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Matthew and Maria Looney #2
Matthew Looney's Invasion of the Earth
An expedition force from the Moon is sent to invade the Earth but leaves the planet in such haste that Matthew Looney is left behind.
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1965
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About the author
Jerome Beatty Jr.
22 books7 followersJerome M. Beatty Jr. (December 9, 1916 — July 31, 2002) was a 20th-century American author of children's literature. He was also an accomplished feature writer for magazines. Beatty served in the United States Army, achieving the rank of corporal, and is buried at the Massachusetts National Cemetery.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 14, 2024
I LOVED this fun series when I was a child! I used to go the library and pick up a new one.
June 13, 2012
The third in the Looney series, this deals with the serious problem of once again exploring Earth when a previous exploration determined that the planet was barren of life.
The science sounds mildly plausible (if you’re a little child who doesn’t know any better) and the illustrations are crude line drawings for the most part. But it’s the determination of the plucky little Matthew that makes the book worth reading. Accidentally stranded on Earth, he doesn’t lose his head or his nerve but manages to get Earth people to take him back home and negotiate a peace contract with the U.N.
The fact that Moon people interact much like Earth folk do is amusingly laid out as Matthew deals with a worrying mother, a fond uncle, an overbearing bully and an Anti-Earth League that wants Earth out of the way because it’s blocking the view. The mistaken observations that the Moon folk make when they land on Earth are amusing although not uproariously funny.
This book was written in 1965, four years before the first moon landing, so it’s definitely dated. However, it wears its age gently and will appeal to very young children.
The science sounds mildly plausible (if you’re a little child who doesn’t know any better) and the illustrations are crude line drawings for the most part. But it’s the determination of the plucky little Matthew that makes the book worth reading. Accidentally stranded on Earth, he doesn’t lose his head or his nerve but manages to get Earth people to take him back home and negotiate a peace contract with the U.N.
The fact that Moon people interact much like Earth folk do is amusingly laid out as Matthew deals with a worrying mother, a fond uncle, an overbearing bully and an Anti-Earth League that wants Earth out of the way because it’s blocking the view. The mistaken observations that the Moon folk make when they land on Earth are amusing although not uproariously funny.
This book was written in 1965, four years before the first moon landing, so it’s definitely dated. However, it wears its age gently and will appeal to very young children.
November 7, 2012
Remember this children’s book was written in 1965 before Apollo 11 landed on the moon.
Moonmen discover an Earth weapon (?), depicted to looks a lot like Luna 2. From a trip to the top of the planet (the Arctic) they assume that Earth was uninhabited. Now Matthew and the rest of the crew must travel to Earth for a second time with a peace treaty. They land in Florida and mistake flamingos and alligators for earthmen. An attack of assumed poisonous water (rain) separates Matt from the others and he is stranded on Earth. Earthmen capture and study him. Can he get back? Can he stop the Earth from invading the Moon? The reversal of moonmen exploring the earth is great fun and makes you wish even more could have been done with the idea. The dry science segments may be dated and unreliable. The book is a parable of how mistaken we can be about people different from ourselves and how our assumptions are often wrong.
Moonmen discover an Earth weapon (?), depicted to looks a lot like Luna 2. From a trip to the top of the planet (the Arctic) they assume that Earth was uninhabited. Now Matthew and the rest of the crew must travel to Earth for a second time with a peace treaty. They land in Florida and mistake flamingos and alligators for earthmen. An attack of assumed poisonous water (rain) separates Matt from the others and he is stranded on Earth. Earthmen capture and study him. Can he get back? Can he stop the Earth from invading the Moon? The reversal of moonmen exploring the earth is great fun and makes you wish even more could have been done with the idea. The dry science segments may be dated and unreliable. The book is a parable of how mistaken we can be about people different from ourselves and how our assumptions are often wrong.
January 14, 2008
One of my favorite books from the 5th grade. Sadly they are all out of print.
June 11, 2013
It was probably 3rd grade when I began this wonderful children's book series - my first Sci-Fi:)
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews