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The True Meaning of Smekday

by Adam Rex (Goodreads Author)

4.15 of 5 stars 4.15 · rating details · 3,179 ratings · 881 reviews

It all starts with a school essay.

When twelve-year-old Gratuity ("Tip") Tucci is assigned to write five pages on "The True Meaning of Smekday" for the National Time Capsule contest, she's not sure where to begin. When her mom started telling everyone about the messages aliens were sending through a mole on the back of her neck? Maybe on Christmas Eve, when huge, bizarre s...more

Hardcover, 423 pages

Published October 2nd 2007 by Disney-Hyperion

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Jun 13, 2010 Ceridwen rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Buffy fans

Recommended to Ceridwen by: the boy

Shelves: aliens, america-and-environs, pulp, sci-fi, young-adult, middle-grade

Adam Rex rules. I'm a pretty huge fan of his picture books, because they combine fantastic art and a zingy word-play. They remind me of Fractured Fairy Tales, from the old Bullwinkle & Rocky show – intelligent enough for kids, and cute enough for adults. (No, I haven't mixed up my adjectives there – mostly I think adults can be the dumb ones when they choose picture books, because instruction is often the death of fun. So often awards for children's books – hell, awards in general – value th...more Adam Rex rules. I'm a pretty huge fan of his picture books, because they combine fantastic art and a zingy word-play. They remind me of Fractured Fairy Tales, from the old Bullwinkle & Rocky show – intelligent enough for kids, and cute enough for adults. (No, I haven't mixed up my adjectives there – mostly I think adults can be the dumb ones when they choose picture books, because instruction is often the death of fun. So often awards for children's books – hell, awards in general – value the message over the experience – look, another vewy vewy impowtant book about shawing! Or whatever.)

Anyway, this book came into my hands because my brilliant son won a costume contest, and was allowed to pick from a table of books. “Adam Rex is my favorite author!” he's fond of exclaiming – yes, the Book Dork Force is strong in my family – so he picked this, much to my glee. We've been having a tug-of war with this book ever since. Each time he catches me reading it, he takes it from me. “This is MY BOOK.” I sneak into his bedroom while he's asleep and pry it from his hands. He charges into my bedroom and pulls it off the stack and drags it back to his lair. Good times.

This book has a very odd structure. The first half or so is a series of essays written for an essay contest - “The True Meaning of Smekday” being the topic, natch – that keeps revising the narrative with more and more detail. Gratuity Tucci, the very wonderfully real narrator of these essays, tells the story of Earth's invasion by aliens (who rename the planet Smekland), the relocation of the population of the US to Florida, then Arizona, by said aliens, and her own slowly developing friendship with a Boov named J.Lo – one of the invading aliens in question – while she tries to find her mother. This description more or less captures the weirdly satisfying, mix in this book: on the one hand, it's about concentration camps and forced relocation, and on the other, it's about goofy aliens and eating urinal cakes & a cross-country road trip with a cat and a flying car. The dialogue is flat-out funny, the situations ridiculous, with Rex's sly cartoon's often supplying backstory in a way that intelligently side-steps the infodump. The tone is almost foamy, with a lot of wild juxtapositions and pop cultural references, and it took a me a while to relax & feel assured this wasn't one of those crappy kids fictions that confuse frenetic mugging for character. (I'm shooting at the Shrek movies here, which combine my hatreds of Dubious and Loudly Telegraphed Morals with Instantly Dated Jokes. Sure, it's Okay to Be Ugly, girls, but you still have to Define Yourself by The Man You Love. Bah. Poop on that.)

This book reminds me of two of my most favoritest things: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Suzanne Collins's books. Rex has the knack of turning his scenes from comedy to heartbreak with whiplash effect, like the best of Buffy, and although it's not nearly as overtly dark as the Hunger Games series, it has that social-commentary-wrapped-in-spectacle thing going for it that Collins does extremely well. You read because it's fun and fast-moving, with a nuanced narrative voice, but Rex bases his comedy on some incredibly uncomfortable things, like that hoary old American panic generator, race. For example, our heroine, Gratuity – her name, and the naming of things in general, is a whole other gag that I'll not get into here – is the single daughter of a single mother. Her mother is white, her father black. People keep mis-identifying her as one thing or another, questioning her ancestry, making wild assumptions about her based on how she looks.

