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Alien Next Door #2
Aliens for Dinner?!
Levitating food at dinner! What's next? Harris is determined to prove to Roxy that Zeke and his family are aliens, but will she believe him?-Read Book 2 in the bestselling Alien Next Door series.
Harris has his suspicions that the new kid at school, Zeke, is an alien, but he hasn't been able to prove it to his best friend, Roxy. When they're both invited over to Zeke's house, Harris thinks this is the perfect opportunity for him to research Zeke's alien family and show Roxy that they're all from another planet. But Roxy is perfectly fine playing with all of Zeke's alien technology which she just thinks is "hi-tech," and as a thank you, Harris's parents invite Zeke's parents over for dinner.
At dinner, no one but Harris seems to notice all the strange things Zeke's family is doing-like making food levitate to their mouths. However, Zeke realizes that Harris is the only one noticing these things and decides to use this opportunity to have a little more fun at dinner. . . .
Harris has his suspicions that the new kid at school, Zeke, is an alien, but he hasn't been able to prove it to his best friend, Roxy. When they're both invited over to Zeke's house, Harris thinks this is the perfect opportunity for him to research Zeke's alien family and show Roxy that they're all from another planet. But Roxy is perfectly fine playing with all of Zeke's alien technology which she just thinks is "hi-tech," and as a thank you, Harris's parents invite Zeke's parents over for dinner.
At dinner, no one but Harris seems to notice all the strange things Zeke's family is doing-like making food levitate to their mouths. However, Zeke realizes that Harris is the only one noticing these things and decides to use this opportunity to have a little more fun at dinner. . . .
112 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2018
39 people are currently reading
86 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
March 5, 2023
This book is about Harris inviting Zeke and his family over for dinner. Harris doesn't want to because he thinks Zeke is an alien but his parents force it because they're neighbors. I liked how Harris and Zeke bonded a little in the end, but I feel like Harris was SO judgey and rude for most of the book. I also think a little bit of reality would be helpful in these books. Zeke and his family eat glowing space slugs and bring them over for dinner, say they're from Tragas (they just don't mention its a different planet) and other things that makes it seem pretty obvious that they're not human. It pretty much eliminates any tension in these books and makes all of the adults seem dumb. Overall, this wasn't nearly as good as the first but I'm still intrigued to continue the series.
August 19, 2021
The plot twist is by far the BEST PART of the book as well as the entire rest of the book.5*****
May 10, 2022
Another good book in this series.
June 17, 2023
I liked when Zeke had to find out who the valenitine was.
November 29, 2022
"The Alien Next Door: Aliens For Dinner" is the 2nd book in the Alien Next Door series written by A.I. Newton and illustrated by Anjan Sarkar. This book series was located through the resources available at We Need Diverse Books and this book was also on a list of recommended science fiction and fantasy chapter books provided by our local public library.
Zeke is Harris’ new next door neighbor and they attend Jefferson Elementary School. Zeke is an alien from the planet of Tragas, and he lives with his “Xad” and “Quar” in the house next door to Harris and his family. Harris Walker lives with his mom and his dad, and he keeps trying to convince them that Zeke is an alien. Zeke tries to hide his alien skills from his classmates, friends, and neighbor, but Harris has seen Zeke do some crazy things like move things with his mind, for example changing the direction of a soccer ball in the middle of a soccer game, climbing up the rope with no hands, building the perfect birdhouse in the blink of an eye with no tools, and adding long lists of four and five digit numbers in a flash. Harris keeps trying to convince his best friend Roxy Martinez and his parents that Zeke and his family are aliens. One day Zeke invites Roxy and Harris over to his house to hang out and play for the day and Harris is ready to find proof that his new neighbors are a family of aliens. Xad, Dad, floats and mind transfers “research” on humans like about their shoes and what they wear. Quar, Mom, can project her image as a hologram from other locations around the house. Zeke can do his homework with his mind, and they can all float high in the air above the ceiling. His parents are excited that he is having friends over, but Zeke reminds them that they need to act human. Although Harris is suspicious right away when he arrives and feels someone taking his coat from him, which is immediately explained away, and more strange things in the house like the kitchen table with no legs, or the food replicator, disguised as a refrigerator, that can only make Tragas food, but Zeke comes up with some interesting versions of Zeke and Roxy’s favorite foods for lunch. They play video games on a tv on the ceiling using helmets and their minds, strange sea creatures swim past them during a movie, and Zeke’s dad, Xad, doesn’t know what a shirt label is and now Harris is certain that he is right about his neighbors, and he continues to try to convince his parents as well. One weekend Harris’ family invites Zeke’s family over for dinner and they whistle at the door instead of knock, touch elbows instead of shake hands, make purple slugs hot without cooking them, and many other interesting things during the Walker family’s Saturday night dinner. Will Zeke and his family be discovered? Will Harris finally have the proof he needs that his new neighbor is an alien?
