The True Meaning of Smekday
by Adam Rex
|
|
| published
|
October 10th 2007
by Hyperion
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| binding
| Hardcover |
| isbn
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0786849002
(isbn13: 9780786849000)
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| pages
| 432 |
| date added
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06-13-07
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bookshelves:
boybooks
Read in May, 2008
I really wanted to give this book a better rating, and if it had maintained the fast paced hilarity of the first 100 pages I could have. But it lost steam. Still, very strong book overall.
Gratuity (who friends call Tip -- her mother didn't find out until too late that "Gratuity" doesn't mean what she tought it did) tells the story of her survival during an alien invasion. It doesn't sound like it should be funny, but it is. Did I mention one of the aliens is her faithful sideki...more
I really wanted to give this book a better rating, and if it had maintained the fast paced hilarity of the first 100 pages I could have. But it lost steam. Still, very strong book overall.
Gratuity (who friends call Tip -- her mother didn't find out until too late that "Gratuity" doesn't mean what she tought it did) tells the story of her survival during an alien invasion. It doesn't sound like it should be funny, but it is. Did I mention one of the aliens is her faithful sidekick? Did I furthermore mention that the aforementioned alien has selected J.Lo. as his human name?
Many good quotes (not long ago, I would have had to cut some of these out -- it appears reviews can be darn near endless, now):
"I'd drained our bank account, and there was less than I'd expected in the rainy-day fund that Mom had kept at the bottom of an underwear drawer in a panty hose egg labeled "DEAD SPIDERS." As if I hadn't always known it was there. As if I wouldn't have wanted to look at dead spiders." pg. 8
"For you time-capsule types, MoPo was something called a convenience store, as in, "The soda is conveniently located right next to the doughnuts and lottery tickets." People who want to understand better how the human race was conquered so easily need to study those stores. Almost everything inside was filled with sugar, cheese, or weight-loss tips." pg. 15
"When it happened, I'm sure you felt terrible. You were probably scared, and sad, and you wanted it to stop. That's how I felt during the invasion -- that's probably how everyone feels. But were you excited, too? Just a little? Were you on the edge of your seat, wondering what would happen next?
And I wonder if you were a little proud. Proud to be living through something so important, something to tell your grandchildren. Did you watch yourself watching the television, making certain that you looked brave, and stoic, and just sad enough?
I think other people felt like this. For so long afterward, on the TV and radio and on the street, everyone kept telling each other, 'Everything has changed. The world will never be the same. The aliens changed everything.'
And the thing is, of course they had. It should have gone without saying. But we went right on saying it, and after a while it sounded like a pat on the back. Everything had changed, but we had survived, so we must be strong. With each terrible newsbreak and emergency broadcast signal we thought, Now we have a story to tell." pg. 56
Talking about her Noah's Ark wallpaper when she was little:
"You know what's weird, though? It's weird that the ark would be such a kids' story, you know? I mean, it's...really a story about death. Every person who isn't in Noah's family? They die. Every animal, apart from the two of each on the boat? They die. They all die in the flood. Billions of creatures. It's the worst tragedy ever," I finished, my voice tied off by a knot in my chest. I'd been speaking too fast without breathing, and I sucked down air before speaking again. "What the hell," I said, "pardon my language, was that doing on my wallpaper?" pg. 180
Responding to a dude trying to sell her a celebrity newspaper after the invasion:
"What do you mean a -- you mean a dollar dollar? As in real money?"
"I don't got time for haikus, kid. You got the dollar or don't you?" pg. 328. And yes, it is a haiku. Go ahead and count, I'll wait.
My absolute favorite (but really long)quote about Gratuity's mom being abducted:
"The ship raised a leg, and it flexed out like a worm toward us. And as it got close...I let go. I let go of my mom. I let go and hid behind a mausoleum. Because I was scared. And I know I deserve whatever you think of me for that.
The hoseleg pulled itself over Mom's head and half swallowed her, down to her waist. She didn't move, or make a sound. She still had my Christmas stocking on her arm. Then there was a noise like:
Foomp
and she sailed into the air; she sailed away, sucked like soda into that big humming head.
I don't know if I can write about everything afterward. It's going to sound like I'm trying to be dramatic, but it's not like that. It isn't for anyone else. You only fall because your legs stop working. And you don't fall to your knees, you fall on your ass in a patch of crabgrass like the Idiot of the Year. You scream for your mom because you really think it will bring her back. And when it doesn't, your skin feels too tight, and your lungs are full of cotton, and you couldn't call her again if you wanted to. And you don't get up, and you don't think up any clever plans, because you're only waiting to burst like a firecracker and die. It's the only thing to do.
That's all. There's more, but that's all I'm going to write about it. You asked me to write about the days before the invasion, so there's my answer, though it was sort of a personal question, and you maybe shouldn't have asked it. But that's all.
Anyway.
I wrote "ass" a couple of paragraphs ago. Pardon my language." pg. 51
...less
bookshelves:
books-of-the-week,
humorous,
speculative-fiction,
teen
Read in May, 2008
Since I make my living writing about the adult and teen fiction I read, I tend to not read "children's" books. So when I received a review copy of this and saw that the protagonist was only 11 I decided to pass on it. But, it was sf and sounded like it would really be fun so even though I didn't think it would fit in with my professional reading I put it on my tbr bookshelf along with other books that I can't justify reading for work but that I still want to read someday.
I don't kn...more
Since I make my living writing about the adult and teen fiction I read, I tend to not read "children's" books. So when I received a review copy of this and saw that the protagonist was only 11 I decided to pass on it. But, it was sf and sounded like it would really be fun so even though I didn't think it would fit in with my professional reading I put it on my tbr bookshelf along with other books that I can't justify reading for work but that I still want to read someday.
I don't know how many times I've told groups that speculative fiction readers don't really care about whether a book is for children, teens, or adults, if it is good they want to read it. I've also often relayed Garth Nix's concept that books shouldn't have age ranges attached, they should have entry levels. For instance this book was probably marketed with an age range of 8-12. Using Nix's concept the entry level would be age 8 but it would be appropriate for anybody over that age who likes this type book. I should listen to myself sometimes.
With The True Meaning of Smekday being nominated for Best Books for Young Adults I decided I could justify reading it and am I glad I did. Gratuity "Tip" Tucci is an endearing inventive heroine and the story just rolls along sucking the reader in like the tube J-Lo used to get the water out of the flooding car.
Tip, and the other kids in her class are assigned to write an essay on the "true meaning of Smekday" for possible inclusion in a time capsule that will be buried for 100 years. Tip's story actually starts when her mother dreams of being abducted by aliens and a huge color changing mole appears on her neck. On Christmas her mother disappears and the alien Boov conquer the earth. When they send all humans to a reservation in Florida, Tip decides to drive herself down there along with her cat, Pig, and along the way meets a fugitive Boov named J-Lo who modifies her car and together they experience all kinds of adventures as they try to find Tip's mom and free the Earth....less
Read in March, 2008
This book is actually a very very long essay written by Middle School student Gratuity Tucci for a contest, the winning essay of which will be placed in a time capsule to be opened in 100 years - in 2113. In it, Gratuity (Tip to her friends) describes the invasion of the Boov and the subsequent relocation of all humans to Florida (and then to Arizona, as the Boov decide they want Florida for themselves). Tip's mother was taken by the aliens early on, and so 12-year-old Tip takes her cat and dr...more
This book is actually a very very long essay written by Middle School student Gratuity Tucci for a contest, the winning essay of which will be placed in a time capsule to be opened in 100 years - in 2113. In it, Gratuity (Tip to her friends) describes the invasion of the Boov and the subsequent relocation of all humans to Florida (and then to Arizona, as the Boov decide they want Florida for themselves). Tip's mother was taken by the aliens early on, and so 12-year-old Tip takes her cat and drives (yes, drives) off in search of her. Early on, she meets up with a stray handyman Boov, who reengineers her car to fly. Gradually, Tip and the Boov, who calls himself J.Lo, become uneasy friends and allies, as they avoid the Boov, meet all sorts of strange humans, and then find themselves dealing with an even more fearsome set of aliens, the Gorg.
This is an extremely funny book - the dialogue, whether tongue-in-cheek or absolutely outrageous, is snappy and Tip and J.Lo are both loveable, if often irascible and just plain nuts. J.Lo speaks English with a distinctly Boovian and very ludicrous accent - when he first meets Tip and is bluffing her, he says, "Then...then...I will have onto shoot with my gun!" and when that doesn't work, he tries "NO GUN! So I will have to...have to...SHOOT FORTH THE LASERS FROM MY EYEBALLS!" Tip carries around an antique polaroid camera, and so the book is illustrated with drawings depicting the polaroids, messily taped into the book.
First-rate, tip-top SF for all ages - Read This Book!!...less
Read in May, 2008
Sometimes, when I'm looking at yet another "Book 1 of the Fill-in-the-Blank Series" with a plucky boy/girl holding a glowing sword/orb/book while a unicorn/cute furry animal/scary hooded bad guy stands in the background, I think: isn't there anything original out there?
And then I come across The True Meaning of Smekday.
This book defies description, but it's kind of a combination of Lilo and Stitch, Independence Day, and the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Only funnier....more
Sometimes, when I'm looking at yet another "Book 1 of the Fill-in-the-Blank Series" with a plucky boy/girl holding a glowing sword/orb/book while a unicorn/cute furry animal/scary hooded bad guy stands in the background, I think: isn't there anything original out there?
And then I come across The True Meaning of Smekday.
This book defies description, but it's kind of a combination of Lilo and Stitch, Independence Day, and the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Only funnier. (Well, not funnier than Lilo and Stitch. Lilo and Stitch was hilarous. So is this.)
Gratuity (the word turned out not to mean what her mom thought it meant) Tucci is eleven, and her mom has been abducted by aliens. The Boov (pronounced with a lot of oooooo) are taking over earth and moving all humans to Florida, where they will be housed at the Happy Mouse Kingdom. Gratuity decides to drive the family car there (with cans of corn nailed to the bottom of her church shoes so she can reach the pedals) and meets up with J.Lo, a Boov mechanic who may or may not have something major to hide. When even worse aliens come along, with much more sinister plans for the humans than a stay at Happy Mouse Kindgdom, Gratuity and J.Lo have to save the day with help from a Navajo World War II vet who may or may not have the Roswell spaceship in his basement, The Lost Boys, and a cat named Pig.
Oh, yeah. And Dave Barry wrote a jacket blurb. He says the book "never stops being funny." He's right....less
bookshelves:
kidlit,
post-apocalyptic
Read in April, 2008
recommends it for:
post-apoc fans, people who like really really good books
Gratuity (Tip to her friends) Tucci has a story to tell, and she’s not sure where to start. Does it start with the time when her mother claimed to have been abducted by aliens who communicated with her through a mole on her neck? Or how about the day the Boov actually arrived, conquered Earth (and renamed it Smekland) and generously allowed the population of the United States to live peacefully in the state of Florida? Or maybe her story begins with her uneasy alliance with a Boov named J.L...more
Gratuity (Tip to her friends) Tucci has a story to tell, and she’s not sure where to start. Does it start with the time when her mother claimed to have been abducted by aliens who communicated with her through a mole on her neck? Or how about the day the Boov actually arrived, conquered Earth (and renamed it Smekland) and generously allowed the population of the United States to live peacefully in the state of Florida? Or maybe her story begins with her uneasy alliance with a Boov named J.Lo, her journey in a converted floating car called Slushious, a large cat named Pig, and a crazy attempt to save Earth—or Smekland—from alien invasion #2? Either way, it’s a story that’s worth reading.
This is one of those fantastic books that starts strong and just gets better. Gratuity is funny and bold and really likeable. Her narrative made me laugh a hundred times, starting with the DEVESTATING EYE LASERS and moving on from there. And if you don’t love J.Lo, there’s something wrong with you.
Oh, and did I mention the "photos" and illustrations? Because this book is peppered with photos from Gratuity's old school polaroid camera.
This book has it all. An apocalypse (sort of), an alien invasion (or two), Happy Mouse Kingdom, a fantastic voice, and a really fantastic story. It’s one of those really good, really satisfying reads that you wish you hadn’t finished, because you just want to keep reading more.
...less
bookshelves:
kids--fiction,
young-adult
Read in February, 2008
"The Boov jumped off his antler spool and went back inside the MoPo...."
I think I'm going to memorize this line. And next time someone asks me a question I don't want to answer, I'm gonna hit 'em with the Boov.
Smekday is funny, silly, and entertaining. Gratuity/Tip is a terrific heroine, spunky and anxious and bold. But my favorite character was J.Lo. Who knew Boov could be so big-hearted? (Plus, who knew urinal cakes were apparently so delicious?)
Although it's a bit long ...more
"The Boov jumped off his antler spool and went back inside the MoPo...."
I think I'm going to memorize this line. And next time someone asks me a question I don't want to answer, I'm gonna hit 'em with the Boov.
Smekday is funny, silly, and entertaining. Gratuity/Tip is a terrific heroine, spunky and anxious and bold. But my favorite character was J.Lo. Who knew Boov could be so big-hearted? (Plus, who knew urinal cakes were apparently so delicious?)
Although it's a bit long for a read-aloud, I can't help but think kids would roll every time J.Lo opens his mouth. Especially if I could get my Latka-from-Taxi voice down just close enough. That's what J.Lo sounds like in my head: Latka. With a touch of Stitch, of "Lilo &" fame.
The conversations between Gratuity and J.Lo were far and away my favorite part of the book. They're funny enough reading silently, but read them aloud, and I just start to giggle like a... silly giggling thing (nods to Georgia Nicolson). I particularly enjoyed reading random bits of dialogue out loud to my family, who always laughed and looked at me like I was a Boov. "WHAT are you READING?" was usually the next thing to escape their lips. >smurrfle< Still makes me giggle.
Love that M:-)#....less
bookshelves:
kidsfiction
Read in March, 2008
recommended to Lisa by:
Peter Howard, thanks!!
recommends it for:
everyone on the planet
One of the most hilarious and clever books I've ever read for bedtime stories. Chris and Eli would laugh out-loud hysterically at the alien J.Lo's command of the English language.
Tip is an 11 year old girl, who after the invasion by the Boov of Earth, finds her mom kidnapped by aliens, and she must find a way to the human resettlement of Florida. Being the bold girl that she is, she opts out of taking msas transport rocketpod and ends up driving herself with her silly cat named Pig. Togethe...more
One of the most hilarious and clever books I've ever read for bedtime stories. Chris and Eli would laugh out-loud hysterically at the alien J.Lo's command of the English language.
Tip is an 11 year old girl, who after the invasion by the Boov of Earth, finds her mom kidnapped by aliens, and she must find a way to the human resettlement of Florida. Being the bold girl that she is, she opts out of taking msas transport rocketpod and ends up driving herself with her silly cat named Pig. Together, they meet a Boov alien (J.Lo) who pimps her car out so that it can hover and tricks out the cigarette lighter so it would either : 1. give them massive amounts of speed or 2. blow them up.
Our favorite J.Lo quote: "We are sneaky agent men, like Bond James Bond." To fool other humans into thinking he's a dysfunctional little boy instead of a bandit alien, Tip makes him wear a sheet with two eyes cut out and tells everyone if he takes it off, he'd go crazy and soil himself.
Mild cursing in the book, which is always apologized for afterward by the narrator.
Middle school kids will like this one too.
Hope they make this into a movie...MIB and Independence Day fans will like to take their kids to this one. ...less
bookshelves:
young-adult-reads
Read in March, 2008
recommended to Jennifer by:
Julie (and Aurora)
recommends it for:
anyone who wonders about Roswell
Thanks Julie for alerting me to such a fun book. This novel is what happens when Gratuity "Tip" Tucci decides to expand her time capsule-bound essay about "The True Meaning of Smekday" to actually include all of the truth. In 2013, an alien race called the Boov lands on earth, declares the planet their own, and a few weeks later decides to move all the humans in the United States to Florida. Eleven-year-old Tip's mother disapears the day the aliens arrive and Tip forgoes th...more
Thanks Julie for alerting me to such a fun book. This novel is what happens when Gratuity "Tip" Tucci decides to expand her time capsule-bound essay about "The True Meaning of Smekday" to actually include all of the truth. In 2013, an alien race called the Boov lands on earth, declares the planet their own, and a few weeks later decides to move all the humans in the United States to Florida. Eleven-year-old Tip's mother disapears the day the aliens arrive and Tip forgoes the alien rocketpods that are shipping folks down south and decides to drive, taking the family cat, Pig, along (she has been secretly practicing driving for weeks since the aliens came). She hopes her mother will be waiting for her at the Happy Mouse Kingdom. When she meets a Boov named J-Lo, who soups up her car with alien technology, things get even more complicated. And then a second alien race arrives on earth, one that makes the Boov look like fuzzy bunnies.
Though this book is classifed as "Juvenile" by my library, it is anything but. It's funny, touching, and manages to slip in some sly social commentary (Carl Hiassen-like) along the way....less
bookshelves:
mid-grade-fiction,
read-2008
Read in March, 2008
It took me a bit to get into this one, but perhaps that was because I picked it up 100% convinced it was going to be my new favorite book in the world before I read a single character. As soon as J.Lo appeared I was HOOKED. His Balki-an charm, urinal cake eating habits, and hysterical integrated "The History of the Boov" mini-comics won me over in no time. I've been a fan of Rex's picture books for years with a lovely collection of signed books on my shelf, each one received while I wa...more
It took me a bit to get into this one, but perhaps that was because I picked it up 100% convinced it was going to be my new favorite book in the world before I read a single character. As soon as J.Lo appeared I was HOOKED. His Balki-an charm, urinal cake eating habits, and hysterical integrated "The History of the Boov" mini-comics won me over in no time. I've been a fan of Rex's picture books for years with a lovely collection of signed books on my shelf, each one received while I was red-faced and mutter-y at the face of THE REX, and each one awesome. I think everyone in the world should read this book if only for the broom closet joke (which made me laugh much longer than I should have) and the lovely map of the "new united states" which is simply Arizona with a large Texas-shaped middle. Rex's illustrations are particularly at their best here and Gratuity is a unique and likable narrator. Like the sap I am, I teared up happily at the last line. Man I think I need to make a bookshelf for things that made me cry! I'm pathetic, but this book, this book is pretty darn fantastic. ...less
Read in May, 2008
I hated this book. Every page made me feel worse and worse about myself as a writer. The book is crammed with seemingly effortlessly cast witticisms and asides that not only propel the story, but bring you closer to the characters in a way that is true to the age group (with a few authorly deviations).
I'm not going to go into the plot too much, as this wasn't the main strength of the book (a girl is asked to write a series of essays pertaining to the Earth's alien invasion and occupation). I...more
I hated this book. Every page made me feel worse and worse about myself as a writer. The book is crammed with seemingly effortlessly cast witticisms and asides that not only propel the story, but bring you closer to the characters in a way that is true to the age group (with a few authorly deviations).
I'm not going to go into the plot too much, as this wasn't the main strength of the book (a girl is asked to write a series of essays pertaining to the Earth's alien invasion and occupation). It's in the kinetic weirdness of the world, the journey, the details. Adam Rex is another in a slew of writer/illustrators that seem to be emerging as of late, and I can't stand it. They are just so freakin' talented. It's not fair. I don't laugh out loud when reading, unless something is so boring that my mind goes back to a moment in school where a popular kid was publicly humiliated. But Adam Rex made me laugh out loud! But the book isn't one-note…it packed with poignancy as well. It's a quirky ride, even if it doesn't feel as if there is a fixed destination half the time (Mark Leyner for the pre-teen set?). Anyway, I loved this book and hated loving it.
...less
Read in May, 2008
recommends it for:
Gr 4-8
Summary (CIP): When her mother is abducted by aliens on Christmas Eve (or "Smekday" Eve since the Boov invasion), 11 year-old Tip hops in the family car and heads south to find her and meets an alien Boov mechanic who agrees to help her and save the planet from disaster.
REVIEW: It’s hard to go wrong with a hover car, an alien named J.Lo, a cat named Pig, the Happy Mouse Kingdom in Florida, finally getting the real story behind the events at Roswell, 1947, as well as saving th...more
Summary (CIP): When her mother is abducted by aliens on Christmas Eve (or "Smekday" Eve since the Boov invasion), 11 year-old Tip hops in the family car and heads south to find her and meets an alien Boov mechanic who agrees to help her and save the planet from disaster.
REVIEW: It’s hard to go wrong with a hover car, an alien named J.Lo, a cat named Pig, the Happy Mouse Kingdom in Florida, finally getting the real story behind the events at Roswell, 1947, as well as saving the human race. PW calls this “apocalyptic comedy”, but there are also several layers of off-the-cuff and pointed social commentary. Mixed in with the text are short comics, “photos”, drawings, and letters that will appeal to this age group. The humor is non-stop, including J.Lo’s misuse of English and his great explanation of the seven genders of the Boov race.
SLJ: Starred Review. "This is a fast-paced adventure with a whip-smart protagonist, a lovable and resourceful extraterrestrial, and plenty of social commentary."
PW: Starred Review. "Who knew the end of the world could be so hilarious?"...less
bookshelves:
juvenile
Read in October, 2007
finished this one in basically one sitting on a sick day. very funny read. i like adam rex. he also wrote “frankenstein makes a sandwich” which is a picture book of poetry which i’m normally not so crazy about, but adam rex is a funny guy. this book is the story of gratuity “tip” tucci and her story of back when aliens invaded the earth. there are great graphic novel chunks scattered throughout the book that add to the humor. this is his first long chapter book (not picture book) and a...more
finished this one in basically one sitting on a sick day. very funny read. i like adam rex. he also wrote “frankenstein makes a sandwich” which is a picture book of poetry which i’m normally not so crazy about, but adam rex is a funny guy. this book is the story of gratuity “tip” tucci and her story of back when aliens invaded the earth. there are great graphic novel chunks scattered throughout the book that add to the humor. this is his first long chapter book (not picture book) and although there were a few moments towards the end where i thought maybe the book was getting a little long (maybe i was just tired?) i have to say that i’m hoping he writes another chapter book. memorable bits of this story: an alien named j.lo, adam rex’s great ability to come up with hilarious random words (the alien at one point considers naming himself “spoon possums”) that slightly reminds me of (dare i say it?) douglas adams, and lots of references to invading species who come in and take over an already-established society and pushing them into small areas (hello “indian” reservations!)...less
Read in May, 2008
Adam Rex is becoming one of my favorite authors. He is clever and inventive and original. And this book shows just how far he can take this originality. Gratuity "Tip" Tucci is one of those characters that you would love to meet in real life. She's smart and she doesn't let anything hold her back once she's made up her mind. With the invasion of the Boov from outer space, she finds that not only is her mother missing, but that the rest of the country has become more than a little ...more
Adam Rex is becoming one of my favorite authors. He is clever and inventive and original. And this book shows just how far he can take this originality. Gratuity "Tip" Tucci is one of those characters that you would love to meet in real life. She's smart and she doesn't let anything hold her back once she's made up her mind. With the invasion of the Boov from outer space, she finds that not only is her mother missing, but that the rest of the country has become more than a little strange. She takes off to find her mother and then things get really interesting. I love the idea of the whole US trying to resettle in one state and of people making their homes in a casino or wherever else they can find. Rex creates great characters and then gives them interesting problems to solve. This would be great for those 5th - 8th graders who are finished with Harry Potter and are looking for something new and different. Give them J.Lo and Tip and watch them become engrossed in an alien invasion....less
Read in March, 2008
recommended to Julia by:
Julie
Very entertaining, fun read of a winning essay that young Gratuity Tucci (nickname, Tip) writes for a time capsule essay contest in 2013. The subject is the meaning of Smekday, the day of the alien invasion of earth by the Boov, a jelly-fish like race, fond of oranges and not so fond of cats. Gratuity's essay goes way beyond a single day. Her mother has been abudcted by the aliens during the first wave and she decides to drive cross-country (with a cat named Pig)to find her during the human r...more
Very entertaining, fun read of a winning essay that young Gratuity Tucci (nickname, Tip) writes for a time capsule essay contest in 2013. The subject is the meaning of Smekday, the day of the alien invasion of earth by the Boov, a jelly-fish like race, fond of oranges and not so fond of cats. Gratuity's essay goes way beyond a single day. Her mother has been abudcted by the aliens during the first wave and she decides to drive cross-country (with a cat named Pig)to find her during the human relocation time. Tip befriends a Boov named JLo, who adds some alien technology to their Chevy Sprint and away they go! They make it to Florida in good time, only to learn the Boov want to keep it for themselves, the humans are left with the United States of Arizona. The story is punctuated with some great drawing and "photos" of the things and people Tip sees. Things heat up when yet another race of aliens wants earth for themselves and well, you just have to read it......less
bookshelves:
21c,
american,
childrens,
science-fiction
Read in April, 2008
recommended to Joy by:
Meaghan
Alien invaders known as the Boov have taken over the world and all they've left for humans is Florida. 11-year-old Gratuity (Tip) Tucci's mother was one of the first to be taken, and now Tip's decided to make the trip to Florida on her own in her mother's car. But Tip's life, already complicated, get more so when she picks up a passenger: a Boov named J.Lo who "fixes" her car by making it, among other things, hover.
This is a great kid's science fiction book; it's quite long and pro...more
Alien invaders known as the Boov have taken over the world and all they've left for humans is Florida. 11-year-old Gratuity (Tip) Tucci's mother was one of the first to be taken, and now Tip's decided to make the trip to Florida on her own in her mother's car. But Tip's life, already complicated, get more so when she picks up a passenger: a Boov named J.Lo who "fixes" her car by making it, among other things, hover.
This is a great kid's science fiction book; it's quite long and probably complex enough to work for teens, though some may be thrown by the age of the protagonist. It's funny in both big and small ways; I like how the characters begin to pick up each other's habits. I was often surprised by where the plot ended up going. Tip is an awesome heroine from beginning to end.
Highly recommended.
For librarians, this is also a great choice for booktalking: the voices of the characters really shine....less
bookshelves:
children-s-books
Read in July, 2008
recommended to Helen by:
jameslhelena@bellsouth.net
Gratuity Tucci is a twelve-year-old girl who has an assignment to write a five page essay on "The True Meaning of Smekday" for a National Time Capsule contest. She isn't sure how to get started, but then her mother suddenly develops a mole on the back of her neck, which seems to be sending messages. Aliens have taken over the Earth and all humans in America are being sent to Florida. Then,on Christmas Eve, Gratuity's mother is abducted by aliens and Gratuity decides to try to find h...more
Gratuity Tucci is a twelve-year-old girl who has an assignment to write a five page essay on "The True Meaning of Smekday" for a National Time Capsule contest. She isn't sure how to get started, but then her mother suddenly develops a mole on the back of her neck, which seems to be sending messages. Aliens have taken over the Earth and all humans in America are being sent to Florida. Then,on Christmas Eve, Gratuity's mother is abducted by aliens and Gratuity decides to try to find her. Gratuity's adventures in this story are funny and exciting as she learns more about the aliens after making friends with one. Read to find out what happens to Gratuity and her mother as well as the whole human race....less
Read in February, 2008
A girl is asked to write an essay about the true meaning of Smekday for a national time capsule contest and this is her take on it. Smekday is the day that the aliens took over the Earth and renamed it Smekland in honor of their leader Captain Smek. And in these pages is Gratuity Tucci's adventures: her search for her mother who was sucked up by the invaders, her encounters and relationships with aliens and dislocated peoples, all while driving cross country (stuck cans to the bottoms of her s...more
A girl is asked to write an essay about the true meaning of Smekday for a national time capsule contest and this is her take on it. Smekday is the day that the aliens took over the Earth and renamed it Smekland in honor of their leader Captain Smek. And in these pages is Gratuity Tucci's adventures: her search for her mother who was sucked up by the invaders, her encounters and relationships with aliens and dislocated peoples, all while driving cross country (stuck cans to the bottoms of her shoes to reach the pedals) with her cat and a Boov. A refreshing take on the alien invasion story, with hilarious quotables that turn our adult perceptions and norms on end.
