The Boy Who Cried Alien

Gr 2–5—Truth is, indeed, stranger than fiction as seen in this picture-book redemption of the fabled boy who cried wolf. Given the retro cartoon illustrations packed with energy and action, children can approach the text in two ways: they can choose the "silent-movie mode" and read only the subtitles in the ornate boxes that span the tops of the pages, or they can turn on the sound, so to speak, and read the rhyming speech bubbles. Some are in alien-speak, a foreign tongue in which the first and last letters of a word are transposed. (Translations are in the back matter.) Aliens Carlig and Dreab (you do the translating) need fuel for their rocket ship, which crash-lands in Malarkey Lake, and since cows are found on their planet, Yeah, as well, they know that belching bovines are a fine source of gas. Larry the Liar, first rebuked by his townspeople, helps the aliens get home (they were en route to Hollywood for an audition). He becomes a hero and sets up his own school of fibbing. "Larry you were underrated/just 'cause you prevaricated./Now you have the admiration/of Malarkey Lake's whole population." As you see, this is a story chock-full of humor and silliness. For reluctant readers, suggest the silent-movie mode. For a second read, they can dive into the speech bubbles and alien language. Some readers will even create their own rhyming quatrains in alien-speak.—Sara Lissa Paulson, American Sign Language and English Lower School PS 347, New York City