A startling, wonderful novel about the true meaning of being an alien in an equally alien world."We are specks. Pieces of dust in this universe. ...
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Jan 07, 2012
Pamela
rated it: 
First Day on Earth by Cecil Castellucci is an unusual young adult book. It has a strong message, but it's a very mysterious story.
Mal, whose father abandoned Mal and his mother, live together. Mal's mother is a drunk with mental problems and he cares for her but gets no support from her. Mal really gets no support from anyone and that's the biggest problem.
He is alone. Mal feels totally alone in the world. Except for the aliens who abducted him and probed him, examined him, More...
Mal, whose father abandoned Mal and his mother, live together. Mal's mother is a drunk with mental problems and he cares for her but gets no support from her. Mal really gets no support from anyone and that's the biggest problem.
He is alone. Mal feels totally alone in the world. Except for the aliens who abducted him and probed him, examined him, More...
Dec 26, 2011
Jan
rated it: 
Mal has an assortment of problems that make life miserable. He is misunderstood; a loner who is too weird for the "average" kids and his mother is an alcoholic. But the biggest problem of his life is unusual; he believes he was abducted and probed by aliens. Because of this trauma, Mal has a great deal of rage bottled up. But Mal also has great tenderness and potential for love. He brings abandoned pets to the local vet when he finds them dying by the side of the road. He is also
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Nov 29, 2011
Rachael
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Mal is the kid on the fringes of everything, and that’s where he likes to be, since he doesn’t fit in anywhere else—not at school, not at home, not anywhere. But just because he’s quiet and rarely speaks up doesn’t mean he doesn’t have anything to say, especially about what happened to him years ago. When he was much younger, he disappeared for three days. Everyone else thought he ran away and had a seizure and explained his disappearance in rational, medical terms. But Mal thinks it was somethi
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Nov 06, 2011
Reading
rated it:
Well, I'm not really sure what to say about this book. It's certainly not a book I would normally read, and I'm actually not sure why I picked this one up. It may be because it was so short. I flipped the book open and read the first chapter in a matter of seconds, and each chapter was, at most, a couple of pages, and at least, only one sentence, giving me a feeling of accomplishment.
At first, I didn't think I was going to like the book. Mal is not a happy person, and seems to be c More...
At first, I didn't think I was going to like the book. Mal is not a happy person, and seems to be c More...
Oct 28, 2011
Richard
rated it: 
Rating: 2* of five
The Book Report: Seventeen-year-old narrator has teen angst over his alcoholic mother, his deserter dad, and his sense of life's futility, believes he's an alien abductee, and then meets an actual alien. Or just a wacko homeless dude. See, the alien/wacko joined the kid's alien contactee group. assuming this meant that the participants could get him a ride home as his ship was irreparably damaged on entry into Earth's atmosphere.
Where the ship is, no one More...
The Book Report: Seventeen-year-old narrator has teen angst over his alcoholic mother, his deserter dad, and his sense of life's futility, believes he's an alien abductee, and then meets an actual alien. Or just a wacko homeless dude. See, the alien/wacko joined the kid's alien contactee group. assuming this meant that the participants could get him a ride home as his ship was irreparably damaged on entry into Earth's atmosphere.
Where the ship is, no one More...
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Oct 19, 2011
Deborah
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I've long thought that one reason we love stories about aliens (or sentient nonhuman creatures) is that at one time or another, we've all felt like aliens ourselves. I know I have, and I'll bet that just about everyone who's survived adolescence has, too. (The "just about" is a hedge in case there are, somewhere in the world, people who just sailed through; I'm willing to allow for the possibility, even if I don't know any of them.)
Cecil Castellucci takes that experience and More...
Cecil Castellucci takes that experience and More...
Oct 17, 2011
Amy
rated it:
I am not a big fan of alien abductions and such, but I decided to give this book a chance since it was sent to me for review. I was actually surprised to find that it wasn't too bad of a book. While I am still not a fan of aliens, the author did a wonderful job in exploring this type of plot line.
Mal lives with his often drunk mother after his father walked out on them years ago. He tries to take care of his mother the best way he can, but he also has issues that he is dealing wit More...
Mal lives with his often drunk mother after his father walked out on them years ago. He tries to take care of his mother the best way he can, but he also has issues that he is dealing wit More...
Apr 29, 2011
Claire
rated it:
Mal is not as he appears; when Hooper says, "Mal means bad." Mal replies, "In Latin or French or Spanish, but I'm not Spanish. And I am not bad.".
He scares people, but takes care of his mother, rescues animals and goes to group. Mom is a devastated mess after Dad sneaks out leaving his family abandoned and confused. They want an explanation, what they get are legal documents. This along with Mom's drunken reaction to it make Mal's life grim. He goes to school, endures More...
He scares people, but takes care of his mother, rescues animals and goes to group. Mom is a devastated mess after Dad sneaks out leaving his family abandoned and confused. They want an explanation, what they get are legal documents. This along with Mom's drunken reaction to it make Mal's life grim. He goes to school, endures More...
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Nov 08, 2011
Jennifer
rated it:
The Good Stuff
Sensitively and beautifully written
Incredibly well drawn and believable characters who develop so well - especially brilliant considering this is such a short quick read
Cecil is extremely talented at setting the mood and landscape of the story.
One of the shortest most outstanding pieces of YA I have ever read - will really speak to those who have felt like an "alien" while growing up
Hopeful and honest
Truly More...
Sensitively and beautifully written
Incredibly well drawn and believable characters who develop so well - especially brilliant considering this is such a short quick read
Cecil is extremely talented at setting the mood and landscape of the story.
One of the shortest most outstanding pieces of YA I have ever read - will really speak to those who have felt like an "alien" while growing up
Hopeful and honest
Truly More...
Nov 05, 2011
Catherine
rated it:
This is a beautiful little book. The story deals mainly with the concept of alienation specifically through the main character Mal. As a teenager he is an outsider, unable to fit in, he has emotional baggage from the abandonment of his father, his mother's alcoholism and his suspicion that he was abducted by aliens. Whether or not the latter is true doesn't really matter as the book explores the deeper themes of the parent/child relationship, friendship in general, and the control that he exe
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Sep 30, 2011
Ken
rated it:
Mal is an alien(ated) teen who feels he does not belong anywhere. His life is so screwed up that he works against his own best interests. His father walked out without an explanation. Mal and his mom don't cope well with life. His mom goes for the bottle for solstice and he wants to leave this plantet, the one he has not fit into since he had to take over and be the adult in his family. Then Hooper comes into his life. Hooper is a homeless man who tells Mal that he has been trapped on earth but
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Aug 29, 2011
Ben
rated it:
i met cecil castelluci at a party a couple months ago and talked to her a little bit... she has this amazing personality, sort of radiates strength and wisdom and mysterious good humor, and this book (the first of hers i've read) is the exact same way. there's a lot of space between the sentences, a lot of things that go unsaid, but from behind and between all the words and images you get an intensity of feeling which is really hard to come by; by the end of this book i was literally sobbing and
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Apr 17, 2011
Mark
rated it:
"I've been to outer space and back again. I've been caged. I've been probed and spliced and diced and I am being tracked. They are going to take me again one day. I know it because I heard them say it in my brain. They are out there and they are watching us. And you just move like a sleepwalker from class to class whenever the bell rings.
I think you are sheep.
But one day, I'm going with them. And I'm going to be free."
Mal moves through his high schoo More...
I think you are sheep.
But one day, I'm going with them. And I'm going to be free."
Mal moves through his high schoo More...
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Nov 03, 2011
Natalia Belikov
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More reviews at http://dazzlingreads.blogspot.com
Contrary to what I usually read, Cecil Castellucci's First Day on Earth was a very particular book to read and, at the same time, absolutely gratifying. With a quick narrative and only 160 pages, Castellucci manages to put a great amount of content that is illustrated in Mel, a teenage boy who, at the age of 12, was abducted by Aliens.
Mel struggles with many problems during this book. It is not only the fact that he w More...
Contrary to what I usually read, Cecil Castellucci's First Day on Earth was a very particular book to read and, at the same time, absolutely gratifying. With a quick narrative and only 160 pages, Castellucci manages to put a great amount of content that is illustrated in Mel, a teenage boy who, at the age of 12, was abducted by Aliens.
Mel struggles with many problems during this book. It is not only the fact that he w More...
Nov 05, 2011
TheBookSmugglers
rated it:
Review originally posted on The Book Smugglers
It’s been a rough time for Mal lately: he is angry, frustrated and lonely. His father up and left a few years before and never looked back. His mother is an alcoholic with serious mental problems and is unable to take care of herself much less tend to her son’s needs. If that wasn’t enough, Mal believes he is an alien abductee but no one would believe him. This heavy secret has been gnawing at him not only because of the trauma but above al More...
It’s been a rough time for Mal lately: he is angry, frustrated and lonely. His father up and left a few years before and never looked back. His mother is an alcoholic with serious mental problems and is unable to take care of herself much less tend to her son’s needs. If that wasn’t enough, Mal believes he is an alien abductee but no one would believe him. This heavy secret has been gnawing at him not only because of the trauma but above al More...
Nov 19, 2011
Lisa
rated it:
This is a very short novel so my review will probably be short as well. The novel is about teenager (originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog)
Mal who has a pretty tragic life, living with his alcoholic mother after his dad left the family. This is very character driven, I find, and it's what makes this short book interesting. Not only does Mal have to deal with some pretty serious problems, he also is trying to cope with being abducted by aliens. He goes to group meetings for th More...
Mal who has a pretty tragic life, living with his alcoholic mother after his dad left the family. This is very character driven, I find, and it's what makes this short book interesting. Not only does Mal have to deal with some pretty serious problems, he also is trying to cope with being abducted by aliens. He goes to group meetings for th More...
Jan 20, 2012
Elle
rated it:
I really enjoyed this book. I think the bluntness of it, the writing is simplistic, the MC. I can totally relate to Mal except for the being abducted by aliens bit, but his feelings are so easy to relate to and seem genuine. I want to give him a hug and tell him everything will be all right because that's what he needs. I have hope for him and would love to know how his story continues. It's odd that he needs someone not from Earth to get him to realize how he truly feels about his life on Earth
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Nov 02, 2011
Kim
rated it:
Firstly this is a great book for teens, especially the guys. There is some language but it gives it the perfect tone to tell Mal's story, which could be any one's story.
The problem with being a teenager is that no one understands you. For Mal it is that he really is misunderstood. His Dad left, his Mom is an alcoholic, he has two friends who never talk, and he was abducted by aliens. We start the story in a storm of loneliness and a cloud of depression. Now the difference from other More...
The problem with being a teenager is that no one understands you. For Mal it is that he really is misunderstood. His Dad left, his Mom is an alcoholic, he has two friends who never talk, and he was abducted by aliens. We start the story in a storm of loneliness and a cloud of depression. Now the difference from other More...
May 28, 2011
Joy
rated it:
This book really grabbed me. It is a thin volume that is spare and packed with meaning.
Mal is an angry teen with good reasons for the anger. His mom is a drunk who just tries to wash down life's disappointments (hubby that left) and Mal is left to pick up the pieces and hold it together.
Mal harbors a secret - he was abducted by aliens, poked, probed and dropped back in the desert. While at a meeting he meets Hooper - who later confides that he is an adventurous, explorer-alien. More...
Mal is an angry teen with good reasons for the anger. His mom is a drunk who just tries to wash down life's disappointments (hubby that left) and Mal is left to pick up the pieces and hold it together.
Mal harbors a secret - he was abducted by aliens, poked, probed and dropped back in the desert. While at a meeting he meets Hooper - who later confides that he is an adventurous, explorer-alien. More...
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Nov 06, 2011
Amber
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I'd been expecting this novel to board line YA and middle grade and what I found inside was very different than what I thought. Mal's voice knocked me off of my feet with how fully realized it was and how so very not-young he seemed. First Day on Earth reminded me a lot of Lisa McMann's Dream Catchers series with the main character's life and circumstances. It's definitely an interesting debut that is uniquely it's own.
Mal's life mirrored Janie's life (from Dream Catchers) so much cl More...
Mal's life mirrored Janie's life (from Dream Catchers) so much cl More...
Nov 06, 2011
Chrissy♥Dev
rated it:
This book is written in a very particular style which i wasn't used too. I felt like each sentence or paragraph had a philosophical meaning behind it, that i would love to quote.
This book is about a boy named Malcolm (aka. Mal) whose life is turned upside down when his father leaves his mother and him. Ever since that day his mother is a drunk who cant do anything for herself and Mal takes care of her and tries to go to school and lead a normal life. Mal constantly feels like a alien i More...
This book is about a boy named Malcolm (aka. Mal) whose life is turned upside down when his father leaves his mother and him. Ever since that day his mother is a drunk who cant do anything for herself and Mal takes care of her and tries to go to school and lead a normal life. Mal constantly feels like a alien i More...
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Jan 24, 2012
Jeretta
rated it:
At first I thought this book was going to be goofy or silly. But it actually very serious and a fantastic read. Since it's short, it can easily be read within a day. It is really full of internal turmoil as well as compassion and understanding. I really did love this book.
The main character, Mal (short for Malcome) has a lot of things going on. His dad left when he was 11, his mother is an alcoholic and has a hard time taking care of herself. Also, Mal believes that he was kidna More...
The main character, Mal (short for Malcome) has a lot of things going on. His dad left when he was 11, his mother is an alcoholic and has a hard time taking care of herself. Also, Mal believes that he was kidna More...
Dec 05, 2011
Moonlight
rated it:
After his father left them years ago, Mal's mother is broken, turning to alcohol each day and leaving Mal to face the world all on his own. At school he's an outsider, never able to fit in with the norm. With very few friends, and teachers who have given up on having him follow the rules, Mal wanders the hallways past the bell signaling the start of class and enters the classrooms whenever he feels he should.
