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Bad Order
A middle grade story about a sister and her special little brother fighting to save the world from an interdimensional catastrophe.
Mary Day’s life has always been different, because her little brother, Albie, is different. He doesn’t speak, but he can communicate with Mary via mental telepathy, sending her—and her alone—“mind memos.” To Albie, Mary is Pearl, the person he holds most precious. Then, one snowy day, Albie transmits an alarming two-word message: Bad order. Soon after, Mary and her best friend, Brit, discover a mysterious red mist in the woods that seems to draw them in . . . and turn all their feelings negative. A visit from three extraterrestrials (hilariously trying to pass as human) reveals the truth: there’s a disastrous leak in the dimensional universe—and if Albie can’t repair it, angry, evil thoughts will overtake the entire population. Can Mary, Brit, Brit’s brother Lars, and Albie save the world? And will Mary finally realize that she, like Albie, has something special inside herself?
Mary Day’s life has always been different, because her little brother, Albie, is different. He doesn’t speak, but he can communicate with Mary via mental telepathy, sending her—and her alone—“mind memos.” To Albie, Mary is Pearl, the person he holds most precious. Then, one snowy day, Albie transmits an alarming two-word message: Bad order. Soon after, Mary and her best friend, Brit, discover a mysterious red mist in the woods that seems to draw them in . . . and turn all their feelings negative. A visit from three extraterrestrials (hilariously trying to pass as human) reveals the truth: there’s a disastrous leak in the dimensional universe—and if Albie can’t repair it, angry, evil thoughts will overtake the entire population. Can Mary, Brit, Brit’s brother Lars, and Albie save the world? And will Mary finally realize that she, like Albie, has something special inside herself?
213 pages, Hardcover
First published June 4, 2019
7 people are currently reading
132 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
November 11, 2021
What a fun, uplifting sci-fi middle grade novel!
You have Mary who's baby brother Albie (Albert Jr) is part human and part alien. When a tear in the world occurs, it's up to Mary, Albie, and the Triad (3 other aliens) to save it.
With the help of Mary's best friend Brit and her older brother, Lars, as well as an FBI (Bureau of Extra Terrestrial Investigation) agent named Agent Saunders, they attempt to save the entire world from the horrors of bad thoughts, violent acts, chaos, and ultimately, the earth's complete annihilation.
This novel was such a fast paced, wonderful read! The Triad characters are probably some of the most adorable and amazing ones I've been introduced to. They're all positive and upbeat and their main goal is to assist Mary and Albie. They want them to be happy and safe. They also want to protect all the other humans and keep them safe as well. They laugh a lot and their energy is all positive. I adored all three of them.
Albie communicates with his sister by sending her images. He usually sends her positive and beautiful ones to show her how much he loves her and finds her a beautiful soul...and how much she means to him. Her name is Mary but his nickname for her is "Pearl"...she's like a beautiful and shiny "pearl" to him.
There's a lot of lovely things in this book. A lot of positivity and love.
It is essentially a fantastic story about hope, the bonds of friendship, of family, and about humanity. It has a powerful message about the power of positive thinking and positive energy.
I truly enjoyed this story and highly recommend it!
You have Mary who's baby brother Albie (Albert Jr) is part human and part alien. When a tear in the world occurs, it's up to Mary, Albie, and the Triad (3 other aliens) to save it.
With the help of Mary's best friend Brit and her older brother, Lars, as well as an FBI (Bureau of Extra Terrestrial Investigation) agent named Agent Saunders, they attempt to save the entire world from the horrors of bad thoughts, violent acts, chaos, and ultimately, the earth's complete annihilation.
This novel was such a fast paced, wonderful read! The Triad characters are probably some of the most adorable and amazing ones I've been introduced to. They're all positive and upbeat and their main goal is to assist Mary and Albie. They want them to be happy and safe. They also want to protect all the other humans and keep them safe as well. They laugh a lot and their energy is all positive. I adored all three of them.
Albie communicates with his sister by sending her images. He usually sends her positive and beautiful ones to show her how much he loves her and finds her a beautiful soul...and how much she means to him. Her name is Mary but his nickname for her is "Pearl"...she's like a beautiful and shiny "pearl" to him.
