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Shape-Changer
A shapeshifting extraterrestrial cop, Zymel, enlists the aid of shrimpy seventh-grader Frank Dunn and his friend Lauren to repair his flying saucer and recapture Fek, an escaped shape-changing prisoner. As they change in rapid succession, Frank and Lauren find themselves mixed up with a ram, a dog, a watermelon, a bottle of aspirin, and a bicycle. In an exciting ending, Frank, Lauren, and Zymel finally nab the evil Fek. "Moves rapidly to a surprising and definitely satisfying conclusion."—SLJ. "Funny scenes abound in this fast-paced, enthralling adventure."—H. "This story should be a hit."—BL.
112 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1994
3 people are currently reading
50 people want to read
About the author
Bill Brittain
30 books19 followersWilliam E. Brittain was an American writer. He is best known for work set in the fictional New England village of Coven Tree, including The Wish Giver, a Newbery Honor Book.
Brittain was born in Rochester, New York. He decided he wanted to be a 5th-grade teacher, and in addition to teaching, used to read stories in mystery magazines. After some time, he decided he could do as good a job at writing as some of the authors he read; he got coaching on writing from Frederic Dannay of Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine (in which, along with Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, most of his mystery stories were published). He wrote two serials from 1964 to 1983, as well as other stories, before moving on to the children's books for which he is better known.
Brittain is also the author of the popular book All the Money in the World, which was adapted as a 1983 movie.
Brittain was born in Rochester, New York. He decided he wanted to be a 5th-grade teacher, and in addition to teaching, used to read stories in mystery magazines. After some time, he decided he could do as good a job at writing as some of the authors he read; he got coaching on writing from Frederic Dannay of Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine (in which, along with Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, most of his mystery stories were published). He wrote two serials from 1964 to 1983, as well as other stories, before moving on to the children's books for which he is better known.
Brittain is also the author of the popular book All the Money in the World, which was adapted as a 1983 movie.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
August 29, 2017
3.5 stars rounded up because solid, fun SF for youngsters is still in short supply, and this is pretty darn good. I see that another GR member remembers it from second-grade; I don't think it's quite that young but certainly curious readers 9-12 can still get a kick out of it. A little predictable and rushed for me, but then, I would have liked it as a kid so let's judge this adventure that way instead of being all cynical.
October 11, 2014
One of my first introductions to science fiction, Shape-Changer shaped my love of the genre and of reading in general. It's been a while since I read it, but I remember how captivated my second grade imagination was by the story.
Awesome things about this book:
1) A young, male protagonist and a female deuteragonist. Boy characters were awesome because I was a boy and I could relate. Girl characters were awesome because girls were this enigmatic curiosity. They were like me: fun-loving, adventurous, and strong. But they were different, too, in ways that I couldn't put into words but that captured my imagination with satisfying whimsicality. (I think they still kind of do that.) I love stories that capture the magnificent differences between the sexes and the beauty that comes from putting boy and girl friends together on a journey. It's like, what's better than Gushers and Fruit Roll-ups? Gushers and Fruit Roll-ups AT THE SAME TIME! And, yeah, that's probably a little deep for a review of a grade-school book, but the elements of characterization were there, and ever since, I've gravitated toward similar pairings in stories. Elfangor and Loren in Animorphs. Luke and Mara Jade in Star Wars. Am I the only one who knows those references? Man, I must be a nerd.
2) Tension! This was probably the first book I read where the good guys were clearly in danger of death by evil alien. The pacing and portrayal of conflict drive the story well for the target audience.
3) Bonus: This book was where I learned how glass is formed. Cool, right?
If you're familiar with sci-fi books and literature for young readers, this story might be a dime a dozen. But it was the first of its kind I came across, and that makes it an instant classic for me! I'd wager young readers today would find it just as exciting and fun as I did 20 years ago. (I can't believe I'm old enough to say that.)
Awesome things about this book:
1) A young, male protagonist and a female deuteragonist. Boy characters were awesome because I was a boy and I could relate. Girl characters were awesome because girls were this enigmatic curiosity. They were like me: fun-loving, adventurous, and strong. But they were different, too, in ways that I couldn't put into words but that captured my imagination with satisfying whimsicality. (I think they still kind of do that.) I love stories that capture the magnificent differences between the sexes and the beauty that comes from putting boy and girl friends together on a journey. It's like, what's better than Gushers and Fruit Roll-ups? Gushers and Fruit Roll-ups AT THE SAME TIME! And, yeah, that's probably a little deep for a review of a grade-school book, but the elements of characterization were there, and ever since, I've gravitated toward similar pairings in stories. Elfangor and Loren in Animorphs. Luke and Mara Jade in Star Wars. Am I the only one who knows those references? Man, I must be a nerd.
2) Tension! This was probably the first book I read where the good guys were clearly in danger of death by evil alien. The pacing and portrayal of conflict drive the story well for the target audience.
3) Bonus: This book was where I learned how glass is formed. Cool, right?
If you're familiar with sci-fi books and literature for young readers, this story might be a dime a dozen. But it was the first of its kind I came across, and that makes it an instant classic for me! I'd wager young readers today would find it just as exciting and fun as I did 20 years ago. (I can't believe I'm old enough to say that.)
January 13, 2017
Again, Bill Brittain keeps it short and simple, with an imagination to share. Probably one of the shortest alien stories there is, with the most basic concepts - and you can read the whole thing in a day pretty much - but still there is plenty of entertainment. Makes you want to write your own sci-fi and add to the plot.
August 8, 2008
My favorite book, every scifi fan should read it.
November 30, 2014
This was a really good book!! it was really suspenseful
April 20, 2020
One of my first introductions to science fiction, Shape-Changer shaped my love of the genre and of reading in general. It's been a while since I read it, but I remember how captivated my second grade imagination was by the story.
