Summer Reading Sundays (2)

     Summer reading assignements always seem to be such a controversy among students when school is ending or starting up again. I'm not necessarily a fan of assigned summer reading, but then again I'm not against it either. I simply think the books leave something to be desired most of the time.

     I'd love to hear about any of your experiences with summer reading! You don't have to still be a student to tell me about something you were assigned to read. Maybe your boss decided you needed to read a particular book for the job. Or, better yet, talk about a book you assigned yourself! Did you love the book, hate it or have no opinion on it? Did you feel that the book was age appropriate?

7th Grade-- Aliens Ate My Homework by Bruce Coville

     I know it's horrible, but I was dreading having to read this book just because of the title. By this time I was past reading books with titles like this (about time, I would think). I thought it sounded much too childish to have to read for seventh grade (because obviously seventh grade is so superior, right?)! So I procrastinated and whined about having to read such a horrid book, and I never whine about having to read something unless it is that bad.

     When I finally sat down and started Aliens Ate My Homework I was pleased. It was not anywhere near as terrible as my imaginings had conjured it up to be! Yes, it was still a bit too childish for my taste, but it wasn't bad. It was even kind of funny and it had plenty of plot twists too.

     In the book, Rod Allbright gets in trouble for telling his teacher that aliens ate his math homework. The thing is, aliens really did eat his homework. They are also trying to get Rod to help them find an alien criminal. A criminal who Rod has been up-close and personal with many a time while he was being bullied by said alien criminal.

     Rod was a typical sixth grade kid, in my opinion. He had foregone believing in aliens by that time and was just trying to do his homework. The aliens were a welcome distraction none the less!
     My favorites of the aliens were Madame Pong and Tar Gibbons. They were the sweetest and the most helpful. Plus they had more personality than most of the others.
     Rating: 4 
     While this wasn't my cup of tea, I'm sure some people would like it, particularly younger kids between the ages of 8 and 10. Look for Aliens Ate My Homework by Bruce Coville just about anywhere including Amazon.