There's a lot of lovely things in this book. A lot of positivity and love.
It is essentially a fantastic story about hope, the bonds of friendship, of family, and about humanity. It has a powerful message about the power of positive thinking and positive energy.
I truly enjoyed this story and highly recommend it!
June 16, 2019
You don't have to be a child to enjoy this book. Bad Order begins in such a sweet, simple relatable way then takes the reader on an intriguing other worldly adventure. I love how the author uses fantasy to delivers a message so needed in the world today, "Goodness will prevail, if we all believe"
March 13, 2025
TWs: gun violence, suicide, death of family member
February 11, 2020
A strange mist has appeared in the woods behind the house. Mary's little brother, Albie, sends her a thought message that the mist is "bad order." (The thought message is nothing new. Albie has sent them since he was a newborn. He doesn't talk much, but he communicates regularly with Mary, whom he's nicknamed Pearl, through these images and words he sends to her mind.) A trio of strange people appears at the door to confirm that the mist is a bad thing, and that Albie, Mary, her friend Brit and Brit's brother Lars are needed to help get rid of it. If it gets out of control, things could go very, very badly for everyone on Earth.
This is being marketed as middle grade, but considering 3 of the main characters are teens including the narrator, and considering some of the content, I am definitely shelving this in the YA section of our library, not middle grade. It feels more YA. How best to describe this? It's kind of like a mashup between A Wrinkle in Time and Men in Black. It made me think of A Wrinkle in Time because of the little brother that is mentally more advanced than anyone else in the story and has special skills and abilities that allow him to grasp the super advanced science and math of the stuff going on in ways the average human (even intelligent human adult) couldn't. It reminded me of Men in Black for certain alien and government characters who show up (not really a spoiler since aliens are mentioned in a blurb on the cover), especially because some of them wear suits and sunglasses. I liked the interactions between both pairs of siblings in this. They both have each others' backs. It becomes clear that Mary has a really healthy positive self-image and outlook on life and that is 100% due to the fact that her little brother continually sends her thought messages about how awesome she is. They aren't super secure financially. Their dad died several years ago, and their mom is just making it through each day. Their grandma is around (and is quite the character). But despite how down they could be, the kids are in healthy emotional spots. Brit and Lars have it even worse than Mary & Albie, their mom is an alcoholic and doesn't care for them well, but they rely on each other and Mary & Albie's family does a great job loving on them too. It is interesting to have a bunch of kids who could be the stars of some totally tragic drama about how messed up their lives are, but instead they are resilient and just the ones needed to save the day. It could make a great movie (well, as long as they find a way to easily explain the red mist...it could also easily confuse and fry people's brains if they got too technical). If you're looking for a scifi suspense read about a group of teens trying to stop a strange phenomenon from destroying the Earth, snatch this up. It's a fairly quick read.
Notes on content: One strong use of profanity and at least 3 other uses of mild profanity/swearing. No sexual content. A past fatal car accident is mentioned. There is one sudden suicide by gunshot on page that's a bit disturbing (it isn't graphically described, but it kind of comes out of nowhere and really shocks several characters and ). There are a couple other scuffles with violence threatened or enacted with guns, shovels, fists, or by animals. Some black eyes and bruises are described.
This is being marketed as middle grade, but considering 3 of the main characters are teens including the narrator, and considering some of the content, I am definitely shelving this in the YA section of our library, not middle grade. It feels more YA. How best to describe this? It's kind of like a mashup between A Wrinkle in Time and Men in Black. It made me think of A Wrinkle in Time because of the little brother that is mentally more advanced than anyone else in the story and has special skills and abilities that allow him to grasp the super advanced science and math of the stuff going on in ways the average human (even intelligent human adult) couldn't. It reminded me of Men in Black for certain alien and government characters who show up (not really a spoiler since aliens are mentioned in a blurb on the cover), especially because some of them wear suits and sunglasses. I liked the interactions between both pairs of siblings in this. They both have each others' backs. It becomes clear that Mary has a really healthy positive self-image and outlook on life and that is 100% due to the fact that her little brother continually sends her thought messages about how awesome she is. They aren't super secure financially. Their dad died several years ago, and their mom is just making it through each day. Their grandma is around (and is quite the character). But despite how down they could be, the kids are in healthy emotional spots. Brit and Lars have it even worse than Mary & Albie, their mom is an alcoholic and doesn't care for them well, but they rely on each other and Mary & Albie's family does a great job loving on them too. It is interesting to have a bunch of kids who could be the stars of some totally tragic drama about how messed up their lives are, but instead they are resilient and just the ones needed to save the day. It could make a great movie (well, as long as they find a way to easily explain the red mist...it could also easily confuse and fry people's brains if they got too technical). If you're looking for a scifi suspense read about a group of teens trying to stop a strange phenomenon from destroying the Earth, snatch this up. It's a fairly quick read.
Notes on content: One strong use of profanity and at least 3 other uses of mild profanity/swearing. No sexual content. A past fatal car accident is mentioned. There is one sudden suicide by gunshot on page that's a bit disturbing (it isn't graphically described, but it kind of comes out of nowhere and really shocks several characters and ). There are a couple other scuffles with violence threatened or enacted with guns, shovels, fists, or by animals. Some black eyes and bruises are described.
August 6, 2020
The Blurbs Don't Do This Book Full Justice
On its face this book looks like it could be fairly standard issue. Our heroine, Mary, her BFF, the BFF's older brother, Mary's "autistic" little brother, and three aliens head out on an adventure to repair a rip in the space time continuum. Not to be too much of a wiseguy, but I've read different versions of that sort of book about a half dozen times. But guess what? For my money this book stands head and shoulders above other similarly described efforts.
This book has remarkably realistic characters, a beautifully conceived little brother, engagingly lol aliens, a plausible premise, and real heart and humor.
As to our heroine, Mary, she is smart, resourceful, compassionate, independent, and well grounded. Neither shy nor timid, she is "nothing special", but she's in touch with the "awesome" inside, and exceptionally self aware. Her BFF is cut from the same cloth. The book is full of small scenes and brief moments during which the two feel like actual, authentic tweens, (a passing reference to being self conscious about some acne?), and that level of compelling characterization strikes me as rare for a middle grade sci-fi actioner.
The treatment of Mary's little brother Albert is unique. Early on it becomes clear that Albie is an "Exceptional Mind", an evolutionary leap so profound that he has attracted the attention of similar alien minds, who have undertaken to protect and nurture Albie. Despite this, Albie has a close and loving, (albeit telepathic only), relationship with Mary. Their gentle but intense devotion to each other is the beating heart of the book. In the context of a very stylized "autistic" character, the author has created a remarkable and touching sibling pair. In the same vein, all of the other human characters are appealing as well, and each comes equipped with quirks and bits of business that ground them and convince us of their essential goodness. There are no shallow "types" in this book.
As a bonus we get three great aliens. They are actually smart-mass-holograph research units that have adopted human forms, and they are hilariously inept at disguise. They are, however, smart, kind, and committed to the idea of "helping" the humans. They reminded me of the aliens from "Galaxy Quest" crossed with the Coneheads, and a touch of the gang from "Third Rock". They steal every scene they're in, and their appearance alone is worth the price of the book.
The actual adventure is fine, with the requisite quantum physics sci-fi sciencey stuff, but that's just the frame that lets the characters run free. And that's the fun. These characters are interesting, comic, tragic, engaging, authentic, and endearing. This may sound a little gushy and fanboy, but this was one of those rare books where I actually cared about these fictional characters. And that was a special treat.
(Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
On its face this book looks like it could be fairly standard issue. Our heroine, Mary, her BFF, the BFF's older brother, Mary's "autistic" little brother, and three aliens head out on an adventure to repair a rip in the space time continuum. Not to be too much of a wiseguy, but I've read different versions of that sort of book about a half dozen times. But guess what? For my money this book stands head and shoulders above other similarly described efforts.
This book has remarkably realistic characters, a beautifully conceived little brother, engagingly lol aliens, a plausible premise, and real heart and humor.
