Publisher’s Description of It Came from the Sky
This is the absolutely true account of how Lansburg, Pennsylvania was invaded by aliens and the weeks of chaos that followed. There were sightings of UFOs, close encounters, and even abductions. There were believers, Truth Seekers, and, above all, people who looked to the sky and hoped for more.
Only. . .there were no aliens.
Gideon Hofstadt knows what really happened. When one of his science experiments went wrong, he and his older brother blamed the resulting explosion on extraterrestrial activity. And their lie was not only believed by their town–it was embraced. As the brothers go to increasingly greater lengths to keep up the ruse and avoid getting caught, the hoax flourishes. But Gideon’s obsession with their tale threatened his whole world. Can he find a way to banish the aliens before Lansburg, and his life, are changed forever?
Told in a report format and comprised of interviews, blog posts, text conversations, found documents, and so much more, It Came from the Sky is a hysterical and resonant novel about what it means to be human in the face of the unknown.
Rebecca’s Thoughts on It Came from the Sky
I picked up the arc of It Came from the Sky because I loved Chelsea’s The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett. Like her prior book, this one is filled with idiosyncratic characters and off-beat humor. I laughed out loud at the trouble Gideon and his brother get themselves into with understandable yet short-sited decisions.
This book started a bit slowly for me because Gideon is an up-tight, science-nerd, but this is exactly what makes him wonderful to follow as the alien mess gets bigger and bigger and he becomes increasingly worried about how it will impact his goal of getting into M.I.T.
At a deeper level, the story explores issues of pranks, marketing scams, and fake news. It considers why people might start a fake story and why others might believe them. Its theme of bravery covers not just big issues like admitting the prank after it has spun out of control, but also every-day decisions like trusting friends and allowing yourself to be vulnerable in relationships.
Yet the humor throughout allows the book to nonetheless be a light, enjoyable read, perfect in a time when everyday life is filled with so many heavy issues.
It Came from the Sky will appeal to readers interested in pranks, fake news, friendship & sibling stories, and/or stories about gay male characters in small-town America.
Highly recommended.
I received a free arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
It Came from the Sky will be published on August 4th. You can find out more about it on Goodreads or pre-order it from Indiebound, Barnes & Noble, Amazon.
If this book sounds good, you might like these other books we’ve recommended recently:
The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett by Chelsea Sedoti.
10 Great Young Adult Books to Read During Quarantine.
Every Stolen Breath by Kimberly Gabriel.
The Cybils Book Awards Young Adult Finalists.