Any young reader that has read the books in this series that follow the second book already know the answers. Young readers that enjoy reading science fiction or science fantasy books about aliens and visitors from outer space, would enjoy this series. Although I would not normally choose to read a book about aliens, I found this book to be an easy read and fairly entertaining. I chose to read this book because I was interested in finding more series and books that my third and fourth grade friends would enjoy and read independently. The first book was published in 2018 and the 9th book in this series, The Alien Next Door: The Marvelous Museum, was recently released and published in October 2022 making these books new and interesting to young readers. There is some diversity in the characters of this series with the main character Harris being portrayed as African American and having brown or darker skin and his best friend Roxy Martinez is a Hispanic character. There was very little information about the author A.I. Newton except for that the author had always wanted to travel in space and meet an alien. The illustrator, Anjan Sarkar, comes from a diverse background of British and Indian cultures and I have students that would enjoy learning more about him as the illustrator of this series of books.
This science fiction or science fantasy series is appropriate for students in 2nd-3rd grade with Lexile Levels between 540-600 which is about a Level N, and the reading level expectation for the beginning of 3rd grade. I read the nonprint version of this book through the Libby App. The words and illustrations were clear and the text was easy to read in this format. This book would interest second, third, and some fourth grade students, that enjoy reading science fiction or science fantasy chapter books. Although I would not consider this book to be “good science fiction”, the author does insert “clues” for young readers to think about. The story about the alien planet of Tragas, the food simulator, and the illustrations of Zeke and his family floating on the ceiling offer readers the opportunity to imagine the boy next door just trying to be “normal” and fit into this world and make friends. Second or third graders would be delighted to have a friend that can move things with their mind or float.
I would use this science fiction or science fantasy chapter book with my small groups of third and fourth grade students to teach story elements. This text offers an interesting story and third and fourth grade students would be able to follow the “plot threads” to integrate a unit on plot with problem and solution using a chapter book at their reading level. I would also incorporate making inferences and using sentence frames and picture cues to infer how the characters feel in different parts of this science fiction or science fantasy chapter book.
Zeke is Harris’ new next door neighbor and they attend Jefferson Elementary School. Zeke is an alien from the planet of Tragas, and he lives with his “Xad” and “Quar” in the house next door to Harris and his family. Harris Walker lives with his mom and his dad, and he keeps trying to convince them that Zeke is an alien. Zeke tries to hide his alien skills from his classmates, friends, and neighbor, but Harris has seen Zeke do some crazy things like move things with his mind, for example changing the direction of a soccer ball in the middle of a soccer game, climbing up the rope with no hands, building the perfect birdhouse in the blink of an eye with no tools, and adding long lists of four and five digit numbers in a flash. Harris keeps trying to convince his best friend Roxy Martinez and his parents that Zeke and his family are aliens. One day Zeke invites Roxy and Harris over to his house to hang out and play for the day and Harris is ready to find proof that his new neighbors are a family of aliens. Xad, Dad, floats and mind transfers “research” on humans like about their shoes and what they wear. Quar, Mom, can project her image as a hologram from other locations around the house. Zeke can do his homework with his mind, and they can all float high in the air above the ceiling. His parents are excited that he is having friends over, but Zeke reminds them that they need to act human. Although Harris is suspicious right away when he arrives and feels someone taking his coat from him, which is immediately explained away, and more strange things in the house like the kitchen table with no legs, or the food replicator, disguised as a refrigerator, that can only make Tragas food, but Zeke comes up with some interesting versions of Zeke and Roxy’s favorite foods for lunch. They play video games on a tv on the ceiling using helmets and their minds, strange sea creatures swim past them during a movie, and Zeke’s dad, Xad, doesn’t know what a shirt label is and now Harris is certain that he is right about his neighbors, and he continues to try to convince his parents as well. One weekend Harris’ family invites Zeke’s family over for dinner and they whistle at the door instead of knock, touch elbows instead of shake hands, make purple slugs hot without cooking them, and many other interesting things during the Walker family’s Saturday night dinner. Will Zeke and his family be discovered? Will Harris finally have the proof he needs that his new neighbor is an alien?
