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| by Clete Smith; Christian Slade (Illustrator) |
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David isnt happy about leaving Florida and his friends to summer with his crazy grandmother in "Middle-of-Nowhere," Washington. Arriving at her Intergalactic Bed & Breakfast, he isnt surprised by its the-60s-meets-Star-Wars dcor, but he "is" surprised by the weird-looking guests. It turns out that each room in the inn is an off-earth portal and his grandma the gate-keeper, allowing aliens to vacation on Earth. Grandma desperately needs Davids help monitoring the visitors, shopping for cartloads of aluminum-foil for dinner, and taking rambunctious alien kids, that glow-in-the-dark and look like trees, camping. The problem is, the town sheriff, already suspicious about Granny, is a scout leader camping in the same spot. Will David blow Grannys cover, forcing the B&B to shut down for good, or will the intergalactic police have to intervene?
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Clete Barrett Smith (www.cletebarrettsmith.com) is a high school teacher who managed to find the time to write award-winning screenplays and work toward a master's degree in Writing for Children and Young Adults at Vermont College of Fine Arts before he published this, his first novel. He lives in Bellingham, Washington, with his wife and two daughters and is hard at work on another adventure about the Intergalactic Bed & Breakfast. Christian Slade (www.christianslade.com) received an M.A. in Illustration from Syracuse University and a B.F.A. in Drawing and Animation from the University of Central Florida. His many clients include publishers, toy companies, and film studios. His work has been recognized by The Society of Illustrators in New York City and Spectrum annuals.
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Gr 5-7-Instead of enjoying summer hanging out in the Florida sunshine, Scrub has been shipped clear out to Washington state to work at his grandmother's space-themed inn. He quickly realizes that the Intergalactic Bed & Breakfast is not merely a clever name. Grandma's guests are actual aliens-from outer space-looking for a relaxing holiday on our quaint backwater planet. Grandma and Scrub try to provide appropriate Earth disguises for excursions, but it's tricky for tentacled, three-eyed, or 10-foot-tall travelers to pass through unobtrusively. The local townsfolk are leery of Grandma's New Age lifestyle and her unusual guests who don't speak English well and have odd customs and mannerisms. Scrub's new friend Amy seems particularly determined to solve the mystery of the inn's clientele-and, unfortunately, her dad is the town sheriff, who would relish an excuse to close Grandma down for good. When the growing suspicion boils over into mob action, it's up to Scrub to save his grandmother's secret-and her livelihood. This deceptively lighthearted tale includes plenty of chuckles. Scrub's chaotic campout with three rowdy juvenile aliens is especially funny. Each chapter is headed by an amusing illustration of a "Tourist"-often in Earth disguise. There is also a powerful message about tolerance and responsibility. The town's mounting prejudice and fear creates an atmosphere of conflict, and the final confrontation with the terrified crowd is genuinely tense. A good choice for young science fiction fans, with special appeal to middle-school boys.-Elaine E. Knight, Lincoln Elementary Schools, IL (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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David better known to his friends as Scrub is a long way from his sunny Florida home the summer before his seventh-grade year, having been dumped by his ultrabusy parents in gloomy Washington State. He stays with his grandmother, Sunshine, who runs a dumpy inn in her huge home called the Intergalactic Bed & Breakfast. Scrub soon realizes that not all is as it seems at the B and B when he accidentally walks into a restricted restroom that has a urinal on the ceiling. Also, his grandmother's guests struggle with the finer points of the English language and exhibit an otherworldly eccentricity. When a strange blue light from under his closet door wakes Scrub one night, he can no longer deny his suspicions about his grandmother and her borders. The plot is nothing new, but Smith, a teacher and screenplay writer, delivers a first novel about being a stranger in a strange land that many middle-schoolers will find funny and relatable. Slade adds a few goofy touches in the black-and-white spot art.--Anderson, Eri. Copyright 2010 Booklist
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