We're Off to Look for Aliens
PreSchool-Grade 3—Employing the trademark goofy humor and kid-friendly illustrations that make his books popular with young audiences, McNaughton revisits outer space. Dad, a children's book author and illustrator (whose characters look an awful lot like those from McNaughton's oeuvre), receives a copy of his newest title in the mail from the publisher. He immediately hands it over to his family for review, nervously leaving to walk the dog rather than watch their response. Readers then open to a copy of his book, a paperback volume literally pasted onto a page of the framing story. This book-within-a-book tells a silly rhyming space adventure of a man (who looks a lot like Dad) and his dog (who strongly resembles the family pet) as they encounter and interact with extraterrestrial beings. Not only do they find adventure among the aliens, but they also find love. The family's response to this publication includes a comic twist that will be appreciated by children. Shared in a group setting or one-on-one, this engaging selection is certain to be enjoyed for the colorful cartoon illustrations and the imaginative story.—Piper Nyman, Brookmeade Elementary School, Nashville, TNCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.