Mal feels different from everyone else, as thought he's been touched by somet More...
Mal feels different from everyone else, as thought he's been touched by somet More...
Dec 03, 2011
Capillya
rated it:
The ARC that Scholastic sent me only weighed in at a measly 150 pages. I don’t know about you, but I trust skinny books like I trust skinny chefs (with special exceptions for Courtney Summers’ books and Anthony Bourdain). So when I flipped the book over in my hands and wondered where the rest of it actually was, I was a little wary.
And then I read it. Drawing on that whole skinny chef bit, I sort of ate my words.
First Day on Earth is about a guy named Mal who’s got the world’ More...
And then I read it. Drawing on that whole skinny chef bit, I sort of ate my words.
First Day on Earth is about a guy named Mal who’s got the world’ More...
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Jan 14, 2012
Eva
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I debated over whether to add an SF label to this book but decided not to in the end - too debatable. What happened to Mal - was he really abducted at age 12 like he thinks? Is the mysterious, kind Hooper really an alien?
Doesn't matter, actually. This is a brief and poignant tale of alienation, told in the simplest of language. It's a bit unbelievable - though Travis' feelings ring true, his situation (school; drunk mom) feels sketched in and so doesn't hit home the way it could. But More...
Doesn't matter, actually. This is a brief and poignant tale of alienation, told in the simplest of language. It's a bit unbelievable - though Travis' feelings ring true, his situation (school; drunk mom) feels sketched in and so doesn't hit home the way it could. But More...
Dec 16, 2011
Brenna
rated it:
Sometimes I wonder if I read the book description wrong, because I start reading a book and my jaw just drops because my prediction for the book was totally, completely off.
Honestly, I wasn't expecting much from First Day on Earth. Part of that was because of its (short) length and the cover totally doesn't do this book justice. Not at all.
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Honestly, I wasn't expecting much from First Day on Earth. Part of that was because of its (short) length and the cover totally doesn't do this book justice. Not at all.
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Dec 03, 2011
Brittany
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Mal is angry. His father left with no explanation and his mother is more than useless. School is no picnic and he only sort of has friends. Then he meets Hooper. Hooper claims to be an extraterrestrial. At first Mal doesn't believe him, but why shouldn't he. Why couldn't Hooper be from another planet?
This was a nice little novel about a lot of things. On the surface it was about space, aliens, a kid struggling in life. This novel dealt a lot with belief. Defining your own beliefs can More...
This was a nice little novel about a lot of things. On the surface it was about space, aliens, a kid struggling in life. This novel dealt a lot with belief. Defining your own beliefs can More...
Jan 01, 2012
Nancy
rated it:
When I picked up this book I had no idea what to expect. It was a small book, less than 200 pages and I wasn't sure that anything would really happen. I'm still not sure exactly how I felt about it, whether I loved it or if I found it okay.
I'm leaning more towards okay. Mal, the main character, was very... deep. I didn't know what word to use to describe him, so that's the only one I can think of. He had been captured by aliens when he was younger and returned to earth a short time l More...
I'm leaning more towards okay. Mal, the main character, was very... deep. I didn't know what word to use to describe him, so that's the only one I can think of. He had been captured by aliens when he was younger and returned to earth a short time l More...
Dec 27, 2011
Erica
rated it:
First Day on Earth was a cute read. I really enjoyed the characters, but I wish it had been a bit longer. I felt like the book was over much too fast. It was my first Cecil Castellucci read, but by no means my last.
This was a book of extremely short chapters. Usually, I think this may bother me, but it really worked well for this one. I loved the formatting too. Some pages only had a few sentences, but it was always meaningful when that happened.
The plot was fun. It was v More...
This was a book of extremely short chapters. Usually, I think this may bother me, but it really worked well for this one. I loved the formatting too. Some pages only had a few sentences, but it was always meaningful when that happened.
The plot was fun. It was v More...
Dec 24, 2011
Pam
rated it:
Originally seen on Guy's Lit Wire
Mal wants to believe there is more to this world than what humans think is possible. Scratch that, Mal already knows there is much more than anyone knows. Mal has been abducted by aliens and that was the very best moment of his life. At seventeen he already knows that life is full of extreme disappointments. He would like to go seek out the aliens that had taken him, to travel the stars and leave Earth far behind in his galactic rear view mirror More...
Mal wants to believe there is more to this world than what humans think is possible. Scratch that, Mal already knows there is much more than anyone knows. Mal has been abducted by aliens and that was the very best moment of his life. At seventeen he already knows that life is full of extreme disappointments. He would like to go seek out the aliens that had taken him, to travel the stars and leave Earth far behind in his galactic rear view mirror More...
