tries to talk to his best friend, Roxy, and his parents about it, but they don't believe him. the book clearly wants to address xenophobia and human intolerance of those different from them, and there were some great lines from Roxy and Harris's mom. the first time Zeke explains a cultural difference to his class (he whistles outside the door instead of knocking), Harris says, "weird, huh?" to Roxy and she replies, "I think it's kind of interesting." a different time, Roxy says, "Just because someone is different doesn't mean they're weird" and another time his mom says, "He might be different, but that's no reason not to be his friend."
these are great messages for kids. and maybe it's a bit more accessible or interesting for them bc they know Zeke actually IS an alien, while the characters in the book don't. I expect in the subsequent books, Harris will learn more about Zeke and they'll become better friends as Harris connects with him more and sees past their differences.
my last note is that Harris and his family are Black, while Roxy is Latine (based on her last name being Martinez and the way she's illustrated), so I think it's significant that both these characters who become friends with Zeke likely have their own experiences feeling different or othered. Harris's mom lightly mentions this at one point, so that adds an interesting dynamic to the story. it presents a great opportunity for adults to discuss xenophobia, racism, and othering to the kids they read to or with. all three children might share that reality, even though their identities are distinct.
October 19, 2018
The New Kid, a book apart of The Alien Next Door series is a fun science fiction book for students grades 3 and up. However, students in 1st and 2nd grade would also greatly enjoy the story, it would just most likely be difficult for them to read independently. This small chapter book is about a boy alien moving to a new school and a new planet. He is struggling to fit in because he finds everything is so different than it was at his last school. While he is trying to fit in at school a classmate of the boy alien is suspicious that the new student might actually be an alien. The suspicious classmate is constantly looking for clues that might uncover the new student's secret.
This book is a fun quick chapter book for all students. Personally, I am not a big science fiction fan, but this author does a great job getting the attention of his readers by relating the story to real life. I greatly enjoyed this science fiction series and would continue to read more. In the book, the boy alien is nervous, sad and lonely because he is new to a school and has no friends. This book would be a great story for a student to read if they are new to the school, needs help making friends or even judges others too harshly like the classmate did the boy alien. The science fiction aspect of the book introduces a fun, light theme.
This book is a fun quick chapter book for all students. Personally, I am not a big science fiction fan, but this author does a great job getting the attention of his readers by relating the story to real life. I greatly enjoyed this science fiction series and would continue to read more. In the book, the boy alien is nervous, sad and lonely because he is new to a school and has no friends. This book would be a great story for a student to read if they are new to the school, needs help making friends or even judges others too harshly like the classmate did the boy alien. The science fiction aspect of the book introduces a fun, light theme.
February 15, 2023
Well, that was... hmm...
Having a black family with a son who meets the main character, having a girl who befriends boys, a main character who is semi-relatable, creating a planet that is actually below Earth somewhere, and giving the main character a unique name like 'Zekelebraxis' are all pluses... The overall message of this book is to be nice and give everyone a chance. That's fine, nice, and definitely a positive message, but that's...pretty much all this book is. Sure, Zeke is secretly an alien from planet Targas who eats a fruit called dweelop and can morph into anything at will, but that's about as interesting as it gets. The cover of this book is another misleading one. It implies that Harris peaks into Zeke's living room window at some point and sees parts of Zeke's true from, and yet, that never happens... They go to school, learn, go to recess, hang out outside of school, and for the most part, live pretty ordinary lives... but this felt more like a mix of a mental health commercial and a be-nice-to-everyone sermon from a watered-down liberal church than it did an alien story. (shrugs) At least the stuff from their extraterrestrial lives is interesting.
2 stars.
P.S., the planet Zeke and his parents Xad and Quar visited before Earth is called 'Charbock.' Pretty sure the author was inspired by the pokémon Arbok.