Loved this book! ...less
bookshelves:
upper-elementary-middle-grade
Read in February, 2008
recommended to Clay by:
Karin
Three and a half stars. (When is Good Reads going to give us half stars?) Vastly entertaining tale of double alien invasion of 2015 Earth when Gratuity (Tip to her friends), her cat Pig and her alien pal J.Lo save the world. Sagged in a few places and narrator Tip is sometimes improbably savvy for her years, but author-illustrator Adam Rex writes snappy dialog and doesn't miss a joke. (i.e. Aliens move the whole U.S. to Arizona which becomes The United State of America.) J.Lo's malapropian brok...more
Three and a half stars. (When is Good Reads going to give us half stars?) Vastly entertaining tale of double alien invasion of 2015 Earth when Gratuity (Tip to her friends), her cat Pig and her alien pal J.Lo save the world. Sagged in a few places and narrator Tip is sometimes improbably savvy for her years, but author-illustrator Adam Rex writes snappy dialog and doesn't miss a joke. (i.e. Aliens move the whole U.S. to Arizona which becomes The United State of America.) J.Lo's malapropian broken English reads like the hilarious kid version of Jonathan Safran Foer's Ukrainian tour guide Alex in "Everything Is Illuminated." Clever b/w illustrations. Great fun....less
Aliens invading the Earth is a lot like the Europeans invading the Americas. The plot is a bit complicated to explain, but it involves a road-trip with an eleven year old human (Gratuity "Tip" Tucci), a renegade Boov named J.Lo and a cat named Pig, all riding in a souped-up car named "Slushious." Gratuity is off to Florida to rescue her mom, who has been kidnapped by the Boov. Why Florida? Well, that was where the Boov decided all of the humans in the former United States cou...more
Aliens invading the Earth is a lot like the Europeans invading the Americas. The plot is a bit complicated to explain, but it involves a road-trip with an eleven year old human (Gratuity "Tip" Tucci), a renegade Boov named J.Lo and a cat named Pig, all riding in a souped-up car named "Slushious." Gratuity is off to Florida to rescue her mom, who has been kidnapped by the Boov. Why Florida? Well, that was where the Boov decided all of the humans in the former United States could live... until the Boov decided they liked oranges, and insisted the humans move to the state of Arizona.
I told you it was complicated. But it's definitely worth reading....less
bookshelves:
books-read-in-2008
Read in February, 2008
The six-legged goofball aliens take over; then the big mean aliens take over. Girl named Gratuity + Alien named J.Lo + Cat named Pig = Save the World. Oh, and Disneyland is weirder than you thought.
Funny sci-fi for kids -- love those Boov -- but it's a bit mixed. The book is too long, and a bit too preachy (the description of the Boov invasion is heavy-handed in its similarity to 9/11). Gratuity is a little too clever for its own good; it isn't a very authentic child-voice, but whatever. ...more
The six-legged goofball aliens take over; then the big mean aliens take over. Girl named Gratuity + Alien named J.Lo + Cat named Pig = Save the World. Oh, and Disneyland is weirder than you thought.
Funny sci-fi for kids -- love those Boov -- but it's a bit mixed. The book is too long, and a bit too preachy (the description of the Boov invasion is heavy-handed in its similarity to 9/11). Gratuity is a little too clever for its own good; it isn't a very authentic child-voice, but whatever. The gags, when they work, are great. Perfect for budding Terry Pratchett fans -- but if you find one of those, why not just give them Terry Pratchett? ...less
book data (includes all editions)
avg rating
(all editions):
4.16 (245 ratings)
number of reviews: 117
quote
"Wherefor are you knowing it? If you stacked all of the Gorg in the galaxy on top of eachother, the Gorg would kill you."
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