 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Stuck on Earth
- By David Klass
- Genre: Science Fiction
Common Sense Media says
Older kids will relate to sci-fi fantasy about misfit teen.
Parents say
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that the opening scene in which Ketchvar takes over Tom's body by crawling up his nose may be upsetting to some sensitive readers. There are some bullying episodes, and a school counselor asks Tom if he has violent plans. Later, Tom is chased by men and dogs, and then kidnapped by local bullies who try to kill him. But even through all the pain and humiliation, Tom/ Ketchvar does see something good in humans that's worth preserving, stating that "Most humans are doing the best they can." This message might resonate well with readers who are struggling with their own insights about the cruelty of their peers, and of the adult world beyond it.
What's the story?
Tom Filber's body has been taken over by an alien name Ketchvar, who must decide the fate of humans on Planet Earth. Or has he? Perhaps Tom is really just a misfit teen who has created an insane fantasy life so as not to face school bullies (and bullying family members) in his painful suburban New Jersey life. Either way, Tom/ Ketchvar has certainly made a case for each side of humanity: both the bad (environmental disasters, cruelty, etc.) and the good, including his very sweet neighbor Michelle.
Is it any good?
This book has a little bit of everything: some romance, adventure, a little environmental awareness, and a compelling mystery right at its heart: Who or what is controlling Tom Filber's mind and body? The author paces his story well so that readers will start to wonder if it's all a fantasy just as the alien narrator asks, "Am I, Ketchvar III, really a part of Tom Filber, a defense mechanism of his that has taken control for a little while?" Readers will enjoy figuring out the puzzle, which is never fully resolved.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the book's ending. The conclusion allows readers to have their own ideas about what happened to Tom Filber. What do you believe? Was he really taken over by an alien? Do you like conclusions that are open to readers' interpretations or not?
Tom experiences a lot of bullying at school. Are there kids who mistreat other kids at school? What have you seen -- and how has the school dealt with it? Have you ever been singled out -- or been tempted to participate in bullying someone else? How could we make it easier for all kids to be accepted?
This book's marketing campaign is being tied into the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. In the book, Tom goes through some extremes -- including breaking and entering and being chased by security dogs -- in order to prove a local paint company is polluting the town's lake. Can you think of something a little less extreme to help celebrate Earth Day?
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AGE
Good for most people 13+
I am 13. I live in New Jersey. Here are my thoughts on this book that I finished yesterday: it was action packed and exciting throughout. There were sad parts and happy parts but overall Ketchvar, Tom overcome all of these. I believe this should be for 13+ (teens) because it does include bullying and attempted murder, there are also many phrases and some dialogue that is not necessarily inappropriate, but its not things that readers 12 and below will understand. I suggest, if you have a large vocabulary and you read many books (you do not have to be 13, 10+ can sometimes work) that you read this. It has a bit of everything and you can relate to a lot of things contained in the novel.
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AGE
An okay book.
It is realy good, but ther are small bad language in it , and at the beging it talks about pregnets.
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AGE
Awesome
This is a great Book and i think classrooms should read it as a whole
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| Author: | David Klass |
| Book type: | Fiction |
| Genre: | Science Fiction |
| Publisher: | Farrar, Straus and Giroux |
| Publication date: | April 16, 2010 |
| Number of pages: | 224 |
| Hardcover price: | $16.99 |
| Publisher's recommended age(s): | 11 - 14 |
| Read aloud: | 12 |
| Read alone: | 12 |
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