UFO Diary

In the vast blue heavens the Earth twirls silently, alone except for one tiny spacecraft. From impenetrable darkness the bell - shaped spaceship plummets toward the blazing white arc of the Earth's atmosphere. In cleverly designed panoramic strips, the many faces of Earth's topography are observed from a high vantage point. The ship hovers until it spies an unknown creature in the person of a small, pale boy. The boy befriends the alien (whom we never actually see) and acts as a tour guide, introducing the visitor to the Earth's flora and fauna. Afterward, the boy is given a dizzying ride in the UFO before being deposited safely at home. This simple plot is handled in a most unusual way, since the book is initially set in space and unfolds through the eyes of an alien viewing Earth for the first time. The watercolors sparkle with intense clarity and convey both the splendor of the cosmos and that of our own planet. Ages 3-up. (Sept.)