Having a black family with a son who meets the main character, having a girl who befriends boys, a main character who is semi-relatable, creating a planet that is actually below Earth somewhere, and giving the main character a unique name like 'Zekelebraxis' are all pluses... The overall message of this book is to be nice and give everyone a chance. That's fine, nice, and definitely a positive message, but that's...pretty much all this book is. Sure, Zeke is secretly an alien from planet Targas who eats a fruit called dweelop and can morph into anything at will, but that's about as interesting as it gets. The cover of this book is another misleading one. It implies that Harris peaks into Zeke's living room window at some point and sees parts of Zeke's true from, and yet, that never happens... They go to school, learn, go to recess, hang out outside of school, and for the most part, live pretty ordinary lives... but this felt more like a mix of a mental health commercial and a be-nice-to-everyone sermon from a watered-down liberal church than it did an alien story. (shrugs) At least the stuff from their extraterrestrial lives is interesting.
2 stars.
P.S., the planet Zeke and his parents Xad and Quar visited before Earth is called 'Charbock.' Pretty sure the author was inspired by the pokémon Arbok.
August 3, 2025
The Alien Next Door: The New Kid by A.I. Newton centers on Zeke, an alien from another planet learning to fit in at a new school on Earth. The narrative naturally aligns with themes of immigration, cultural differences, and community. Rather than rely solely on plot summary, Newton offers a deeper exploration of subjects such as the awkwardness of being the new kid at school or forming new friendships. The tone is warm and humorous, with science fiction goodies sprinkled throughout. This book is just the first in a series of ten so far, leaving the final chapters room to build suspense for the next book's adventure.
Social studies teachers can plan lessons that draw parallels between Zeke’s experiences and the challenges faced by new students or immigrants in communities today. Zeke’s experiences offer a basic launchpad for discussions about being a new student or what it’s like to enter an unfamiliar community. Students can complete written journal reflections to explore a time they felt different or out of place. By connecting Zeke’s story to real-world issues like immigration and diversity, science fiction can shed a spotlight on hard-to-discuss subjects.
Related Children’s Science Fiction Book Recommendations:
1. Galaxy Zack: Hello, Nebulon! by Ray O’Ryan
2. Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke
Social studies teachers can plan lessons that draw parallels between Zeke’s experiences and the challenges faced by new students or immigrants in communities today. Zeke’s experiences offer a basic launchpad for discussions about being a new student or what it’s like to enter an unfamiliar community. Students can complete written journal reflections to explore a time they felt different or out of place. By connecting Zeke’s story to real-world issues like immigration and diversity, science fiction can shed a spotlight on hard-to-discuss subjects.
Related Children’s Science Fiction Book Recommendations:
1. Galaxy Zack: Hello, Nebulon! by Ray O’Ryan
2. Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke
October 20, 2020
We’ve been searching for a series to capture my 7-year-old second-grader’s attention. Junie B. Jones was the first series that he wanted to devour, and we’ve introduced other highly recommended series- Dog Man, Captain Underpants, The Bad Guys, etc- and the reception (so far) has been lukewarm.
I happened to pull this off the shelf at our local bookstore, and the description sparked his interest. Within a few days, he had read both books, and re-read the first book twice over. I went back for the third book, which he finished that same night. I had planned to reward him with a book a week but decided to bite the bullet and purchase the rest of the series.
This is a fantastic series for early readers. The premise is engaging, and the books are well-paced. The characters are diverse. My son typically shows off how quickly he can read, but struggles with comprehension. This is the first series that my son has been able to comprehend without needing guidance. I'm thrilled, and he’s hooked!
I happened to pull this off the shelf at our local bookstore, and the description sparked his interest. Within a few days, he had read both books, and re-read the first book twice over. I went back for the third book, which he finished that same night. I had planned to reward him with a book a week but decided to bite the bullet and purchase the rest of the series.
This is a fantastic series for early readers. The premise is engaging, and the books are well-paced. The characters are diverse. My son typically shows off how quickly he can read, but struggles with comprehension. This is the first series that my son has been able to comprehend without needing guidance. I'm thrilled, and he’s hooked!