While in Roswell, hanging out with a group of alien fanatics, she's introduced to a Native man whom the town residents call Chief Shouting Bear, but whose real name is Frank. (Another name/identity gag – I guess it's hard to avoid talking about, because they're everywhere in this book.) Gratuity tells him she's half-white. “Which half?” he says. “Uh...dunno. Let's say from the waist down,” she replies. “I only hate your legs,” he says, and christens her Supidlegs. There's at least one other excellent bit about race in the book I could mention, but it's so late in the story that I'd dump a bunch of spoilers if I detailed it too closely. I'll just say this: filling out government forms is almost always funny, because so often they ask the wrong questions the wrong way. Smekday has a lot to say, just under the surface, but it refrains from decanting those observations into the Big Moral, the didactic stick that comes out and clobbers you at the end of so much YA stuff. In fact, here's the last paragraph. No spoilers, I promise:

“You asked what the moral to my story was. I'm not sure real stories have morals. Or maybe they have so many it's impossible to chose. But here's one: what goes around comes around. And as far as pets go, a cat is nice thing to have.”

I'm almost inclined to give this book 5-stars – really, it's that intelligent & fun, but I'm going to be a big crank and withhold one for one extremely selfish jerk reason: I HATE THE QUALITY OF THIS EDITION SO MUCH. The paper is just barely better than newsprint, and Rex's drawings are reproduced so low-res that you can almost see the pixellation. The way the pictures are included feels like an editor woofed their placement several times – the images coming too early or too late – like they'd hastily changed the pagination from the hardcover to the paperback without any thought to the flow of the images and words. Shame on you, Hyperion Books; way totally to cheap out, and a book so good it's really a shame.

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37 likes · like · see review

Jul 20, 2011 Stephen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: award-nominee-andre-norton, audiobook, ya, invasion, world-in-the-shitter, 2006-2010, comfort-food

Before reading Adam Rex’s delicious banquet of pop culture skewers dipped in saucy social commentary and served alongside a heaping helping of warm, filling comfort food, the phrase "I love J.LO" had NEVER been part of my working vocabulary. Well folks…*burp*…I love J.LO. Now, I’m not referring to "Ms. Diva from the Block junky trunk", but rather the sweetest, charmingest, most Booviful Boov ever to invade Earth in search of oranges and urinal cakes:

Smekday is definitely a feel gooder with sma...more

39 likes · like · see review

Mar 25, 2011 Catie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2011, sci-fi, middle-grade, graphic-illustrated-novels

If someone had told me that there’s a book about an alien invasion, featuring a girl on the run from the internment of humans in camps while she searches for her abducted mother, and it’s funny, and it’s for kids, I think that I would have called shenanigans. But, that’s exactly what this book is. Thank goodness I had no idea what this was about before I started, or I may not have given it a chance. Now that I’ve read it, I just want to push it off on everyone I know.

Gratuity “Tip” Tucci is only...more If someone had told me that there’s a book about an alien invasion, featuring a girl on the run from the internment of humans in camps while she searches for her abducted mother, and it’s funny, and it’s for kids, I think that I would have called shenanigans. But, that’s exactly what this book is. Thank goodness I had no idea what this was about before I started, or I may not have given it a chance. Now that I’ve read it, I just want to push it off on everyone I know.

Gratuity “Tip” Tucci is only 11 ½, but she’s more practical and down to earth than your average grandma. She’s the one that takes care of her dreamy, impulsive mom. When her mom develops a strange mole, starts dreaming out loud in two languages, and is eventually abducted by an invading alien race (the Boov), Tip finds herself all alone and faced with a directive to report to Florida, where the “noble savages of Earth” have been allotted land. On her way down to Florida, she meets a lone Boov who calls himself J.Lo. After he soups up her old car “slushious” they reluctantly team up.

