I’m an Alien and I Want to Go Home!

When Daniel’s snarky older sister tells him that he’s actually an adopted alien, the sixth-grader finds evidence to support her claim: he towers over his family, no baby pictures of him exist, and a meteor reportedly struck town the day he was born. Disgruntled, Daniel asks his best friends Eddie and “Gordon the Geek” to help him return to his home planet. Their efforts include attempting to cryogenically freeze Daniel in the bathtub and sell their Halloween candy to fund a trip to Russia, where he hopes to hitch a ride on a spaceship. Things really pick up once the kids concoct a madcap scheme for Daniel to phone home, à la E.T., triggering a string of disasters that culminates in Daniel’s parents’ kidnapping. Kelley’s pencil cartoons (not all seen by PW) easily tap into the story’s oddball sense of humor, while Daniel’s dry narration has an engaging sense of humor, making the book a good choice for newly independent readers. Ages 10–12. Author’s agent: Anne Clark, Anne Clark Literary Agency. Illustrator’s agent: Abigail Samoun, Red Fox Literary. (Nov.)