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Alien Superstar #1
Alien Superstar
No one is shocked by the six-eyed alien strolling around the Universal back lot. The tourists just think he’s part of the show. It doesn’t take long for Buddy to land a role on a popular TV show, playing (of course) an alien. He becomes an overnight heartthrob and is suddenly faced with legions of adoring fans, rides in glamorous limos, and appearances at “all-the-shrimp-you-can-eat” red carpet parties. But can Buddy maintain his secret identity while in the spotlight?
254 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2019
46 people are currently reading
165 people want to read
About the author
Henry Winkler
117 books560 followersHenry Winkler is instantly recognizable and admired by audiences of all ages for his role as the Fonz on the long-running series, Happy Days. In addition, he is an award-winning producer and director of family and children's programming. He is also the author of the critically-acclaimed Hank Zipzer series, which follows the everyday adventures of a bright boy with learning challenges.
Mr. Winkler has also continued his acting career on the big screen, including a Golden Globe nomination for his performance in Nightshift, a starring role in the box-office hit Scream, and co-starring roles in The Water Boy, and Holes. On television, he has guest-starred on ABC's The Practice and NBC's Law & Order: SVU. He recently starred on Broadway for nine months in Neil Simon's play The Dinner Party.
Mr. Winkler is deeply committed to children's welfare and works with numerous children's groups. He is involved with The MacLaren Children's Center (a facility for abused children), The National Committee for Arts for the Handicapped, The Special Olympics, and The Los Angeles Music Center's Very Special Arts Festival, as well as numerous teenage alcohol and drug abuse programs. He is a founding member of the Children's Action Network, a non-profit organization that sponsors informational briefings for writers, producers and directors on children's issues and serves as a clearing-house for the entertainment industry on children's issues.
Mr. Winkler has also continued his acting career on the big screen, including a Golden Globe nomination for his performance in Nightshift, a starring role in the box-office hit Scream, and co-starring roles in The Water Boy, and Holes. On television, he has guest-starred on ABC's The Practice and NBC's Law & Order: SVU. He recently starred on Broadway for nine months in Neil Simon's play The Dinner Party.
Mr. Winkler is deeply committed to children's welfare and works with numerous children's groups. He is involved with The MacLaren Children's Center (a facility for abused children), The National Committee for Arts for the Handicapped, The Special Olympics, and The Los Angeles Music Center's Very Special Arts Festival, as well as numerous teenage alcohol and drug abuse programs. He is a founding member of the Children's Action Network, a non-profit organization that sponsors informational briefings for writers, producers and directors on children's issues and serves as a clearing-house for the entertainment industry on children's issues.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
September 22, 2019
A young alien makes his way to Earth. He lands in the perfect spot -- Universal Studios in CA. It isn't long before he is cast in a show about aliens for kids. Buddy learns lessons about friendship and being yourself....even when you have six eyes, three lungs and suction cup feet!
Until I read a review copy of this book, I had no idea Henry Winkler writes children's books! This was such a cute story with excellent life lessons (and corny jokes) for kids that I am sure I will be reading more of the books he writes with Lin Oliver! So cute!
Some of the story and humor was repetitive, but this is a book written for middle school children, not adults. I read it as such and enjoyed the fun antics and silliness. It was a nice palate cleanser after the heavier adult fiction I usually read. This story definitely put a smile on my face. I think elementary age kids would definitely enjoy Buddy the Alien and his rise to fame.
Cute story! I will definitely be reading more by this writing duo!
**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Abrams Kids via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
Until I read a review copy of this book, I had no idea Henry Winkler writes children's books! This was such a cute story with excellent life lessons (and corny jokes) for kids that I am sure I will be reading more of the books he writes with Lin Oliver! So cute!
Some of the story and humor was repetitive, but this is a book written for middle school children, not adults. I read it as such and enjoyed the fun antics and silliness. It was a nice palate cleanser after the heavier adult fiction I usually read. This story definitely put a smile on my face. I think elementary age kids would definitely enjoy Buddy the Alien and his rise to fame.
Cute story! I will definitely be reading more by this writing duo!
**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Abrams Kids via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
December 18, 2019
Some reasons for 5 stars:
- Love the story!
-Great drawings! Wish they were in color.
-Will read again. Definitely looking forward to next book in series! One of the authors is the Fonz from Happy Days. Wow! Henry Winkler is even more talented then I thought.
-This book is a great reminder on the reasons why we read. This book is an awesome escape! The humor is also great. This is why I recommend this children book to all to read.
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- Love the story!
-Great drawings! Wish they were in color.
-Will read again. Definitely looking forward to next book in series! One of the authors is the Fonz from Happy Days. Wow! Henry Winkler is even more talented then I thought.
-This book is a great reminder on the reasons why we read. This book is an awesome escape! The humor is also great. This is why I recommend this children book to all to read.
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August 23, 2019Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver have been fascinating young audiences – and older ones – for generations. Now the bestselling team has collaborated to produce Alien Superstar (Abrams Children’s Books), the first novel in a new illustrated middle-grade series, releasing October 1.
Alien Superstar follows a young alien who escapes his planet only to end up in an even wilder place: Hollywood, CA.
In addition to drawing on their bestselling success as the authors of the Hank Zipzer and Here’s Hank series, Winkler and Oliver are infusing their decades of experience in Hollywood into a hilarious out-of-this-world story for middle-grade readers. Readers meet Buddy Burger, who escapes his alien planet after all forms of art and culture are outlawed by the repressive government.
He crash-lands in the middle of a Hollywood film lot, but people think it’s just part of the show and that Buddy is wearing an incredible alien costume. Through a series of misunderstandings and lucky breaks, Buddy is cast as an alien on a popular TV show and becomes a teen heartthrob overnight.
The rest of the review: https://booktrib.com/2019/08/this-ser...
Alien Superstar follows a young alien who escapes his planet only to end up in an even wilder place: Hollywood, CA.
In addition to drawing on their bestselling success as the authors of the Hank Zipzer and Here’s Hank series, Winkler and Oliver are infusing their decades of experience in Hollywood into a hilarious out-of-this-world story for middle-grade readers. Readers meet Buddy Burger, who escapes his alien planet after all forms of art and culture are outlawed by the repressive government.
He crash-lands in the middle of a Hollywood film lot, but people think it’s just part of the show and that Buddy is wearing an incredible alien costume. Through a series of misunderstandings and lucky breaks, Buddy is cast as an alien on a popular TV show and becomes a teen heartthrob overnight.
The rest of the review: https://booktrib.com/2019/08/this-ser...
July 2, 2020
Another Fine Series
I was impressed by, and entertained by, the original Zipzer series. "Hank" was a nice younger crowd followup, but "Ghost Buddy" never really captured me. This series, though, seems to be in the style of the Zipzer books, and returns us to the gentle/funny sweet spot that Winkler and Oliver do so well.
This time around our hero, Buddy, is a fish out of water alien, but he could just as well be any slightly off balance kid. Wisely, Buddy has been given a deep background knowledge from his Earth studies, but no practical or real experience with Earth or Earthlings. That means that even in Book One we skip the sometimes tedious process of bringing Buddy up to speed from ground zero, and rather get to dump him right into the action.
There is a lot of Bonnie Bedelia humor based on Buddy taking phrases and idioms literally, but that's not the foundation of the comedy and it doesn't take over the story. This is a new kid in school trying to make friends tale, just the new kid has six eyes. As always, the authors are best at finding the hero some friends, and this becomes, literally, a very satisfying "buddy" comedy.
So, some clever bits, some obvious laughs, some sly little jabs, and an overall upbeat and winning tone left me happy with this new series opener.
(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.)
I was impressed by, and entertained by, the original Zipzer series. "Hank" was a nice younger crowd followup, but "Ghost Buddy" never really captured me. This series, though, seems to be in the style of the Zipzer books, and returns us to the gentle/funny sweet spot that Winkler and Oliver do so well.
This time around our hero, Buddy, is a fish out of water alien, but he could just as well be any slightly off balance kid. Wisely, Buddy has been given a deep background knowledge from his Earth studies, but no practical or real experience with Earth or Earthlings. That means that even in Book One we skip the sometimes tedious process of bringing Buddy up to speed from ground zero, and rather get to dump him right into the action.