Okay, so I am not very familiar with what “the kids” are into these days (my two girls are barely out of the toddler years) but I was surprised by the sophistication of the humor in this book. Sure, there were also boob, fart, and poop jokes (which I may or may not have laughed at hysterically and repeatedly), but I found myself wondering if kids would even get 50% of the humor. He essentially uses the Boov as a not-so-flattering mirror of the human race, with hilarious results. One of my favorite quotes is Gratuity’s realization that the Boov “weren't anything special. They were just people. They were too smart and too stupid to be anything else.” In many ways, the Boov end up proving themselves more humane and benevolent than humans. So, I’m not sure if kids will get what he’s saying here (Guess what? Human history ain’t pretty folks.). But I really hope that they do.

I think that this is a perfect book for parents and kids to read together – there’s much to enjoy on both sides. I absolutely loved Tip and J.Lo by the end of this book. I loved Tip’s frank and practical assessment of everything around her. Nothing magnifies the idiocy of adults like seeing it through the eyes of an eleven year old girl. I loved J.Lo’s sweetness and courage. Also, I think that my standard response to any question of “Why? Why would people do that?” will now be, “Because they are Poomps!”

I have to mention something here about the narrator of this audiobook, Bahni Turpin. Wow! Nothing could have made up for me not being able to see the illustrations except Bahni Turpin’s genius with voices. I enjoyed every minute; she truly captured J.Lo’s crazy squeaky voice and Gratuity’s dry sarcasm.
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17 likes · like · see review

Dec 10, 2012 Kaethe rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Kaethe by: Sarah R

Shelves: adventure, fiction, format-graphic-novel, humor, kids, age-middle-grade, cats, strong-smart-female-protagonist, age-ya, feminism, scifi, p-o-c, beloved, read-aloud

Sarah was sooo right; loved the cat, loved Gratuity, loved everything about this book. SF fans should read it, kids' book fans should read it, and Sarah R. fans should read it. Really.

***

The new read-aloud for the Possum. Now she's loving it.

***

The PandaBat isn't very interested, but the Possum and I are having a great time. Laughing like anything, which is unexpectedly fun in an apocalyptic sort of tale. I'm enjoying it even more this time around.

***

We're meeting some strange people now.

***

We'r...more

6 likes · like · see review

Aug 02, 2008 Paul rated it 5 of 5 stars

Pretty much my favorite children's book of the past few years, and one of my favorite books overall. It has such a sense of gamboling fun, even with the aliens are busy herding up humanity and shunting them off to states that they themselves don't particularly like.

J-Lo, the alien character is charming, and I wish he could be my own friend. Rex put a lot of emotion into that lovable squat fireplug, and my only "J-Lo" related dismay is that while readers of this book might know that J-Lo named h...more

10 likes · like · see review

Nov 12, 2007 Brandy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2007reads, childrens, adventure, friendship

If I had to describe this book in a word, I'd call it a romp. It's fun, it's funny, it's a fast-paced adventure. And it's very clever. Too clever, in fact; one gets the impression that the author is very impressed with himself, and cracks himself up with how witty and clever he can be.

Somewhere on GoodReads, I saw a description of a book (don't recall which one) as "it's like a friend's little brother--he's really funny and entertaining for a little while, and then you want him to go away." Tha...more

8 likes · like · see review

Mar 15, 2008 Chris rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-aloud-to-mulzer, kids-books-for-adults, ya

This is one of the funniest, constantly entertaining books I've read in a long time, kids book or otherwise. The narrator is a brilliantly sarcastic young girl, the alien J-Lo is a riot, and the premise never gets tired. I kept waiting for some sappy "kids book" ending to mar the climax, but it never got bad. I'm going to buy a copy to own, just so I can re-read it to Mulzer again.

5 likes · like · see review

Apr 08, 2008 Eva Mitnick rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction, children

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 driv...more

3 likes · like · see review

Mar 17, 2008 babyhippoface rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: kids-fiction, young-adult, fantasy

"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 ca...more

5 likes · like · see review

Oct 14, 2012 April rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi, middle-grade, audio, own, highly-recommended

I am for reals on an audiobook roll. The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex narrated by Bahni Turpin is one of the most hilarious, heartfelt, and engaging audiobooks that I’ve had the pleasure to listen to. Seriously, if you aren’t sure about audiobooks, introduce your ears to The True Meaning Of Smekday.

Read the rest of my review here

3 likes · like · see review

May 16, 2013 Laura rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: juvenile-fiction, sci-fi-fantasy

The aliens have invaded and turned eleven year old Gratuity "Tip" Tucci's world upside down. They've taken over the country, abducted her mom, and ordered everyone in America relocate to Florida. Luckily Tip is smart, scrappy, and not about to the let the aliens win. So she hits the road to Florida in search of her mom and along the way makes an unlikely friend, J.Lo (a Boov alien - not the pop star). What happens next is a hilarious and wild adventure tale of how they save the world. This book...more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 16, 2008 Colleen Venable rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mid-grade-fiction, 2008-read, books-that-made-me-cry

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-face...more

5 likes · like · see review

Mar 16, 2008 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone who wonders about Roswell

Recommended to Jennifer by: Julie (and Aurora)

Shelves: read-young-adult

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 tha...more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 15, 2008 Lisa rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: everyone on the planet

Recommended to Lisa by: Peter Howard, thanks!!

Shelves: kidsfiction

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, t...more

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Jan 20, 2008 Farida rated it 5 of 5 stars

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...more

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Aug 16, 2008 Lynn rated it 4 of 5 stars

I always wondered what REALLY happened at Roswell and now I know ;-) Gratuity Tucci's school essay and the extended secret story about the conquoring invasion of Earth by two competing alien species is a clever funny send-off of almost everything from Disneyland to politics to fast food. Illustrated with comic book-type panels and individual sketches, this is one of those books you hand to a kid who wants something different. Laden with Terry Pratchett style humor that skewers everything close a...more

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Jan 21, 2008 Suzanne rated it 5 of 5 stars

Funniest, smartest, most unusual alien invasion book ever! I loved the spunky protagonist and her friendship with the alien J.Lo. I also appreciated how the book kept a child's perspective and sensibilities - the BOOB jokes, the urinal snack cakes, the wild stories she came up with for why J.Lo had to hide under a sheet, and the way the incompetent adults kept trying to protect her and keep her from doing what she wanted to do.

One quibble - did anyone else think it wrapped up too quickly? Or wa...more

1 like · like · see review

Dec 17, 2007 Natalie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: teen-and-tween, young-folks-fiction

The True Meaning of Smekday is an allegory that's as highly critical of contemporary culture (and history) as it is hilarious.

After renaming all major holidays, a group of aliens known as the Boov, politely ask the humans to relocate to Florida. Isn't that where they all go when they get old anyways?

Young Gratuity (a female bi-racial heroine, yay!) with a cat named Pig and an outlaw alien named J.Lo in tow, heads south in search of her abducted mother.

So many good jokes ensue.

1 like · like · see review

Feb 10, 2012 Amanda Fack rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, audiobook, novel, 3-6, science

This action-packed story is told through 12-year-old Gratuity “Tip” Tucci’s essay attempts written for the National Time Capsule contest. Award-winning author and illustrator Adam Rex (The Dirty Cowboy, Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2003 and Ste-e-e-eamboat A-comin!, Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2006) brings us this post-apocalyptic tale of alien invasion and occupation of the planet Earth, including amusing pencil illustrations of scrapbook entries such as Polaroids, newspaper clippings, and art...more

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Jan 02, 2009 Kelly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: work, elementary

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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May 02, 2013 Timothy M is currently reading it

I am currently reading The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex. In the book, the Earth has been invaded by the Boov, a group of aliens from outer space. Meanwhile, Gratuity Tucci's mother has been abducted and Gratuity is set to find her no matter what. She was sure the Boov wouldn't stop a fourteen year old driving a car on the highway. Along the way, Gratuity and her cat, Pig run into a friendly Boov named J-Lo. I really like J-Lo for many reasons. First of all, he is hilarious. He doesn't kno...more

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Apr 16, 2013 Sarah Campagna rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: listened-to-audiobook

Brilliant fun for all kinds of kids - even old ones -

This is one of the best kids' books I've ever read. It is funny and smart and current, and the kind of book I did not want to end. Fortunately it is "a lot of book". Our girl Tip makes an epic journey, and it feels epic, yet the story only drags briefly.

I literally laughed out loud in many places and grinned in even more. The characters were engaging and I really cared what happened to them. Though I saw the key to solving the story's big pr...more

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Apr 15, 2013 Ron rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-sf

The True Meaning of Smekday, is an essay by Gratuity Tucci, and 12 year old from Philly who has to leave because aliens invaded, abducted her mom, ordered everyone to move to Florida. She decided to load up her cat named Pig into the family car - which she can only drive with cans tied to her feet - drive down to Florida, even though the aliens are providing rocket pods.

Along the way she meets a Boov (one of the aliens who invaded earth) named J-Lo, who made a tiny little mistake that is going t...more

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Apr 08, 2013 Heather Aldaine rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-booklist, science-fiction, young-adult

A funnier book I have never read. While most humorous books flounder and drown in their own jokes after the first few chapters, The True Meaning of Smekday keeps the hilarity coming without fail.

The humor in The True Meaning of Smekday comes largely from language. The Boov, and therefore J.Lo, speak idiosyncratic English. Between the poor grammar, lack of idioms, and literal understanding of metaphor, the conversations between Tip and J.Lo are laugh out loud hilarious. The writing style is very...more A funnier book I have never read. While most humorous books flounder and drown in their own jokes after the first few chapters, The True Meaning of Smekday keeps the hilarity coming without fail.

The humor in The True Meaning of Smekday comes largely from language. The Boov, and therefore J.Lo, speak idiosyncratic English. Between the poor grammar, lack of idioms, and literal understanding of metaphor, the conversations between Tip and J.Lo are laugh out loud hilarious. The writing style is very conversational, and Tip is refreshingly sarcastic without sounding too mature for an eleven-year-old.

There is plenty more than humor in this book. The storyline is highly engaging and quintessentially first contact science fiction. Once I started reading, I couldn’t put this book down. The writing is fast-paced and vivid. Even the absurd technology and chaotic action sequences are easy to imagine.

There is plenty of social commentary within the humor. Boov and Gorg history more than superficially resembles human history. The Boov and humans have both experienced the negative side of colonization and relocation of indigenous peoples, and yet history repeats itself for both species in The True Meaning of Smekday. Environmentalism, invasive media, and the dangers of post-modern society are also discussed.

Plenty of weighty issues are humorously addressed between the human characters as well, particularly race relations with Tip, who is biracial, and Native American Frank. The map of Arizona (The United State of America) is equally funny and profound with cities such as Xanadu, The Shire, AARPtopia, Plan B, the Hempshire of Flags Staff, and Mesa of Latter Day Saints.

The book includes several black-and-white illustrations depicted as photographs taken with Tip’s Polaroid camera. There are also charming comic strips drawn by J.Lo which explain Boovish and Gorg history in succinct panels.

Although this book is a young adult title, I highly recommend it to any fan of science fiction. This book is a perfect example of what the genre should be: entertaining and thought-provoking.(less)

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Mar 21, 2013 Western Allegheny Community Library rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: middle-grade

From April newsletter...

Staff Member: Rebecca Folb
Title: Technical Services Librarian

Book: The True Meaning of Smekday
Author: Adam Rex
Call Number: MG Rex

Summary: Eleven-year-old Tip receives an assignment from her teacher to write an essay about “Smekday” Eve, the day of the Boov alien invasion and what the holiday means to them. The book, written in essay format, details Tip’s story about how her mother is abducted by aliens on Christmas Eve or “Smekday” Eve. Tip takes her mothers car and head...more

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Mar 09, 2013 Ccl Children's rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: audiobook, children-s-fiction

I loved this audiobook. Eleven year old Gratuity "Tip" Tucci is assigned to write five pages on "The True Meaning of Smekday" for an the National Time Capsule contest. She decides to begin with when her mother started telling everyone that she had been abducted by aliens, moves on to the coming of the Boov ships and disappearence of her mother on Christmas Eve (now known as Smekday), and the Boov quickly conquering the Earth and moving all humans to a human preserve in Flordia. Then it starts ge...more

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Mar 07, 2013 Michael Williams added it Recommends it for: Si fi

Recommended to Michael by: friend

In this book The True Meaning of Smekday by a guy named Adam rex occurs on a holiday called Christmas. When these called Boovs arrived on the planet earth they want to rename Christmas day after there beloved leader, "Captian Smek" and change it to Smekday. Some important information before is that before the take over Gratuittys and much others like mom was abducted left with only her animals. Grattuity knows that they must leave so they travel to a place called Florida. As time progresses she...more

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Mar 06, 2013 Ja'markus Watkins rated it 5 of 5 stars

In the book The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex begins on christmas day, when the Boovs arrive on Earth and renames christmas day after their leader, Captian Smek; Smekday. However before the invasion, Gratuitty's (and others!) mom was abducted and she was left with only her cat; Pig. Grattuity has to leave, and travels to Floria. Weeks past and as she travels to Florida she is chased by a Boov. Her car breaks down and she hides in a near-by gas station were she is found by a frendly Boov b...more

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Jan 08, 2013 Heather rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book is hilarious, and Gratuity Tucci, the protagonist, is someone I'd love to know (or teach, since that's what I do). The alien, a Boov (who calls himself J Lo) is quirky, sweet, and weird: a geek in his own culture. But what I really like about this book is the journey.

When the aliens come, they round everyone up and send them to Florida, and Gratuity is left without a mom. She decides to travel to Florida in her mom's old car to find her, and ends up throwing in her lot with one of the...more

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Aug 18, 2012 Rachel Brown rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-s, science-fiction

A marvelous and very funny science fiction comedy in which eleven-year-old Gratuity "Tip" Tucci tells the story of how Earth was colonized by aliens, and she ended up traveling cross-country in search of her mother in a flying car called Slushious, in the company of a conflicted alien named J. Lo.

This book has all sorts of elements which I normally hate, from cutesy pop culture references to heavy-handed messages ("colonialism is bad") to mocking Disneyland (easy target). Amazingly, I loved it a...more

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About Adam Rex

Adam Rex grew up in Phoenix, Arizona, the middle of three children. He was neither the smart one (older brother) or the cute one (younger sister), but he was the one who could draw. He took a lot of art classes as a kid, trying to learn to draw better, and started painting when he was 11. And later in life he was drawn down to Tucson in order to hone his skills, get a BFA from the University of Ar...more

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Trivia About The True Meaning ...

6 trivia questions
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Quotes from The True Meaning of Sm...

“Woah,' I said, blocking the doorway. 'You can't come in here. This is the girls' room.'
Even as it came out of my mouth, I knew it sounded dumb. Dumb, I thought and maybe even wrong.
You...are a boy, aren't you?' I asked. 'I mean, don't take that the wrong way or anything -'
J.Lo is a boy, yes.' I let that go.
So...you Boov have boys and girls...just like us?'
Of course,' said J.Lo. 'Do not be ridicumlous.'
I smiled a wan little smile. 'Sorry.'
The Boov have seven magnificent genders. There is boy, girl, girlboy, boygirl, boyboy, boyboygirl, and boyboyboyboy.'
I had absolutely no response to this.” — 22 people liked it

“Is there a short-eared koobish, then?'
Mmmyes ...' said J.Lo. 'But it is technically not really a koobish. Is more alike a kind of singing pumpkin.'
We had conversations like these all the time, where I just eventually gave up.” — 18 people liked it

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The True Meaning of Smekday

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