Friday, August 19, 2011

Aliens on Vacation - Clete Barrett Smith

Aliens on Vacation by Clete Barrett Smith
David, who goes by Scrub, is not happy about having to spend the summer with his grandmother. She lives in a secluded part on Washington and runs a bed and breakfast. All of the guest are a little strange to Scrub and he thinks its because they are really into their love of space. Eventually the grandmother tells Scrub she runs a bed and breakfast for aliens . Scrub starts helping around the B&B. His grandmother has kept her guest a secret from the town for over twenty years. After Scrub makes a bad decision the truth about the Bed and Breakfast could be discovered.

I only picked this up because the author is going to be at the Decatur Book Festival this year. After reading the first page, I knew had winner.

"When the taxi pulled up to Grandma's place, I wanted to burrow under the seat and cower in shame. I blinked a few times, but the view didn't get any better. Of all the place my parents had dumped me for a summer, this was the dumpiest. The sign out front said it all: The Intergalactic Bed and Breakfast. The three story Victorian home had at least the potential to be normal, with its white picket fence and rocking chairs on the wraparound porch but no. The house was jet black with huge murals of comets and stars and planets on each side, painted on with what looked like glittery nail polish."

I enjoyed every aspect of this very funny story. Smith has created a wonderful new protagonist in Scrub. I was very impressed that the author cared enough to consider what would be the best diet for the Aliens. Aliens on Vacation will appeal to sci fi , non sci fans and reluctant readers. A debut favorite of 2011

Read chapter one


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