Author Kevin Emerson channels Frank Cottrell Boyce in this tween sci-fi adventure about two kids from opposite sides of the country who find themselves on a road trip to save the world from an impending alien attack.
Haley and Dodger have nothing in common. But that was before they learned about the strange, unexplainable phenomena in Juliette, Arizona. Before they both received summer research grants from a mysterious foundation and discovered their theories about extraterrestrial life were correct. Now Haley and Dodger do have something in common: they're the only ones who can figure out what's happening in towns across the country . . . and stop it.
The Fellowship for Alien Detection has it all: an inventive premise, fantastic voice, cinematic tone, and high appeal for both boys and girls.
School Library Journal
Gr 5–8—Haley's an eighth grader in Connecticut with a theory about the mysterious disappearances she discovers on the Internet. On the opposite coast, Dodger is a confused boy who gets radio messages from the past in his head. Both kids win an "alien detection" fellowship and travel with their families to conduct field research and do deeper investigation into extraterrestrials. When it turns out that their projects point to an actual alien invasion, the two finally meet and join forces. Intriguing brief interludes describe another girl who is trapped in an endlessly repeating day, which is also part of the aliens' secret scheme. Details of the aliens' malicious mission emerge carefully and sometimes subtly, drawing readers in. Dates and times are given at the beginning of each chapter, but the year is withheld, a clever touch as it lets readers realize that the repeated day sections actually take place in the past. The pacing slows at times, especially in Haley's opening section, which takes up the first third of the novel. The abrupt shift to Dodger's story stalls momentum for a bit, but the action accelerates as he discovers he has amazing powers and finally unites with Haley. There's more to both protagonists than their alien-hunter roles. Dodger feels like an outcast from his family and Haley has ambitious career goals. However, ultimately neither one resonates as a truly memorable figure, and the supporting characters are generally two-dimensional. Still, the premise is engaging, and final revelations about the invasion are mostly satisfying and surprising.—Steven Engelfried, Wilsonville Public Library, OR
Children's Literature - Mary Thompson
Haley is a budding journalist and at the end of eighth grade her story about the mysterious disappearance of Suza Raines gains her an internship, not with New York Daily Times as she hoped, but with F.A.D., Fellowship for Alien Detection. Determined to make the most out of this and secure her status as journalist extraordinaire, she convinces her parents to take a road trip so she can conduct interviews and research for her paper. She conveniently neglects to mention the many missing people, the weird sixteen minute time loss, and the danger associated with such an assignment. Dodger, the other F.A.D. winner from Seattle sets out on a similar trip with his dad. The aliens, headed by Number One and Number Two, are in hot pursuit to keep the children from destroying their cover. The story starts slowly and wanders a bit with Haley's plot and her many inner monologues. However, once Dodger is introduced things pick up and the plot thickens. The action is nonstop from that point on. Readers who loved the "X-Files" and conspiracy theories will eat this up with gusto. Even for science fiction novices, there is plenty of humor, mystery and adventure to engage them. Reviewer: Mary Thompson
Kirkus Reviews
Two middle schoolers might be Earth's only defense against an alien takeover. Haley, a slightly neurotic overachiever, wants a summer of adventure that will look good on her college applications. Dodger, a misfit who hears a phantom radio station in his head, hopes to finally find a place where he belongs. Haley and Dodger are brought together when they each receive a grant to study extraterrestrial activity. Their research could give them both what they desperately desire, but only if they can avoid being abducted. Assisted by the mysterious Alto, whose memory seems spotty at best, the two young investigators find themselves at the center of a global conspiracy. Unless the three unlikely heroes can figure out how to thwart the alien threat, Earth is scheduled to be turned into a zoo with mankind as its primary exhibit. Despite the looming takeover, Haley and Dodger face universal questions: Where did I come from? Where am I going? And are pancakes the perfect fuel for adventurers? Quirky characters and an intriguing mystery elevate this story above many other alien encounters. Overwritten inner monologues and a plot that sometimes meanders for no discernible reasons make pacing an issue. Alien surprise with a side of early-teen angst makes for a decent read. (Science fiction. 10-14)
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