Dude, Where's My Spaceship?

Category: Early Chapter Books

Greenburg, Dan. Dude, Where’s My Spaceship? Illus. by Macky Pamintuan. 81pp. (Weird Planet Series). Random House. 2006. ISBN 0-375-83344-7.

On a perilous flight through outer space, three aliens from the planet Loogl crash land in the Nevada desert when they are unable to control their spaceship. Klatu and his siblings, Ploo and Lek, are in for an adventure when Ploo is kidnapped and taken captive by officials from the local army base. Through a series of humorous escapades, Klatu and Lek make a courageous effort to rescue their sister. Morphing into human beings and chewing language gum allows them to communicate with earthlings for a short time, and as they hurry to find Ploo, a car is stolen, pizza boxes are consumed, and the guard at the army base is fooled by their story. In the meantime, Ploo has undergone numerous experiences of her own, and in the end it takes the courage of a human girl to return Ploo, and later her brothers, to safety. Written in short sentences with large print, this book is appealing to primary students. The length is appropriate for children beginning to read chapter books, and the fun story will hold their attention. Expressive illustrations occasionally appear in the pages, offering a visual image of the aliens and their actions.