SOLVED. Children's/YA book about a boy who goes on a spaceship with a confederation of aliens. [s]

[David]

I read this book some time around 1990-1992, when I was about 10 or 11 years old. I remember the protagonist being a boy around my age, so somewhere between children's and young adult. I think it was a fairly new book at the time, so probably published in the late 80s/early 90s. Initially I thought this was one of the Judy Blume "Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing" series of books, as I remember reading most of those, and I thought the main character was the same, but maybe I just have them tangled up in my head by virtue of having read them all around the same time.

The plot involves this boy boarding a ship containing all kinds of different aliens, and I think his 2 friends went with him, one boy and one girl. I'm pretty sure the aliens gave him some sort of "information cube" (which today we would basically consider a smartphone) which could translate all the aliens languages for him and gave him access to all the information in the universe. Other than that all I can really remember is that I think the aliens were holding some kind of vote or trying to decide on something important.

I know that's not a whole lot to go on, but any help would be appreciated, as trying to remember this book has been driving me up a wall for some reason.

[Christine]

Maybe...

The Last Starfighter, by Alan Dean Foster, was from the 80s, but reprinted in the 90s. I haven’t read the book yet, I’ve only seen the movie. Just now realized that there *is* a book, so thanks!

It fits some of your comments: a boy goes to space with aliens, and has a translator for languages. In the movie, a teen boy beats a battle-the-aliens “video game,” (old style physical game machine, like pinball), and “wins” a trip to space, or more accurately, is drafted to join the aliens’ space war. There are no Earthling buddies who join him, though. A doppelgänger takes his place on Earth. It was a combination of scifi/action/humor.

I hope this helps!

[Christine]

PS- In The Last Starfighter, the main character does board a ship holding many different races of aliens.

[Rosa]

The Last Starfighter for the link.

[Nachelle]

Maybe "My Teacher Flunked the Planet" by Bruce Coville? or another one in the "My Teacher is an Alien" series. The plot sounds similar, there is an important vote, ship with lots of aliens, a boy with two friends, etc. Timeframe seems right too.

[Tathariell]

My Teacher Flunked the Planet for the link. That's the one I thought of as well.

[David]

Nachelle wrote: "Maybe "My Teacher Flunked the Planet" by Bruce Coville? or another one in the "My Teacher is an Alien" series. The plot sounds similar, there is an important vote, ship with lots of aliens, a boy w..."

These are the ones, I had totally forgotten that it was a series but I recognized the cover of the last one right away! Thank you so much!