As to our heroine, Mary, she is smart, resourceful, compassionate, independent, and well grounded. Neither shy nor timid, she is "nothing special", but she's in touch with the "awesome" inside, and exceptionally self aware. Her BFF is cut from the same cloth. The book is full of small scenes and brief moments during which the two feel like actual, authentic tweens, (a passing reference to being self conscious about some acne?), and that level of compelling characterization strikes me as rare for a middle grade sci-fi actioner.
The treatment of Mary's little brother Albert is unique. Early on it becomes clear that Albie is an "Exceptional Mind", an evolutionary leap so profound that he has attracted the attention of similar alien minds, who have undertaken to protect and nurture Albie. Despite this, Albie has a close and loving, (albeit telepathic only), relationship with Mary. Their gentle but intense devotion to each other is the beating heart of the book. In the context of a very stylized "autistic" character, the author has created a remarkable and touching sibling pair. In the same vein, all of the other human characters are appealing as well, and each comes equipped with quirks and bits of business that ground them and convince us of their essential goodness. There are no shallow "types" in this book.
As a bonus we get three great aliens. They are actually smart-mass-holograph research units that have adopted human forms, and they are hilariously inept at disguise. They are, however, smart, kind, and committed to the idea of "helping" the humans. They reminded me of the aliens from "Galaxy Quest" crossed with the Coneheads, and a touch of the gang from "Third Rock". They steal every scene they're in, and their appearance alone is worth the price of the book.
The actual adventure is fine, with the requisite quantum physics sci-fi sciencey stuff, but that's just the frame that lets the characters run free. And that's the fun. These characters are interesting, comic, tragic, engaging, authentic, and endearing. This may sound a little gushy and fanboy, but this was one of those rare books where I actually cared about these fictional characters. And that was a special treat.
(Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
June 9, 2019
First off, my son gives this one an extra huge, double thumbs up for the cover. He claims all books should be that dramatic. That said, this was an original science fiction tale, which weaved around some fun interdimensional-ness, great friendships and a bit of self-discovery.
Mary, or as her brother Albie sees her as Pearl, is an almost teen who loves her little brother, has a best friend and, in general, is good with life as she knows it. She has a special relationship with Albie. But then, he himself is a little special. Shortly after his birth, he has communicated only through thoughts and only with her. He sees the world differently, and it's because of this that they discover a red haze which just isn't right. Not only that, but Albie slips the words 'Bad order' every now and then into his thoughts to her...not that he explains what it means. He claims he needs to figure things out first, but she has a feeling he might not be telling her everything. When strange things start happening and even stranger men appear, things take an adventurous and dangerous turn.
Mary, her best friend and her later friends come across as very natural kids. Their decisions, actions and conversations flow well and fit nicely to the age group. Even their concerns slide right along into areas readers will recognize and be familiar with. The friends work well together. They aren't always perfect, but it's these differences and how they work them out which make them fun to root for. Albie is different, but his originality gives a nice contrast to the rest of the friends, especially when the plot starts thickening.
The author has done a nice job at weaving normality and the science fiction aspects together to keep readers in a somewhat familiar world while allowing the more fantastical elements to take flight. This is one scifi fans are sure to adore.
The tale grabs from the first page as Albie starts the book. However, he soon slides back as Mary takes over the story. His thoughts, especially in the beginning chapters, only fall in every now and then, and it would have been nice to hear more from him. The plot thickens, sometimes faster and sometimes slower, but something is always happening. The author allows the reader to get to know Mary and her friend a bit before really letting the action set in. It's especially fun to see how the other characters fall into place and make for a great group of kids.
I received a complimentary copy and enjoyed reading it enough to want to leave my honest thoughts.
Mary, or as her brother Albie sees her as Pearl, is an almost teen who loves her little brother, has a best friend and, in general, is good with life as she knows it. She has a special relationship with Albie. But then, he himself is a little special. Shortly after his birth, he has communicated only through thoughts and only with her. He sees the world differently, and it's because of this that they discover a red haze which just isn't right. Not only that, but Albie slips the words 'Bad order' every now and then into his thoughts to her...not that he explains what it means. He claims he needs to figure things out first, but she has a feeling he might not be telling her everything. When strange things start happening and even stranger men appear, things take an adventurous and dangerous turn.
Mary, her best friend and her later friends come across as very natural kids. Their decisions, actions and conversations flow well and fit nicely to the age group. Even their concerns slide right along into areas readers will recognize and be familiar with. The friends work well together. They aren't always perfect, but it's these differences and how they work them out which make them fun to root for. Albie is different, but his originality gives a nice contrast to the rest of the friends, especially when the plot starts thickening.
The author has done a nice job at weaving normality and the science fiction aspects together to keep readers in a somewhat familiar world while allowing the more fantastical elements to take flight. This is one scifi fans are sure to adore.
The tale grabs from the first page as Albie starts the book. However, he soon slides back as Mary takes over the story. His thoughts, especially in the beginning chapters, only fall in every now and then, and it would have been nice to hear more from him. The plot thickens, sometimes faster and sometimes slower, but something is always happening. The author allows the reader to get to know Mary and her friend a bit before really letting the action set in. It's especially fun to see how the other characters fall into place and make for a great group of kids.
I received a complimentary copy and enjoyed reading it enough to want to leave my honest thoughts.
March 15, 2025
I picked this up in the first place because it was $3 in B&N last chance and looked at least worth the price. I started reading it when I did because I wanted to read all the books I have in LA with me, particularly the ones I thought I might not enjoy and might want to get rid of, in the end. This one seemed like it may not be great, but so far, that assumption was very wrong. It’s got a lot in common with A Wrinkle in Time, except this is really good and that is NOT, in my opinion. I like all the characters and the bizarre uniquity of the aliens. The science at least FEELS well-researched (I can’t say I know enough about quantum physics to be confident about that, but the fact that it reads that way to me already puts it head and shoulders above so many other science-based stories). Lars is positively wonderful and I adore him.
An incredibly quick read with delightful characters, an agreeably bizarre concept, and a satisfying arc. I went into this book fully expecting to dislike it, but it charmed and delighted at every turn and I’m so glad I bought it on a whim. It feels like the end was setting up for a series, but I don’t know if that happened. I get the feeling this book was expected to be a hit and failed miserably when it hit the market, which is a real shame. I’m gonna blame the cover design, cuz that shit is UGLY and incredibly unappealing. It sums up the book pretty accurately, from a factual perspective, but mood-wise, it misses the mark entirely. The cover brings to mind the grungy, futile, awful mood in Among the Hidden (as I remember it, anyway. I haven’t read that book since I was a child and it would probably hit VERY differently now than it did then), but this story has more in common with the levity and absurdity of Roald Dahl than a stifling post-apocalyptic world where extra children are murdered. I’m so very glad I picked this up.
An incredibly quick read with delightful characters, an agreeably bizarre concept, and a satisfying arc. I went into this book fully expecting to dislike it, but it charmed and delighted at every turn and I’m so glad I bought it on a whim. It feels like the end was setting up for a series, but I don’t know if that happened. I get the feeling this book was expected to be a hit and failed miserably when it hit the market, which is a real shame. I’m gonna blame the cover design, cuz that shit is UGLY and incredibly unappealing. It sums up the book pretty accurately, from a factual perspective, but mood-wise, it misses the mark entirely. The cover brings to mind the grungy, futile, awful mood in Among the Hidden (as I remember it, anyway. I haven’t read that book since I was a child and it would probably hit VERY differently now than it did then), but this story has more in common with the levity and absurdity of Roald Dahl than a stifling post-apocalyptic world where extra children are murdered. I’m so very glad I picked this up.
May 16, 2019
Who needs the Avengers to save the world? A compassionate, emotionally strong thirteen year old named Mary (Pearl) Day, her eight year old brother, Albert (Albie), who has the ability to communicate with his sister telepathically, Mary's BFF - Brit, and Brit's older brother, Lars, form a partnership with an odd but delightful triad of extra-terrestrial robots sent to collect and transmit data but who find the fate of the world in their collective hands. Barbara Bentler Ullman's new book, Bad Order, spins a tale that middle school kids will devour and then clamor for more from this endearing cast of characters.