There is a lot of Bonnie Bedelia humor based on Buddy taking phrases and idioms literally, but that's not the foundation of the comedy and it doesn't take over the story. This is a new kid in school trying to make friends tale, just the new kid has six eyes. As always, the authors are best at finding the hero some friends, and this becomes, literally, a very satisfying "buddy" comedy.
So, some clever bits, some obvious laughs, some sly little jabs, and an overall upbeat and winning tone left me happy with this new series opener.
(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.)
September 6, 2021
This was a lot of fun and I really liked Buddy (sorry, not going to write his entire name XD). I loved the show and seeing what was going on there, and I loved seeing Buddy try to figure out what to eat and how humans do things. Yes, things got a tad annoying with his constant questions (that people thought were jokes) and his constant remarks about everything under the sun. I mean, we get it you don't understand things, but maybe if people tell you this is not a good idea... just stop doing it. That was really the only thing I wasn't a fan of in the whole book. Oh and Tyler of course.
The ending was definitely exciting (the finding food, the red carpet, the mysterious light). I am definitely curious about the next book in the series.
The illustrations were great and made things even funnier.
Not going to write a longer review, I am already up to 16 September on my blog with reviews and I still have one or two I may want to write. XD
The ending was definitely exciting (the finding food, the red carpet, the mysterious light). I am definitely curious about the next book in the series.
The illustrations were great and made things even funnier.
Not going to write a longer review, I am already up to 16 September on my blog with reviews and I still have one or two I may want to write. XD
May 30, 2020
An adorably, humorous tale of an alien that escapes from his planet and lands on earth. He ends up becoming a superstar in Hollywood. I enjoyed the play with language woven throughout the books reminded me of Amelia Bedilia’s trouble with language. I would highly recommend this book, especially for boys.
February 5, 2022
A good fun read!
Looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
Looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
July 24, 2019
Lin Oliver and Henry Winkler team up for a new, middle grades/elementary humorous series. Unlike HANK ZIPZER and HERE’S HANK, however, this one fun with an alien-come-to-earth-to-avoid-evil-overlords on his. “Buddy” happens to land where the movies he loves are made, makes a friend in Luis who plays Frankenstein at Universal Studios, and happens to be cast as an alien in a kids’ show. On set, he and Cassidy become friends and manage to stay that way even after she discovers that the six eyed, suction cup feet costume is actually the real Buddy. Themes of friendship and being yourself abound in this first installment and the non-stop corny jokes that Buddy makes because he doesn’t really understand Earth’s English will make many of my 4th-5th grade library patrons laugh. Adults will likely grow a little weary of the constancy of those types of jokes and I know that after ten pages of the book, I was a quite tired of how many references to his 3 lungs, 6 eyes, and suction cup feet there were. But I was reading an ARC from Edelweiss, so maybe that will get fixed before the final edition. And hopefully the illustrator will read the book so that when the text says that little sis Eloise has at least six braids, each with a different color ribbon, the accompanying final drawing will support that description. Recommended for 3rd-5th grade readers of other Winkler-Oliver collaborations and Geronimo Stilton’s Space Mice series.
February 5, 2024
Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver have spun a tail that will captivate young Readers.
A young space alien leaves his home and beloved grandmother to pursue freedom of thought and choose his life path. Along the way he finds true friends and jealous friends that want to end his dreams.
A funny and somewhat wacky story as 2 cultures collide. Buddy crashes in Hollywood where strangers only get stranger. No one is surprised to see oddly attired people with strange speech. It's Hollywood! Buddy adopts the name of Buddy Burger and gets "discovered" as an actor with a very advanced alien costume that catapults him to fame. The costume is the the true appearance image of Buddy. Buddy can transform from his real appearance as an alien to his alternate character, an earth boy. But all these transformations take energy and his life energy needs to be replenished. But the food that he can digest is left behind in his space capsule that is hidden on the "back lot".
A story of friendship and culture clash with humor and determination.
A young space alien leaves his home and beloved grandmother to pursue freedom of thought and choose his life path. Along the way he finds true friends and jealous friends that want to end his dreams.
A funny and somewhat wacky story as 2 cultures collide. Buddy crashes in Hollywood where strangers only get stranger. No one is surprised to see oddly attired people with strange speech. It's Hollywood! Buddy adopts the name of Buddy Burger and gets "discovered" as an actor with a very advanced alien costume that catapults him to fame. The costume is the the true appearance image of Buddy. Buddy can transform from his real appearance as an alien to his alternate character, an earth boy. But all these transformations take energy and his life energy needs to be replenished. But the food that he can digest is left behind in his space capsule that is hidden on the "back lot".
A story of friendship and culture clash with humor and determination.
September 14, 2021
This book is so funny - I laughed aloud many times. As an audiobook read, I thoroughly enjoyed Henry Wrinkler’s hilarious way of bringing the action and characters to life. I will need to look for the book in a library so that I can see the illustrations that so many other reviewers mention. As aliens go, this character really is like no other in terms of design. I think that kids who struggle with impulse control might really enjoy Buddy’s difficulties with dealing with his sensory enhancer. Although the book comes to a satisfactory end to the first chapter in Buddy’s adventures, it definitely ends in a way that will have you looking for the next book in the series to see what happens next. Adults will enjoy reading this story. Buddy’s enthusiasm and naivety are so endearing. The nods to tv shows - including Happy Days - are also fun for grown-ups. For anyone new to the genre, this book makes an amusing introduction to science fiction.
July 7, 2019
Aliens, viral videos, red carpets, limos and jokes galore… What’s not to love? The first book in a new series about an alien who escapes his home planet and lands in Universal Studios is funny and fresh. Giving himself the human name, Buddy, the main character tries to find a way to fit in on planet Earth by befriending Luis and Cassidy, and by attempting to hold a job as an actor. The characters and their friendships are enjoyable and the story is a FUN READ. I could see reluctant readers getting into this story and wanting more, more, more as the books in the series continue to be released.
Want to read
October 17, 2019What happens when an alien comes to earth, lands in California right in the lap of Hollywood —the Universal Backlot? Well, they become a star of course!
Buddy is lovable, he is fun and he has too many secrets to keep that we all wonder if he can keep his Spaciness a secret or he blows it.
Middle graders and all other ages will love this book. Hey, even the adults will. I mean come on the Fonz and Lin Oliver created Buddy, how could you not want to read this book?
The illustrations are fantastic, the storyline engaging and the characters are out of this world creative. I can’t wait for the next book.
Buddy is lovable, he is fun and he has too many secrets to keep that we all wonder if he can keep his Spaciness a secret or he blows it.
Middle graders and all other ages will love this book. Hey, even the adults will. I mean come on the Fonz and Lin Oliver created Buddy, how could you not want to read this book?
The illustrations are fantastic, the storyline engaging and the characters are out of this world creative. I can’t wait for the next book.
July 20, 2021
Really good! I read this to my grandchildren.. 8 year old boy & 8 year old girl. They both liked it, he more than she. We’d already read the 2nd book about Buddy the 13 year old 6-eyed, blue skin, purple blooded alien.. so we all wanted to learn how he came to earth from his home planet. It was great that Grandma Wrinkle could land his space ship right on the back lot of Universal Studios! Love how Luis found him & befriended him. Buddy C Burger has a positive outlook, great intentions but terrible understanding of local idioms & culture. He learned what he knows about humans from old movies watched with his beloved Grandma, who actually built his space craft from spare parts. He needed to leave before the sensory enhancer in the middle of his back was neutralized, killing his creativity & enjoyment of life.
Great to see how he falls into the role of an alien on a popular teenage show, being himself & winning over (nearly) everyone around him.
Henry Wrinkler writes for middle-schoolers, complete with corny jokes. He is very good at it!
Also loved the illustrations ☺️
Great to see how he falls into the role of an alien on a popular teenage show, being himself & winning over (nearly) everyone around him.
Henry Wrinkler writes for middle-schoolers, complete with corny jokes. He is very good at it!