Any young reader that has read the books in this series that follow the second book already know the answers. Young readers that enjoy reading science fiction or science fantasy books about aliens and visitors from outer space, would enjoy this series. Although I would not normally choose to read a book about aliens, I found this book to be an easy read and fairly entertaining. I chose to read this book because I was interested in finding more series and books that my third and fourth grade friends would enjoy and read independently. The first book was published in 2018 and the 9th book in this series, The Alien Next Door: The Marvelous Museum, was recently released and published in October 2022 making these books new and interesting to young readers. There is some diversity in the characters of this series with the main character Harris being portrayed as African American and having brown or darker skin and his best friend Roxy Martinez is a Hispanic character. There was very little information about the author A.I. Newton except for that the author had always wanted to travel in space and meet an alien. The illustrator, Anjan Sarkar, comes from a diverse background of British and Indian cultures and I have students that would enjoy learning more about him as the illustrator of this series of books.
This science fiction or science fantasy series is appropriate for students in 2nd-3rd grade with Lexile Levels between 540-600 which is about a Level N, and the reading level expectation for the beginning of 3rd grade. I read the nonprint version of this book through the Libby App. The words and illustrations were clear and the text was easy to read in this format. This book would interest second, third, and some fourth grade students, that enjoy reading science fiction or science fantasy chapter books. Although I would not consider this book to be “good science fiction”, the author does insert “clues” for young readers to think about. The story about the alien planet of Tragas, the food simulator, and the illustrations of Zeke and his family floating on the ceiling offer readers the opportunity to imagine the boy next door just trying to be “normal” and fit into this world and make friends. Second or third graders would be delighted to have a friend that can move things with their mind or float.
I would use this science fiction or science fantasy chapter book with my small groups of third and fourth grade students to teach story elements. This text offers an interesting story and third and fourth grade students would be able to follow the “plot threads” to integrate a unit on plot with problem and solution using a chapter book at their reading level. I would also incorporate making inferences and using sentence frames and picture cues to infer how the characters feel in different parts of this science fiction or science fantasy chapter book.
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.
February 14, 2019
The Alien Next Door- Aliens for Dinner- A.I. Newton
J-Fic-2018
What happens when your parents don’t believe you? An Alien family has moved in next door, and my parents don’t see all the weird things that I see happening. My name is Harris and my best friend Zeke is an alien, I just know it. My friend Roxy who hangs out with us doesn’t see all the strange things that seem to be happening. Maybe if I get inside of Zeke’s house I can put this all to rest. I’ll prove to Roxy and my parents that Zeke and his family are truly aliens. As we arrived at Zeke’s house, some weird machine took our coats for us. Fancy, I suppose but not real proof. Zeke has all the latest technology and fancy toys that are unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. He is from a faraway place called Tragas that is supposedly really small and no one has ever heard of it. The hot dog we had for lunch looked and tasted nothing like the ones we were used to but it tasted ok. I turned to my internal monologue and decided to keep my suspicions to myself. When my parents asked about the afternoon we spent with his Zeke, I responded appropriately and refrained from the “alien” talk. My parents decided it was a good idea to have them over to our house for dinner, so the 2 of our families could hang out. Weird stuff continues to happen and I seem to be the only one who notices. From the weird way they didn’t ring the doorbell and whistled instead, plates and glasses automatically refilling themselves, to his parents searching for something in our closet when they didn’t even wear coats over to our house. I finally decided this was my magical moment to tell them that I know their secret. Everyone looked horrified, and my parents made me go to my room. Zeke knows the secret is out.
Dive into this quick read to discover how two families live differently but can be friend’s despite their differences. This is a great way for an emerging reader to try out a chapter book that still entertains with great pictures and simple text! It leaves you thinking and predicting the events that may or may not happen next.
J-Fic-2018
What happens when your parents don’t believe you? An Alien family has moved in next door, and my parents don’t see all the weird things that I see happening. My name is Harris and my best friend Zeke is an alien, I just know it. My friend Roxy who hangs out with us doesn’t see all the strange things that seem to be happening. Maybe if I get inside of Zeke’s house I can put this all to rest. I’ll prove to Roxy and my parents that Zeke and his family are truly aliens. As we arrived at Zeke’s house, some weird machine took our coats for us. Fancy, I suppose but not real proof. Zeke has all the latest technology and fancy toys that are unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. He is from a faraway place called Tragas that is supposedly really small and no one has ever heard of it. The hot dog we had for lunch looked and tasted nothing like the ones we were used to but it tasted ok. I turned to my internal monologue and decided to keep my suspicions to myself. When my parents asked about the afternoon we spent with his Zeke, I responded appropriately and refrained from the “alien” talk. My parents decided it was a good idea to have them over to our house for dinner, so the 2 of our families could hang out. Weird stuff continues to happen and I seem to be the only one who notices. From the weird way they didn’t ring the doorbell and whistled instead, plates and glasses automatically refilling themselves, to his parents searching for something in our closet when they didn’t even wear coats over to our house. I finally decided this was my magical moment to tell them that I know their secret. Everyone looked horrified, and my parents made me go to my room. Zeke knows the secret is out.
Dive into this quick read to discover how two families live differently but can be friend’s despite their differences. This is a great way for an emerging reader to try out a chapter book that still entertains with great pictures and simple text! It leaves you thinking and predicting the events that may or may not happen next.
February 15, 2023
Well, that was better than the first one.
In this one, Zeke has Harris and Roxy over to hang out. Eventually, Harris and his parents host a supper for Zekelebraxis (aka Zeke), his parents, and -- for some bizzare reason -- Roxy. I'm not entirely sure why Roxy was even invited when this was supposed to be a way for Harris's parents to meet Zeke and his parents. It would've made more sense if Roxy's parents had been invited as well, or they should've just not invited Roxy. In real life, I question if Roxy would've been invited. Roxy basically got a free meal with no real, decent reason for her presence there aside from possibly making sure that there was a female kid in the story. Inviting her to basically be an awkward third wheel was basically a way to say, "screw you, Roxy." I do suppose it's better than writing in that she expected to come, but Harris saying, "f off, Roxy," lol.
Anyway, I'll give these one 3 stars.
In this one, Zeke has Harris and Roxy over to hang out. Eventually, Harris and his parents host a supper for Zekelebraxis (aka Zeke), his parents, and -- for some bizzare reason -- Roxy. I'm not entirely sure why Roxy was even invited when this was supposed to be a way for Harris's parents to meet Zeke and his parents. It would've made more sense if Roxy's parents had been invited as well, or they should've just not invited Roxy. In real life, I question if Roxy would've been invited. Roxy basically got a free meal with no real, decent reason for her presence there aside from possibly making sure that there was a female kid in the story. Inviting her to basically be an awkward third wheel was basically a way to say, "screw you, Roxy." I do suppose it's better than writing in that she expected to come, but Harris saying, "f off, Roxy," lol.
Anyway, I'll give these one 3 stars.
January 17, 2020
My 5 year old really enjoys this series. In fact, this is probably the first series of chapter books that he's voluntarily read without a fight, so we're running with them for now. The idea is cute enough: Aliens move into the neighborhood and act weird, and nobody seems to notice except this ONE kid. It's harmless fun and some of the situations are ridiculous (which is kid-code for hilarious). If you have a reluctant reader, this is just goofy enough that it might draw them in!
January 27, 2022
I liked the book Aliens next door. Zeke the alien brought some food to his friends from another planet. He ate people food. When his friend came to Zeke's house, Zeke then tried to make people-food but he made a burger like a donut.
I recommend this book to 7-year-olds and up.
By student "V"
I recommend this book to 7-year-olds and up.
By student "V"
June 5, 2025
This is a great book about Harris has his suspicions that new kid at school named Zeke is alien but he has not been able too convince anyone not even his best friend named Roxy when she believes him so when Harris’s parents invite Zeke & his family over for dinner as he thinks this could be perfect chance to prove it once & for all.
September 15, 2025
Zeke does his best to blend in on Earth, but his suspicious classmates has rightly guessed that he's really an alien. At first, Zeke thwarts his attempts to expose him, but when he sees him get in trouble, Zeke feels guilty knowing he's right. Taking a risk, Zeke tells him the truth and they become best friends.
March 19, 2019
Dexter (10yo) read.
March 28, 2022
I think this book is pretty interesting as I think it is cool to be a alien and have superpowers and alien parents and also the main character found out that they were actually also aliens cool book.
January 20, 2023
PO RAZ KOLEJNY CHCE MIEĆ CEL ZALICZONY part 2
December 20, 2024
Lincoln said infinity stars, but this family is terrible at hiding that they're aliens, I'm not sure how they ever visited more than one planet and didn't get caught, so I took off two stars.
May 6, 2023
Świetna i zabawna historia! Mimo że jest dla młodszych czytelników bardzo przyjemnie się ją czyta.
July 14, 2019
Cool story. Nice ending.
September 6, 2019
Children who enjoyed Part 1 couldn’t wait to gobble this one up.
October 18, 2023
Spodziewałam sie czegoś innego ale dobrze sie bawiłam. Nie mogę się doczekać kolejnej części (już kupiłam)
March 6, 2024
Pokemon
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews