UFO Diary

by Satoshi Kitamura

A UFO loses its way in space and settles down on a strange blue planet where it meets a young boy and they become friends.

Genres: Picture Books, Space, Friendship, Childrens, Fiction, Fantasy, Aliens

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

About the author

Satoshi Kitamura was born in 1956. After dropping out of school to pursue art, Kitamura decided not to attempt a 10-year apprenticeship as a potter and instead worked as a graphic artist. He was not trained as an artist, but at the age of 19 began to do commercial work as an illustrator for adverts and magazines. He moved from Tokyo to London in 1979 where he worked mainly at designing greeting cards.
Satoshi Kitamura has won several awards, including the Mother Goose Award, the National Art Library Award from the Victoria and Albert Museum, and a Nestle Children’s Book Prize Silver Medal. He lives in Japan.

Reviews

[Ellie L · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mistaken turn on the Milky Way leads a UFO to encounter a strange planet… planet Earth! Here, the Earth is explored in all of its beauty, with Kitamura’s wide, rolling illustrated landscapes unveiling the sublimity and immensity of our world. I really enjoyed the sense of otherness built in the depiction of the planet. Drawing back to those classic deep, dark and almost inky colours that are often associated with space. An interesting parallel is drawn between these colours, so strongly connected to the uncertainty and strangeness that humans attribute to other planets/universes, and the atmosphere generated when the alien encounters the Earth.
After encountering a child, the alien strikes up a refreshing friendship and each shows the other around their home. It would be interesting to discuss how they each approach someone different, is welcoming rather than being afraid. Perhaps there is an important lesson to be learned with regards to our outlook upon and treatment of those that are new to us.
I loved seeing the visit being told from the perspective of the alien, and alternative to a human’s reaction to life landing on the planet. In telling the story through the eyes of the alien, without showing what form it takes, it leaves the reader open to making their mind up about just who was driving the UFO. Lovely to maintain the sense of mystery and wonder around aliens whilst still opening a window into what they could be thinking.

[R · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story from an aliens point of view. It explores themes of empathy, acceptance and the importance of non-verbal cues when spoken language presents barriers that children can learn from.

[Nathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surreal and beautifully illustrated, UFO Diary puts us in the role of alien exploring our own world and making friends, providing lessons on empathy and communication. It's movement through space feels dreamlike, and the use of a teeny tiny UFO against the enormity of space and our planet alludes to the small space we occupy in our world and universe.

[Katherine Morton]

Great visual interpretation!
Allows children to explore imagery and maybe wonder what will happen
Allows children to analyse and infer characterisation!
YOU are the character!

This story is about an alien who comes to Earth and is puzzled and confused about the things he encounters. The trees, the wildlife and particularly the human boy all baffle him. The book is beautifully illustrated and communicates effectively the ideas of travel and a great journey. I liked how this text was supported by illustration and imagery to show the storyline and characterisation. I believe this picture book would be appropriate for lower key stage two (Year two and three), however possibly those who are less able in Year 4. I particularly liked how the storyline was directed to the audience in the alien's point of view, therefore allowing the students to immerse themselves more deeply into the story. This story will not only be great as a resource in English but also in subjects such as PSHE as it highlights the importance of friendship and acceptance (the boy and the alien become friends despite their differences and their inability to speak one anothers language). Questions posed to the children regarding this story could be how would they feel if they were an alien coming to earth and encountering a human for the first time?
In terms of puzzles, the story leaves a lot unsaid, for example, what planet does the alien come from? What is the aliens name? How old is the alien? Etc.
World to text connections for this story seem to be other alien related texts such as E.T and Beegu.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

The drawings of landscapes and the space are in perfect manga,'s style. Once again Kitamura tells us a touching story of sharing and friendship. The story is written from the alien's viewpoint and we see from his eyes (or whatever organs he/she uses).
Rewriting the story from the child's point of view would be interesting. In addition, let pupils draw the alien would be another fascinating activity to see how far their imagination goes.

[Mafaz Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

UFO Diary by Satoshi Kitamura is an interesting picture book with lovely illustrations. The story of the book is suitable for KS1 children but due to some tricky vocabulary words, it will be challenging for them but will be perfect for Ksy stage 2 children for their vocabulary building. The book can be used across all year groups to describe a setting as it has some lovely variations i.e a space, field, riverside etc.

[Ligaya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charming illustrations and an innocent story of an alien's day on Earth, befriended by a young boy who shows the alien around. You actually never see the alien as the story is told from the alien's point of view. Satoshi Kitamura is one of my all-time favorite children's book illustrators but his stories are also sweet and gently progressive.

[Christina Reid · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charming story about an alien who loses his/her way and ends up on Earth, meeting a little boy an being introduced to some of the variety of our planet. Lovely illustrations and would be a great writing prompt in school!

[Jinan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really sweet picture book with amazing illustrations. Tells the story of an alien who visits earth and befriends a boy. The story is told from the alien's perspective and all the images are seen through his eyes. Teaches children about difference, empathy and friendship as well as space.

[Joe Hayes · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice simple story.

[Jenna Montgomery · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unexpected story told from the UFO's perspective of visiting Earth and interacting with a boy.

[Clemmie Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kitamura's illustrations are always amazing, but this one is so beautiful! A story of an alien that takes a wrong turn in the Milky Way & forms an unlikely friendship with a human child. Great for children to try & work out who is narrating (the alien), because you never actually see it.

[G Beulah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A mysterious alien visits earth and forms a wordless friendship with a little boy. This book is a simple but unusual story that allows children to explore themes of friendship, kindness and our earth.

I used this book as part of my planning for world book day with a year one class. I read the story to the class. They were not familiar with the story and enjoyed its mystery and the illustration style, it also fit in really well with their wider topic of space.

After reading children tried to recount to each other, in pairs, the main events of the story. As a class we came up with six main events and then used paper folding to make books from A3 paper in which children illustrated these six events. I chose to do this activity as several children had brought in home-made and written stories for show-and-tell in the previous weeks which were on scrap paper or stapled together. At the end of the task children were proud to made their own "books".

I was really happy with the outcome of this lesson as I observed that children were able to use their new skill (book folding from paper) to create books and write their own stories at wet playtimes.

[Shel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kitamura, S. (1989). UFO Diary. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux

0374380260


Appetizer: An alien shares his story (a diary entry?) of how he/she/it took a wrong turn and landed on Earth where he/she/it made a new friend.

I put the diary entry part as a question above because there is no actual mention (or showing) of a diary throughout the story. Instead, this is a first person account in an alien's childlike voice. This makes me wonder if Kitamura and the publisher had trouble picking a name for the book.

I liked the illustrations of this book. The dark blues that capture space are beautiful. The faces the human boy makes when he sees the narrator are humorous and cute (although, the boy is so pale, he looks kinda like a particularly expressive zombie).

The strengths of these illustrations is how completely they're given from the perspective of the alien. The visitor's body is never shown and the reader is always seeing from his/her/its perspective so they can see the familiar world in a new light.

The final illustration--I won't give away what it is of--reminded me strongly of one of the sketches in de Saint-Exupery's classic, The Little Prince. I'd be willing to bet money this was done intentionally. Let's say, two dollars, maybe? (I never said I'd bet a lot of money.)


Dinner Conversation:

"On Monday, I took a wrong turn in the Milky Way."

"There in front of me was a strange blue planet, bright as a glass ball."

"...until I saw a creature. It stared at me as I landed."

"What an odd-looking thing!
It spoke and I could not understand'
but I smiled. It smiled back.
Then I knew he was going to be my friend."


To Go with the Meal:

This book presents a fun perspective. It shares the relatable tensions of going to a new place and wanting to make friends (even when the potential friends don't speak the same language).

Since a white bunny and several other animals are shown in a number of the illustrations, students can seek out and find the bunny.

Also, after having read (or heard aloud) this book, kids could write their own diary entries from the perspective of someone or something that has had different experiences from their own. To help present an activity like this one, a teacher could also share some of Doreen Cronin's picturebooks, including Diary of a Worm, Diary of a Spider, Diary of a Fly, and on and on.


Tasty Rating: !!!

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

A UFO visits the Earth and the alien makes friends with a young boy. Classic Satoshi Kitamura illustrations, simple narration.

[Roxann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would like to give it a 4 star for the illustrations-very nice. The book is written at about the second grade level. It was cute-but many second graders that I know would have wanted more.

[Peacegal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mr. Spaceman writes about his experience visiting Earth.

[Mellanie C · Rating 4 out of 5]

I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/12686731