October 6, 2017
Thanks to the @kidlitexchange for the review copy of this book - all opinions are my own.
The Alien Next Door is a fun chapter book for early readers. When Zeke moves in next door, Harris knows something is up. From Zeke’s strange lunch to the odd way he “takes notes”, Harris is convinced Zeke is an alien and will stop at nothing to prove his theory.
This early chapter book is filled with plenty of pictures, simple sentences, and quirky characters. Reminiscent to the Branches series by Scholastic, The Alien Next Door is geared towards younger students transitioning into chapter books.
Recommended for grades 2-3. As well as readers in grades 4-6 who need support with text stamina or comprehension.
The Alien Next Door is a fun chapter book for early readers. When Zeke moves in next door, Harris knows something is up. From Zeke’s strange lunch to the odd way he “takes notes”, Harris is convinced Zeke is an alien and will stop at nothing to prove his theory.
This early chapter book is filled with plenty of pictures, simple sentences, and quirky characters. Reminiscent to the Branches series by Scholastic, The Alien Next Door is geared towards younger students transitioning into chapter books.
Recommended for grades 2-3. As well as readers in grades 4-6 who need support with text stamina or comprehension.
May 7, 2019
I read this because it was on the Florida Sunshine State Young Readers Award Jr. List for 2019-2020, and quite honestly it is not for me, and I won't be continuing the series. However, I am an adult and therefore am not the target audience.
I gave this a 4 (even though I wasn't a fan of it) because the plot was decent, the pace was good, and there was definite character growth (with the potential for more growth in the future).
It is not overly complex, but is developed enough that it warrants being a beginner's chapter book and makes for a good beginner's chapter book.
I like that the illustrations enhanced the story, and they helped the reader visualize some of the alien things Zeke talks about.
Over all a good book that deserves recommendation for kids.
I gave this a 4 (even though I wasn't a fan of it) because the plot was decent, the pace was good, and there was definite character growth (with the potential for more growth in the future).
It is not overly complex, but is developed enough that it warrants being a beginner's chapter book and makes for a good beginner's chapter book.
I like that the illustrations enhanced the story, and they helped the reader visualize some of the alien things Zeke talks about.
Over all a good book that deserves recommendation for kids.
March 31, 2019
Harris is sure there is something weird about Zeke, the new kid who moved in next door. Roxy thinks he is just being unfriendly. But Harris has clues from the sci-fi movies he likes to watch with his dad. So he is sure Zeke is an alien but how does he prove it?
I enjoyed this tale. I liked the diversity in the story. Harris is fun as he tries to get people to believe him about Zeke but there always seems to be a logical explanation for Zeke's action. The world building is good. I look forward to reading more in the series.
I enjoyed this tale. I liked the diversity in the story. Harris is fun as he tries to get people to believe him about Zeke but there always seems to be a logical explanation for Zeke's action. The world building is good. I look forward to reading more in the series.
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October 30, 2023Source: SSYRA Jr. annotated list 2019
Age Range: 5-7
Evaluation of Quality: Through the entertaining metaphor of an outer-space alien child moving to Earth, readers sympathize with the difficulties of integrating into a new school, culture, and social group.
Assessment of potential use: This book would be great for independent reading or a book talk about tolerance.
Assessment of appeal to children: Children will find Zeke's alien antics funny, but yet will sympathize with Zeke's trepidation at facing his first day in a new school.
Age Range: 5-7
Evaluation of Quality: Through the entertaining metaphor of an outer-space alien child moving to Earth, readers sympathize with the difficulties of integrating into a new school, culture, and social group.
Assessment of potential use: This book would be great for independent reading or a book talk about tolerance.
Assessment of appeal to children: Children will find Zeke's alien antics funny, but yet will sympathize with Zeke's trepidation at facing his first day in a new school.
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