Also loved the illustrations ☺️
December 31, 2019
This is the start of a new middle school book series from Henry Winkler. A 13-year-old alien barely escapes his planet, with the help of his grandmother. He lands at Universal Studios backlot in Hollywood, CA. He can transform from alien to a human appearance, and soon lands a job on a teen TV show. He tries to keep his identity a secret as he adjusts to life on Earth. The story contains lots of humor, excitement, friendship, and teen angst. I imagine it will appeal to both preteen boys and girls.
August 24, 2019
‘Sokay children’s chapter book about an alien escaping a repressive society for sensory freedom here on Earth. Kids will probably find it funny, but there may be too many puns that only adults will understand. It’s just generally entertaining, no social value, but even kids need some escapism literature. It will be published in October, but I wouldn’t go so far as to mark my calendar with the release date. Like I said: ‘Sokay.
January 15, 2020
Do not ask about WHY I read this because that's a long story but overall? Not terrible! Oddly enough this doesn't feel like a children's book? The amount of body horror throughout is horrifying and feels more YA than children. But the characters were actually pretty good and I liked the little alien protagonist and was rooting for him. I read this in October and wasn't a huge fan of it but the more steps back I take from it the more I like it
February 20, 2020
NEW REVIEW: This week, Mrsreadforfun is very excited to share her review of Alien Superstar by Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver, Illustrated by Ethan Nicole.
Benny Burger is an alien who crash lands on the Universal backlot in Hollywood. A TV Producer thinks he is wearing a fabulous costume and gives him a job. Benny becomes an overnight superstar. There are problems maintaining this pretense. Read this LOL book and find out.
https://youtu.be/0Z6bYhLphAA
Benny Burger is an alien who crash lands on the Universal backlot in Hollywood. A TV Producer thinks he is wearing a fabulous costume and gives him a job. Benny becomes an overnight superstar. There are problems maintaining this pretense. Read this LOL book and find out.
https://youtu.be/0Z6bYhLphAA
January 27, 2020
This was such a fun book to read. It’s a young adult book about an alien that leaves his planet in order to keep his self. He has prepared for this departure with the help of his grandmother but you can never prepare completely. This coming of age book shows that if you are ready to fly you can with the help of some great friends along the way.
October 18, 2020
Super cute book. I recently saw Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver in an online interview with Blue Willow Books , such a great interview they had put together a power point presentation for middle school kids regarding themselves and their books. And because of that interview I had to read one of their books. I want to read the next book for sure.
January 24, 2024
Im not into aliens or space at all and I really only read this because Henry Winkler wrote it. That being said, it's a cute book and I liked the illustrations but of Henry's books I've read so far, this series is my least favorite. Not a criticism at all, however. The storyline was cute and I liked the way Buddy dealt with problems and that he was able to make friends.
February 17, 2020
Outstanding! Highly recommend this fun, page-turning, quirky novel. A fantastic start to what is surely going to be a series that flies off my library's shelves. Buddy Burger is a superstar both on the stage and off. Makes me want to meet an alien too!
October 13, 2020
This was a pleasant surprise! Laugh out loud funny and a true es ape while reading. This is the type of story that turn kid’s to readers. I’m glad I read it because I throughly enjoyed it. Moving on to next book in the series.
December 26, 2020
Cute and humorous read, perfect for young readers and fans of Terry Pratchett.
A book full of puns and silly observations about modern life that was obviously written by someone with inside knowledge of Hollywood and sitcoms.
If you loved Mork and Alf then you will love Buddy.
A book full of puns and silly observations about modern life that was obviously written by someone with inside knowledge of Hollywood and sitcoms.
If you loved Mork and Alf then you will love Buddy.
October 1, 2019
I had the opportunity to meet the authors at the ALA conference! This was an entertaining first book of a series my son and I will look forward to reading.
October 31, 2019
A little too young for my cousin, but a cute book nonetheless.
April 6, 2020
Fun book for MG readers, but the story really took a while to coalesce.
January 31, 2021
The boys enjoyed this one and they're looking forward to starting the next one.
May 24, 2021
Such a fun story!
September 5, 2021
My 9 year old son and I read this book together. After reading the entire The Mysterious Benedict Society series together, this one doesn’t quite measure up, but my son really enjoyed it!
January 15, 2022
Really funny and cute. Simple writing that will appeal to reluctant readers as well as many others. Grades 3 and up
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews