Roswell Johnson Saves the World! (Roswell Johnson #1)

Eleven-year-old Oklahoma native Roswell Johnson grew up listening to stories of alien contact from his late father, who claimed to have seen a UFO. Now, Roswell is obsessed with proving aliens exist. Following a disastrous science fair, Roswell is accidentally abducted by Nerp and Bleep, a pair of aliens called Grays who were performing routine analysis on Earth life forms. Before he can be returned home, the trio is captured by malevolent Reptoids, who have sinister plans for Earth. Escaping with the aid of fellow prisoners—including overly literal Cyborg Rob, anxious Mantis Mank, and exuberant anthropomorphic canine Cassi Furbottom—the unlikely group must travel the galaxy to gather support in order to thwart the Reptoids before it’s too late. This spacefaring jaunt by Colfer (A Tale of Sorcery) is exuberant, earnest, and more than a little tongue-in-cheek. While an overabundance of tropes and nonstop pop culture references are sometimes distracting, altogether, it’s an enjoyable manifestation of found family and indefatigable resilience. Roswell is of Nigerian, Comanche, Cameroonian, French Creole, and German descent. Ages 8–12. Agent: Rob Weisbach, Rob Weisbach Creative Management. (June)