Farewell to Earth

Sixth Grade Alien #12

by Bruce Coville

All things must come to an end -- but it looks as if Pleskit Meenom's year as a sixth grade alien is about to end in catastrophe, as Earth is swept by rumors that something horrible has happened at the alien embassy. Soon anti-alien demonstrations erupt outside Pleskit's school. Who is behind the rumors? Is there really a secret enemy on the embassy staff? When Pleskit disappears, those questions take on new urgency. Desperate to answer them, Pleskit's friends Tim Tompkins and Rafaella Cruz are forced to team up with Tim's old enemy, Jordan Lynch, to save the mission...and Earth!

Genres: Science Fiction, Childrens

Paperback

First published May 22, 2001

About the author

Bruce Coville was born in Syracuse, New York, in 1950. His family lived in farm territory, about twenty miles north of Syracuse. Bruce grew up around the corner from his grandparents' dairy farm, where he spent a great deal of time as a child, dodging cows and chores to the best of his ability. As a young reader he loved Mary Poppins and Dr. Dolittle, and still has fond memories of rising ahead of the rest of his family so he could huddle in a chair and read THE VOYAGES OF DR. DOLITTLE. He also read lots of things that people consider junk (Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, Tom Swift, and zillions of comic books). His only real regret is the time he spent watching television, when he could have been reading instead. (A mind is a terrible thing to waste!)

His first book, THE FOOLISH GIANT, was published in 1978. It was illustrated by his wife, Katherine, whom he had married in 1969. This was followed in 1979 by SARAH'S UNICORN, also illustrated by Katherine. After a long period of working separately, the Covilles began collaborating again with SPACE BRAT and GOBLINS IN THE CASTLE, both published in 1992.

Before getting published Bruce earned his living as a toymaker, a gravedigger, a cookware salesman, an assembly line worker, and finally as an elementary school teacher (second and fourth grades). He left teaching in 1981 to devote himself to becoming a full time writer - though it took another five years to achieve that goal!)

Bruce has published over 100 books, which have appeared in over a dozen countries around the world and sold more than sixteen million copies. Among his most popular titles are MY TEACHER IS AN ALIEN, INTO THE LAND OF THE UNICORNS, and THE MONSTER'S RING. In 2001 he founded Full Cast Audio, an audiobook company dedicated to creating unabridged, full cast recordings of the best in children's and young adult literature.

Reviews

[H. Givens · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I hoped for something flashier in the conclusion, it still seemed to me that not everything fit together perfectly, but there is genuine suspense in wondering if Pleskit will leave Earth, and it all ends in a satisfying way.

Also, I don't know who wrote the description, but Pleskit doesn't disappear. That's not part of the plot.