Written in short 4-8 page chapters, the first third of the book easily negotiates the challenge of setting the scene with some explaining some fairly technical and scientific concepts. When Mary and company discover odd behavior happening to animals and then neighbors in the woods behind her house, the drama begins to build. Imaginative, clever, and surprisingly humorous at times, the story features a quick trip to outer space, harrowing encounters with "red spiders" aiming to change all humans' positive thinking to the lowest and most vile thinking possible, and an escape from the authorities that reminds one of the magical "bike flyers" scene in the movie, ET. A page turner at that point, the last half of the book flies by.
Bad Order shows that ordinary children and teens have the heart and soul to make our world a better place even without the backdrop of an imminent world catastrophe. This uplifting message is just what middle school readers need as they take their own place in the roles of soon to be leaders in a society that craves a positive future. I can't wait to find out what Pearl, Albie, and the Triad are up to next.
Written in short 4-8 page chapters, the first third of the book easily negotiates the challenge of setting the scene with some explaining some fairly technical and scientific concepts. When Mary and company discover odd behavior happening to animals and then neighbors in the woods behind her house, the drama begins to build. Imaginative, clever, and surprisingly humorous at times, the story features a quick trip to outer space, harrowing encounters with "red spiders" aiming to change all humans' positive thinking to the lowest and most vile thinking possible, and an escape from the authorities that reminds one of the magical "bike flyers" scene in the movie, ET. A page turner at that point, the last half of the book flies by.
Bad Order shows that ordinary children and teens have the heart and soul to make our world a better place even without the backdrop of an imminent world catastrophe. This uplifting message is just what middle school readers need as they take their own place in the roles of soon to be leaders in a society that craves a positive future. I can't wait to find out what Pearl, Albie, and the Triad are up to next.
June 29, 2019
A sci-fi middle grade book that I'm afraid I can't properly describe. There is a boy who communicates telepathically with his sister, her best friend and her best friend's brother, three holographic people, a VW bug that flies, and a tear in something-or-other that allows bad feelings to infect people. As the tear grows and the bad feelings spread, people attack each other. But, the boy has an understanding of what happened and possibly the ability to fix it because of something that happened when his deceased father, a scientist, was working in his lab. Argh, see! Hard to describe.
I'm going to have to think hard about this book before I write about it on my blog. It's one of those books that make you feel like, "There's no real science in this; it's all fiction," but I'm not sure if that's true or not. I just know that the story itself is about the 4 children working together to save humanity under difficult/dangerous circumstances and I enjoyed it, even though I didn't fully understand the circumstances or find them particularly believable. It also does a nice job of showing how the challenges of loss (a father), alcoholism (the best friend's mother), and poverty (all of the children live in poverty) impact children.
The bottom line, here, is that it's a fun read. As a middle grader, I know I would have enjoyed this book because I loved anything that was otherworldly with children saving the day. So, I definitely recommend it to those who have middle grade children who like fantasy/sci-fi and/or adults who happen to like this type of fiction and don't mind if it's a little far-fetched. The holographic people are very entertaining and the relationships between the children are charming.
I'm going to have to think hard about this book before I write about it on my blog. It's one of those books that make you feel like, "There's no real science in this; it's all fiction," but I'm not sure if that's true or not. I just know that the story itself is about the 4 children working together to save humanity under difficult/dangerous circumstances and I enjoyed it, even though I didn't fully understand the circumstances or find them particularly believable. It also does a nice job of showing how the challenges of loss (a father), alcoholism (the best friend's mother), and poverty (all of the children live in poverty) impact children.
The bottom line, here, is that it's a fun read. As a middle grader, I know I would have enjoyed this book because I loved anything that was otherworldly with children saving the day. So, I definitely recommend it to those who have middle grade children who like fantasy/sci-fi and/or adults who happen to like this type of fiction and don't mind if it's a little far-fetched. The holographic people are very entertaining and the relationships between the children are charming.
July 20, 2019
Science fiction fans will enjoy this suspenseful story of a group of kids facing the danger of saving the planet from an interdimensional catastrophe. Mary Day just wants to enjoy the rest of her winter break with her best friend, Brit, and her little brother, Albie. She wakes up to a snowy morning and the excitement of playing outside in the cold weather. Her little brother is unable to speak, however, this highly intelligent little boy is able to communicate telepathically with Mary through psychic memos. When the three children come into contact with local wildlife acting strangely aggressive and their neighbor becomes inexcplicably angry and threatening towards them, they realize something strange is happening. When the see an eerie red mist in the woods and start having horrible thoughts themselves, they know they are in big trouble. Brit's older brother, Lars, joins this trio, along with three odd extraterrestrials to stop the evil thoughts from spreading and ruining the world. This book is kind of like A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle meets Bird Box, the 2018 Netflix movie. There is a great deal of suspense as the kids race against time and the evil red mist to save the world, but there is also a bit of scary violence, including a suicide brought on by the horribly negative thoughts created by the red mist. Readers that are sensitive to this type of imagery should avoid this book. I would say that this book would be best suited for kids in grades six and up.
Read
June 4, 2019So I'm 100% not the intended audience for this (I went into reading this knowing this) but there have been quite a few middle grade books I've read and enjoyed recently I decided to pick this up.
I absolutely loved the relationships between all the characters; they were real and they acted their age, which I find doesn't happen as often as I thought. I loved the SMHR machines and how they had some conscious being. I'd love to see more stories about them.
However, all of the science-based conversations went over my head. I felt as though it was being explained simply and easily and then all of a sudden a page of things that didn't understand and maybe it's just because my neediness lies in computers and not sci-fi transportation but I'd say it's aimed closer to the sci-fi loving middle grade. Again: I'm 100% aware I'm not the audience for this book and that's why I don't want to mess with the star rating of it.
Thank you to the publisher for sending an ARC of this to the bookstore I work at.
I absolutely loved the relationships between all the characters; they were real and they acted their age, which I find doesn't happen as often as I thought. I loved the SMHR machines and how they had some conscious being. I'd love to see more stories about them.
However, all of the science-based conversations went over my head. I felt as though it was being explained simply and easily and then all of a sudden a page of things that didn't understand and maybe it's just because my neediness lies in computers and not sci-fi transportation but I'd say it's aimed closer to the sci-fi loving middle grade. Again: I'm 100% aware I'm not the audience for this book and that's why I don't want to mess with the star rating of it.
Thank you to the publisher for sending an ARC of this to the bookstore I work at.
May 8, 2019
A uniquely charming and optimistic interpretation of good vs evil, light vs dark, seen through the eyes of a young girl (Mary) and the mind of her little brother (Albie). The story is engaging throughout and pulls you in the more pages you turn. Traveling through space and time itself, this diverse cast of characters combined with an epic responsibility and a strong sense of destiny make it a fun, heartfelt, and satisfying read.
This is a book that will empower kids to feel inspired, motivated, and optimistic about the world around them and all the new emotions that come with growing up in it. Mary and Albie's epic quest to save the universe should be on every 6th grade reading list this coming school year.
This is a book that will empower kids to feel inspired, motivated, and optimistic about the world around them and all the new emotions that come with growing up in it. Mary and Albie's epic quest to save the universe should be on every 6th grade reading list this coming school year.
July 10, 2019
MY THOUGHTS:
I received this book in exchange for my honest review.
Sci fi meets the Goonies. Normal surrounded by science and telepathy and every day growing pains. This is a terrific book and I found myself unable to put it down. I read it in two hours. Middle-grade level, but higher end chapter book readers could read and enjoy this story too.
Full of relationship issues, fitting in, being strong while enjoying the adventure. A very feet on the ground feeling throughout. Lots of actions, some mystery and great characters. You can’t go wrong with this fantastic book! Loved everything about it. The plot moved forward at an excellent pace, the size of the book is perfect and everything written is necessary and has a purpose. Well fleshed out characters, wonderfully flawed and very realistic and relatable.
I received this book in exchange for my honest review.
Sci fi meets the Goonies. Normal surrounded by science and telepathy and every day growing pains. This is a terrific book and I found myself unable to put it down. I read it in two hours. Middle-grade level, but higher end chapter book readers could read and enjoy this story too.
Full of relationship issues, fitting in, being strong while enjoying the adventure. A very feet on the ground feeling throughout. Lots of actions, some mystery and great characters. You can’t go wrong with this fantastic book! Loved everything about it. The plot moved forward at an excellent pace, the size of the book is perfect and everything written is necessary and has a purpose. Well fleshed out characters, wonderfully flawed and very realistic and relatable.
January 7, 2025
I feel like the characters had more background story than depth. It showed me the meaning for the story and how they made the decisions they did throughout the story. As I did like this story, the plot felt pretty repetitive. I would have to trace back my reading a few pages to get hooked up to the book again, but in my opinion that added something good to the story that made me want to read it and not just put it down. So overall I did really like this book. I read it as a freshman, with a pretty high vocabulary, and managed to understand everything with no struggle, but mostly I think this was a good story because it was unlike something I haven't read in my history with books, and that stood out to me and kept me on the hook a lot of the time wanting to read chapters at a time.
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July 7, 2019Four kids, a UFO disguised as an old white VW Bug, aliens who comically try to go incognito as earthlings, and some eerie red mist that turns everyone’s thoughts angry and dark the minute they encounter it.
An easily read little tale of sibling love, friendship, adventure and intergalactic suspense as our young heroines and heros try to save the world from an interdimensional tear.
Lots of sci-fi details, comedic relief provided by the aliens, and bravery, loyalty and love between the characters. A great summer read!
An easily read little tale of sibling love, friendship, adventure and intergalactic suspense as our young heroines and heros try to save the world from an interdimensional tear.
Lots of sci-fi details, comedic relief provided by the aliens, and bravery, loyalty and love between the characters. A great summer read!
October 26, 2019
This short middle grade novel is about Mary who lives with her brother, her mom, and her grandmother. Her brother is 8 but has never spoken out loud, he does send her telepathic messages. One day they encounter something odd-a red mist that they sense is evil. Mary's best friend Brit and her older brother Lars notice it too. Then a carload of aliens shows up informing them that there is a rip in the space time continuum. This was a quick, fun read. It was really exciting and emotional at the same time. I liked it a lot.
September 3, 2019
This is a great book that will be good for all ages. Picture "Stranger Things" , "A Wrinkle in Time" , and "Galaxy Quest" coming together as one. The math and science concepts might be difficult to understand if you aren't familiar with them but they're supposed to be confusing to Mary the protagonist as well. I really enjoyed this book and I'm looking forward to recommending it to my 4th graders.
June 20, 2019
Picked this up at Barnes & Noble on Father's Day. Really enjoyed this book about Albie and his Pearl. I got a big "Stranger Things" meets "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" vibe from this. Highly recommended for kids who want a sci-fi read with humor and heart.
July 18, 2021
Fun, witty, rollicking sci fi adventure! I have a soft spot for books that feature positive sibling relationships; so many don’t and I hate it. I LOVED all the relationships in this book, but Pearl $ Albie and Brit & Lars especially gave me all the warm fuzzies. 🥰
April 11, 2019
2.5 stars
July 7, 2019
A fun, quick read with an unusual brother/sister team. ...great cover, quick read, and not all sci-fi for kids has to be chaos.
February 18, 2020
3rd-6th: Although this is a sci-fi classification, it is a good recommendation for younger kids who want 'horror' or suspense books.
December 14, 2020
Bad order is one of my favorite middle grade books. It’s fast-paced book with action.
February 22, 2021
I read this book at the suggestion of my granddaughter. I loved the personalities of the triad and the message of hope and kindness that wound through the book.
May 24, 2024
This was a cute book. And the message was very positive, hopeful and uplifting. The writing was very good. Definitely would stretch a kids vocabulary.
January 10, 2025
Finished in under 24 hours 😅 A cheeky quick read and I enjoyed every page.
July 16, 2019
I loved this book. It was an easy read, it had family, friends, aliens all working together for the good of the planet. Pearl, nicknamed by her brother, has the gift of compassion and love. Her brother, who never speaks aloud, communicates with Pearl through mental "pictures." How they work together and with two friends warms my heart. I will be looking for more by this author.
August 3, 2019
Loved this story. A very well written story that will appeal to all ages.
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