Awesome things about this book:
1) A young, male protagonist and a female deuteragonist. Boy characters were awesome because I was a boy and I could relate. Girl characters were awesome because girls were this enigmatic curiosity. They were like me: fun-loving, adventurous, and strong. But they were different, too, in ways that I couldn't put into words but that captured my imagination with satisfying whimsicality. (I think they still kind of do that.) I love stories that capture the magnificent differences between the sexes and the beauty that comes from putting boy and girl friends together on a journey. It's like, what's better than Gushers and Fruit Roll-ups? Gushers and Fruit Roll-ups AT THE SAME TIME! And, yeah, that's probably a little deep for a review of a grade-school book, but the elements of characterization were there, and ever since, I've gravitated toward similar pairings in stories. Elfangor and Loren in Animorphs. Luke and Mara Jade in Star Wars. Am I the only one who knows those references? Man, I must be a nerd.
2) Tension! This was probably the first book I read where the good guys were clearly in danger of death by evil alien. The pacing and portrayal of conflict drive the story well for the target audience.
3) Bonus: This book was where I learned how glass is formed. Cool, right?
If you're familiar with sci-fi books and literature for young readers, this story might be a dime a dozen. But it was the first of its kind I came across, and that makes it an instant classic for me! I'd wager young readers today would find it just as exciting and fun as I did 20 years ago. (I can't believe I'm old enough to say that.)
Awesome things about this book:
1) A young, male protagonist and a female deuteragonist. Boy characters were awesome because I was a boy and I could relate. Girl characters were awesome because girls were this enigmatic curiosity. They were like me: fun-loving, adventurous, and strong. But they were different, too, in ways that I couldn't put into words but that captured my imagination with satisfying whimsicality. (I think they still kind of do that.) I love stories that capture the magnificent differences between the sexes and the beauty that comes from putting boy and girl friends together on a journey. It's like, what's better than Gushers and Fruit Roll-ups? Gushers and Fruit Roll-ups AT THE SAME TIME! And, yeah, that's probably a little deep for a review of a grade-school book, but the elements of characterization were there, and ever since, I've gravitated toward similar pairings in stories. Elfangor and Loren in Animorphs. Luke and Mara Jade in Star Wars. Am I the only one who knows those references? Man, I must be a nerd.
2) Tension! This was probably the first book I read where the good guys were clearly in danger of death by evil alien. The pacing and portrayal of conflict drive the story well for the target audience.
3) Bonus: This book was where I learned how glass is formed. Cool, right?
If you're familiar with sci-fi books and literature for young readers, this story might be a dime a dozen. But it was the first of its kind I came across, and that makes it an instant classic for me! I'd wager young readers today would find it just as exciting and fun as I did 20 years ago. (I can't believe I'm old enough to say that.)
May 24, 2020
A goood book for younger readers, unfortunately I didn’t realize this until I was into the book a bit.
The story is about a boy who wakes suddenly one night and hears a loud humming sound, sees a bright light, and feels what he thinks. Is a small earthquake in the middle of the night. He goes outside to investigate and finds that there is a circle of land that used to be dirt and was turned into solid glass. He goes home and comes back the next day only to find that a fire hydrant is talking to him, this hydrant is a shape changing alien from another galaxy. He takes the alien home with him and the alien tells him that he was transporting an alien criminal through space when his ship crashed and the criminal escaped.
Throughout the story the boy, the alien and his friend Lauren are trying to figure out where the ship is and where the criminal is and what disguise he is taking and the good alien takes manny different humorous disguises.
Some eventful things occur during their search, like the alien turning into a pretty girl that is supposed to be the boy’s cousin but is really the alien and when some bullies pick on him, the alien in girl form grows a big hairy muscular arm and punches them in the gut and silly things like that.
The story is about a boy who wakes suddenly one night and hears a loud humming sound, sees a bright light, and feels what he thinks. Is a small earthquake in the middle of the night. He goes outside to investigate and finds that there is a circle of land that used to be dirt and was turned into solid glass. He goes home and comes back the next day only to find that a fire hydrant is talking to him, this hydrant is a shape changing alien from another galaxy. He takes the alien home with him and the alien tells him that he was transporting an alien criminal through space when his ship crashed and the criminal escaped.
Throughout the story the boy, the alien and his friend Lauren are trying to figure out where the ship is and where the criminal is and what disguise he is taking and the good alien takes manny different humorous disguises.
Some eventful things occur during their search, like the alien turning into a pretty girl that is supposed to be the boy’s cousin but is really the alien and when some bullies pick on him, the alien in girl form grows a big hairy muscular arm and punches them in the gut and silly things like that.
August 26, 2024
Ten-year-old me would have loved the silly sci-fi horror, with monster ram attacks and aliens transforming into toy airplanes, but the plot is Swiss cheese. It's somehow dumber than Help! I'm Trapped in Obedience School, but also more fun.
August 22, 2025
Fun story.
January 10, 2012
This is kind of a cute little book about two aliens--one a policeman and the other a criminal--who crash land on earth. The policeman, Zymel, enlists the help of Frank and Lauren in finding the criminal before he destroys the earth.
August 28, 2012
Cute little story of aliens landing on Earth and of course only the children know about them. One of the aliens is looking for an escaped criminal who he escaped when their craft crashed. He enlists some of the local kids to help him find the bad alien.
May 10, 2009
OK, the concept was interesting, but that's about it.
January 15, 2016
Re-read in January 2016.
Read
June 4, 2018It took me FOREVER to track down the title of this book, but I finally found it! I remember reading Shape-Changer in elementary school and being so obsessed with it that my teacher let me keep my class copy until the end of the year.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews