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Aliens on Vacation (Intergalactic Bed and Breakfast #1)

by Clete Barrett Smith (Goodreads Author), Christian Slade (Illustrations)

3.85 of 5 stars 3.85 · rating details · 723 ratings · 185 reviews

David, otherwise known as Scrub (don't ask), isn't happy about leaving Florida and his friends to summer with his grandmother in "Middle of Nowhere," Washington. When he arrives at her Intergalactic Bed & Breakfast, he isn't surprised by its 60s meets Star Wars decor, but he is surprised by the weird-looking guests. It turns out that each room in the inn is a portal, a...more

Hardcover, 251 pages

Published May 3rd 2011 by Disney-Hyperion

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Dec 19, 2012 Eileen H rated it 5 of 5 stars

Aliens On Vacation
Wow, what a werd grandma but i'll get to her later. Have you ever gone somewhere for vacation and you look around and feel like you don't fit in at all, well you think you do but thats nothing compared Scrubs vacation. I love this book and ( manly the amazing fast paste description of the aliens )
how Im able to connect with Scrub as someone when trying to keep a secret but sometimes it herts my friends along the way. Well, I think its time to give you some hints on this book. F...more

1 like · like · see review

Dec 06, 2012 Lexi Z added it

Right now I m reading ALIENS ON VACATION By Clete Barrett Smith. It's about a boy named Scrub who as to stay at his crazy, stuck-in-the-1960s grandma's Intergalactic Bed and Breakfast for almost the whole summer. Scrub only has to be her one night before he starts to realize that this isn't your typical bed and breakfast. And he's right. It's bed n breakfast is for aliens. That's one big secret to keep don't you think? I've had to keep secrets for me, my friends, and my family before and I can s...more

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Sep 20, 2011 K.C. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I heard about this book on the Chuckanut radio show. First of all, this is a kids book, but I've always been a kid at heart. I loved this book and its light hearted humor. David nicknamed Scrub is a young man who is sent to spend the summer with his grandma who he hasnt been too close with. She runs the "intergalactic bed & breakfast" and yes it really is a vacation spot for aliens on a "primative" planet. The B&B is set in Washington (where else?) close to the Canadian border. As Scrub...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 12, 2013 Maria rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: scifriday, science-fiction, middle-grade

I'll be writing this up for an upcoming Sci Friday!

http://www.mariaselke.com/2013/04/sci... (full review on my blog)

I support independent bookstores. If you want to check out this title, check the link below to find an Indie shop near you or to order from them online!

http://www.indiebound.org/book/978142...

1 like · like · see review

Dec 23, 2011 Treasure rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-s-books, series, supernatural

The first book in the Intergalactic Bed and Breakfast series, the book follows junior high schooler David, better known as Scrub, as he heads from Florida to the wilderness of Washington State to stay with the grandmother he has never met. Grandma runs a bed and breakfast for aliens visiting Earth! We quickly learn that his parents are distant and too busy with business trips to pay any attention to him. Scrub is a responsible, intelligent 7th grader who is concerned with being cool and working...more

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Mar 27, 2013 Robin J. rated it 5 of 5 stars

I am currently reading the book Aliens on Vaction, By: Clete Barret Smith. In this book there is boy and his name is David (but everyone calls him scrub). Scrub get's sent to his grandma's bed and breakfist for the summer becuase his parent's are to busy. Scrub is not happy about having to stay with his grandma for the summer. When he gets to his grandma's, he thinks somthing is a bit odd, and sure enough the bed and breakfist is an intergalactic bed and breakfist. So over the summer he gets a j...more

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Dec 12, 2012 Lisa G rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, kid-s-books, ya-fiction

What a fun read! This is another book on the Texas Bluebonnet list for 2012-13. My daughter, who has now read all 20 of them, said her vote will be between this one and Wonderstruck. That’s pretty high praise from a list of great books.

The story is about a boy whose parents are too busy for him. They ship him off to his grandmother’s house for the summer because they will both be traveling for work. He’s never met his grandma (his father’s mom), probably for good reason. She lives in a strange h...more

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Sep 15, 2012 Laura rated it 5 of 5 stars

When David's parents are once again too busy for him during the summer, he's sent to stay with his grandmother for a few months in a way-too-small town in Washington. Seeing her weird bed and breakfast that seems a little too interested in extraterrestrial life, David is sure that this summer will be the worst ever. What awaits inside is wilder than any nightmare. Behind each door is a portal, where aliens from other planets visit to relax and to learn more about earth. In charge of making sure...more

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Aug 12, 2012 Rebecca rated it 5 of 5 stars

In “Aliens on Vacation”, David ‘Scrub’ is forced to go to his grandmother’s inn, The Intergalactic Bed and Breakfast, in Washington D.C. instead of staying home with his friends in Florida to practice for basketball. When David arrives in Washington, someone starts taking pictures in the bushes, a strange man walks up and starts sniffing things, and then a weird sheriff drives up and just drives away. Weird things continue to happen and afterwards David finds out his grandmother’s secret and tr...more

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Jul 03, 2012 Lori Holbein-Gutierrez rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: bluebonnet, fiction

David aka "Scrub," is forced to go spend the summer with his Grandmother at "The Intergalactic Bed and Breakfast" while his parents go on business trips. Scrub is less than enthusiastic to be in this small town with not much to do. He learns quickly this bed and breakfast has a different clientele than most. Strange looking "tourists" are walking around and something is glowing in his closet.
His Grandmother quickly puts him to work around the bed and breakfast and sends him to town to buy neces...more

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May 03, 2012 Steven R. McEvoy rated it 5 of 5 stars

This debut novel from Clete Barrett Smith was an awesome read. It was comical, entertaining, action-packed and overall just a good, fun read. It is the first book in a new series. It is the story of the Intergalactic Bed and Breakfast, a nice little operation on the edge of the town of Forest Grove, Washington. It is at the end of a cul-de-sac right on the edge of wilderness. And for the two months of summer vacation, it will be the home of David 'Scrub' Elliott of Tampa Florida. And it is the l...more This debut novel from Clete Barrett Smith was an awesome read. It was comical, entertaining, action-packed and overall just a good, fun read. It is the first book in a new series. It is the story of the Intergalactic Bed and Breakfast, a nice little operation on the edge of the town of Forest Grove, Washington. It is at the end of a cul-de-sac right on the edge of wilderness. And for the two months of summer vacation, it will be the home of David 'Scrub' Elliott of Tampa Florida. And it is the last place David wants to be. He would prefer to be back home at basketball camp competing with his best friend. But instead, he has been dumped at his Grandma's quirky little inn.

But life for David is about to get much weirder than he ever expected. He states: "Maybe it was Washington State. After all, this was over three thousand miles from home. And these people lived in the wilderness. Things were bound to be different here. And then there was Canada. We were only a few miles from the border. I didn't know much about Canadian culture, if there was such a thing. Maybe being so close, some of their customs had leaked across the international border, like osmosis." p.20. But he really has no clue just how different. For even though the Bed and Breakfast is constantly full of guests, no one arrives on foot or via the front door of the bed and breakfast. All the guests arrive through transporters in the different rooms. Soon David is meeting and interacting with Aliens he could not even fathom from a book or movie. He is working hard with and for his Gram and really enjoying the responsibility. He has also found a girl in town he really likes, but he keeps messing things up as he tries to keep his Grandma's secret. To make matters worse, the girl's dad is the sheriff and he seems to have it out for David and his grandma.

The characters, both human and alien, are wonderful. The story has a great pace and is well written. The reader finds himself hoping and cheering for David as he grows through the summer at the inn. It was a great book that I can recommend to almost any reader and it will be enjoyed. But it might also be great for boys who do not read very much, for the story will draw them in and keep their attention. I, for one, am looking forward to the next tale in the series and hope it is the next of many more.

Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More. And also an author profile and interview with Clete Barrett Smith.
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Apr 09, 2012 Charlyn Trussell rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Grades 4 and up

Recommended to Charlyn by: Texas Bluebonnet Reading List 2013

Shelves: adventure, fiction, fantasy, grandparents, humor, sci-fi-aliens, series, strong-male-character, tba, friendship

Scrub's plans for the summer are shanghaied when his parents choose to send him to stay with his grandmother at her inn, the Intergalactic Bed & Breakfast. At first Scrub sees the inn as an anachronism straight from the 60s, a blend of Mr. Spock and the Flower Children, with his grandmother as the aging hippie who runs the place. He quickly realizes the establishment and its wild exterior and strange guests are a source of irritation for the citizens of the town and especially the sheriff.

...more

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Apr 08, 2012 Dorine White rated it 4 of 5 stars

Aliens on Vacation, by Clete Barrett Smith, is marvelous middle grade at its best. I highly recommend this book to all kids ages 8 and up. So, let me tell you about it.

The Story: David, aka “Scrub”, is being sent off to live with his grandmother in Washington, where she runs an inn called the Intergalactic Bed & Breakfast. He would much rather stay at home in Florida and practice basketball with his friends, but his parents are determined, so off he goes.

Things get weird right from the star...more

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Oct 02, 2011 Rhiannon Ryder rated it 5 of 5 stars

Way back when during the BEA, you know back when I read stuff other than The Game of Thrones series, I had the pleasure to meet Clete Barrett Smith and hear a bit about his debut Aliens on Vacation. Clete was incredibly charming and his story sounded fun in a mad-cap way so although it was the first day and I already had a list twelve feet long of things not to miss, I made sure to make his signing and grab myself a copy.

Aliens on Vacation follows the adventures of Scrub, sent for a summer to st...more

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Jun 25, 2011 Karyn The Pirate rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi, juvenile-fic, a-read-in-2011, book-reviews-2011

David wants to spend his summer just practicing shooting hoops, laying by the pool and hanging with his friend Tyler. This might even the be the summer of his first kiss. But when his mom and dad are called away for work, he is shipped off to Washington, in the middle of the wilderness, to spend the summer with his grandmother. Now David, who goes by the name of Scrub, fears he might as well submit an application for town freak, because David's grandma isn't just living in the eternal hippie's S...more

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Apr 15, 2011 Sara rated it 5 of 5 stars

Aliens on Vacation stars Scrub a boy sent to stay for the summer with his eccentric grandmother who runs the Intergalactic Bed and Breakfast. Scrub soon notices that the guests in this hotel look and act a little strange. He soon learns that this is not an ordinary hotel but one with guests from across the galaxy. His grandmother gives him many responsibilities around the hotel which he enjoys. However, the local sheriff has his eye on the hotel and has made it his mission to get it shut down.

I...more

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Apr 04, 2011 Becca rated it 5 of 5 stars

I believed in Santa Claus for much longer than everyone else my age. My mother proudly raised me to believe in fairies and (let’s be honest here) I still kind of do, particularly whenever I see small cascades in a stream (“fairy waterfalls!”) or tiny holes in tree trunks (“a fairy bedroom!”). My friends all shake their heads at the knowledge that I follow cryptozoology lore online the way that other people my age follow sports or celebrity gossip, and I hope beyond all reasonable hope, fingers c...more I believed in Santa Claus for much longer than everyone else my age. My mother proudly raised me to believe in fairies and (let’s be honest here) I still kind of do, particularly whenever I see small cascades in a stream (“fairy waterfalls!”) or tiny holes in tree trunks (“a fairy bedroom!”). My friends all shake their heads at the knowledge that I follow cryptozoology lore online the way that other people my age follow sports or celebrity gossip, and I hope beyond all reasonable hope, fingers crossed and eyes screwed shut, that Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster are real. But for all my unabashed belief in hidden animals and the unseen, I never gave much thought to extraterrestrials…. until I read Aliens on Vacation.

Scrub can’t believe his rotten luck. The summer before seventh grade, while all of his friends are playing basketball and getting their first kisses, his parents are forcing him to spend the summer in Washington state with his wacky grandmother at her bizarre B&B. His arrival at the Intergalactic Bed and Breakfast does nothing to ease his nerves. Grandma seems nice enough (if a bit off her rocker), but the guests are so weird. Why do they greet him with clammy hands and strange voices? Why are they all eating tin foil and drinking bleach? And what’s the deal with the closets in every room that glow with an eerie light?

The answer is revealed quickly: Grandma runs Earth’s only interplanetary vacation destination, and the aliens—or “tourists,” as they prefer to be called—arrive through the closet transporters daily, with everything from scaly purple skin to eyes on their stomachs. Somewhat against his will, Grandma enlists Scrub as her assistant and teaches him the ropes. He learns how to craft prosthetic faces, how to help dress an alien in a way that hides their five extra arms, what to do when there’s a planetary transportation error and you have to get a large grumpy squid to the nearby lake without any of the locals noticing… typical summer job stuff.

Except the locals are noticing. Despite everything Scrub is doing to keep a low profile, he is being spied on by two people: one, a very cute (smart, nice, funny, perfect) girl who is obsessed with extraterrestrial lore and desperate to know what is going on inside the B&B; and two, the local sheriff who will stop at nothing to find out what is really going on in his town. As the summer rolls by, Scrub begins to realize that it can be harder to talk to girls—especially cute ones—than to disguise even the most foreign-looking alien, but with Grandma’s help, he’s getting better at both. However, as the sheriff begins enlisting help from other suspicious locals and more “tourists” pour through their portals every day, it can’t be long before they are discovered. And no matter what happens, this is shaping up to be the weirdest summer of Scrub’s life.

I absolutely LOVED this book. It made me understand, in the most enthusiastic way possible, why people want to believe in aliens, and that can be almost entirely attributed to the gorgeously detailed and highly imaginative writing of Clete Barrett Smith. When paired with wonderful illustrations by Christian Slade of extraterrestrials peeking through portal windows at every chapter, every single “tourist” in the book has a distinct, quirky, and very funny personality. In turn, this delightful motley crew of fully developed characters provides a rich backdrop for Scrub, one of the most honestly and enjoyably depicted protagonists that I have stumbled across in a long time.

The themes—bravery, acceptance, honesty, imagination—are strongly supported by the text while (crucially) remaining subtle and taking the back seat to a tremendously compelling story. Yes, Aliens on Vacation is a children’s adventure in its truest form, but it’s a morality tale at its core, and a good one at that. Intelligent, energetic, and hopeful, this book is a delight on every page that inspires the imagination to take flight. Perhaps even as far as another galaxy.

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Mar 28, 2011 Rachel Vance rated it 4 of 5 stars

Aliens on Vacation is about a boy, Scrub, who has parents that basically ignore him. They both have to go on business trips during Scrubs summer vacation and decide to ship Scrub across the country to stay with his Grandmother who he's never met. His grandmother owns and operates the Intergalactic Bed and Breakfast. Scrub thinks it's a hangout for Trekkies and people that believe in aliens. He starts thinking things aren't really what they seem when he walks in first thing and reads,
House Rules...more

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Mar 14, 2011 Jennifer Daiker rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: clete-barrett-smith

This book is absolutely adorable. Light hearted, fun, and fit for several kids! David, aka Scrub, is a kid from Florida sent by his suit wearing, overachieving parents, to Grandma's house for the summer. Between him and his friend Tyler there is no telling who is going to pull the win for the Collosal Summer Challenge.

His Grandma is a funky sort of woman! Someone who has one heck of a personality, soneone you'd definitely want to visit from the summer! There is a catchthough, she's an agging hi...more

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Jun 27, 2011 P.M. rated it 4 of 5 stars

David is being sent to the Pacific Northwest to spend the summer with his grandmother who is a certified lunatic in his mind. When he first glimpses her bed and breakfast decorated in Star Trek mode, he is convinced this will be the worst summer of his life. Luckily, his ingrained kindness comes to his rescue when he realizes that Mr. Harnox really is an alien. Grandma has been hosting aliens vacationing on Earth for over 40 years. The local sheriff, however, is just waiting to arrest her for fr...more

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Aug 03, 2011 TheBookSmugglers rated it 4 of 5 stars

Originally Reviewed on The Book Smugglers: http://thebooksmugglers.com/2011/08/j...

REVIEW

First Impressions:

Ana: From beginning to end I had nothing but fun with Aliens on Vacation. It features a clever yet lonely boy as a protagonist, a fun, creative plot featuring Aliens on vacation in our planet and some really cool secondary characters that added lots of flavour to the story. I loved it.

Thea: The debut novel from Clete Barrett Smith, Aliens on Vacation is exactly the type of fun, hilarious...more

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Mar 27, 2011 Cleffairy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Reviewed at: Over A Cuppa Tea

Date reviewed: 20 March 2011

Review link: http://cleffairy.com/?p=4967

This is my first time reviewing for Disney-Hyperion Publisher, and boy am I glad that I’ve been given an opportunity by Disney-Hyperion to review their ARCs for they made the child in me giggle in amusement when I read their books, especially this one: Aliens on Vacation by Clete Smith.

Aliens on Vacation is about a young boy helping out his grandmother in a bed and breakfast specially for space tou...more

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Oct 01, 2011 M. rated it 4 of 5 stars

David, otherwise known as Scrub, is sent to stay with his hippie grandmother over the summer. She lives in a small town in Washington State so he has a long way to travel since he's coming from Florida. When he gets to her house, otherwise known as the "Intergalactic Bed and Breakfast," he finds he has even a longer mental journey than he could have imagined. It turns out that Grandma's house is exactly what it says--a vacation spot for space aliens on vacation with portals in each bedroom close...more

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May 19, 2013 Becky rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: chapter-books-2012-2013, childrens-2012-2013, middle-grades

I really enjoyed this story about Scrub, a boy on summer vacation before 7th grade. All he wants is to spend time practicing basketball so he can make the team in the fall. Instead he is sent to his grandmother's house for the summer. His grandmother runs The Intergalactic Bed & Breakfast. It turns out that this B&B is not your average B&B, but one that caters to Tourists from all over the universe. Grandma give Scrub a job helping her to make sure her guests "blend in" with the huma...more

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Feb 13, 2013 CH13_Lisa Matthews rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: iii-fantasy-sci-fi

Instead of enjoying summer hanging out in the Florida, David will be spending his summer at his grandmother’s space inn. David come to realizes that his grandmother‘s guest at the inn are not what they appear to be. David and his new friend Amy seems particularly determined to solve the mystery of the inn's clientele.

This is a fun book, the first in a series, and younger readers will certainly enjoy the variety of aliens and their unique requests. Each chapter begins with a goofy alien illustra...more

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Jul 26, 2011 Darby Karchut rated it 5 of 5 stars

Last month, I had the pleasure of being on a live author chat with several YA/MG authors. One of the other debut authors was Clete Barrett Smith, the author of Aliens on Vacation.

Beside being a thoroughly professional and upbeat person, he was also hysterically funny. After the chat ended, I moved his book to the top of my TBR.

I just got my copy today and can’t wait to start!

My Review:
Aliens on Vacation by Clete Barrett Smith was a blast to read. From the hippie era references to the X-Files al...more

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Dec 06, 2012 Catherine C rated it 5 of 5 stars

So far I really like Aliens On Vacation by Clete Barrett Smith because it is science fiction and humor all in one. It is about a boy named Scrub who is going to his Grandmother's Intergalactic Bed and Breakfast for the summer. He doesn't really want to go but both his parents are going on business trips so he has no choice. At first he thinks that intergalactic means a bunch of crazy outer space decorations. The he finds out that the guests at the bed and breakfast are aliens visiting from anot...more

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Jun 22, 2012 Melissa added it

Shelves: 5th-grade-preview-books

Perfect book for my 5th grade boys...what could be better than a boy who plays basketball who spends the summer working at his Grandma's Bed and Breakfast? Oh, did I mention that all her customer's are aliens who arrive via transporters which we all know as closets? Great fun!

"David, otherwise known as Scrub (don't ask), isn't happy about leaving Florida and his friends to summer with his grandmother in "Middle of Nowhere," Washington. When he arrives at her Intergalactic Bed & Breakfast, he...more

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Jul 03, 2012 Emmaleigh rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: summer-reading-2012

When I picked up this book I wasn't too excited for it based off the title and the fact that this is a first book for Smith. I started the book expecting it to be another "boy" book full of not so funny child humor that is geared towards my lovely elementary boys. Smith pulled out a surprise for me with bringing me into a story that wasn't too far on the fantasy side and not too dipped in reality. As I continued to read I found that the book didn't have extreme plot twists but thankfully it was...more

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Jun 15, 2011 David rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction, kids-fiction

Aliens on Vacation by Clete Barrett Smith is a funny science fiction romp that may produce sequels. When David (Scrub) arrives at his eccentric grandmother's Intergalactic Bed & Breakfast to stay for the summer, he is a bit surprised by the wierd looking guests. David discovers that each room at the inn is a portal, and his grandma is the gate keeper, allowing aliens to vacation on Earth! David becomes involved in helping his grandmother welcome and disguise the tourists. The local sheriff,...more

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About Clete Barrett Smith

Clete Barrett Smith’s first novel, Aliens on Vacation, will be published by Disney-Hyperion Books for Children in May, 2011. A sequel, part of The Intergalactic Bed & Breakfast series for middle grade readers, will come out the following year. A lifelong resident of the Pacific Northwest, Clete taught English, Drama and Speech at the high school level for over a dozen years and has also worked...more

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