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bibliotequeish's review against another edition
I bought this book at the scholastic book fair, which for a budding book worm was the greatest day of the school year.
And I thought it was hilarious when I would read it in class for silent reading, trying to catch my teachers eye and then quickly glancing at the cover of the book that I held high at eye level instead of flat on my desk like my peers.
And I thought it was hilarious when I would read it in class for silent reading, trying to catch my teachers eye and then quickly glancing at the cover of the book that I held high at eye level instead of flat on my desk like my peers.
mochomito's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
undertowsoul's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
alanaes's review against another edition
5.0
I remember loving this series when I was a kid. The first two books are a little slow, but are a great set-up for books three and four, which are something special.
Book 3, My Teacher Glows in the Dark, is about a middle school boy named Peter who escapes to outer space with his ersatz teacher (alien in disguise), and finds himself in the unique role of reckoning with humanity's ugliness while defending Earth's right to exist in the galaxy. There are aliens on the Intergalactic Council (Space UN!) who believe humanity can be better, and aliens who believe humans a violent animals and everyone would be better off if Earth were destroyed. Some pretty heavy philosophical questions are addressed with finesse for a book written for this level.
The following excerpt shows a conversation between human protagonist, Peter, and his alien mentor, Hoo-Lan, when they visit the mentor's home planet:
The aliens are NOT impressed with humanity's lack of humanity.
Very quick read! I think I read this in third or fourth grade. My seventh-grader is into it as a read aloud.
Book 3, My Teacher Glows in the Dark, is about a middle school boy named Peter who escapes to outer space with his ersatz teacher (alien in disguise), and finds himself in the unique role of reckoning with humanity's ugliness while defending Earth's right to exist in the galaxy. There are aliens on the Intergalactic Council (Space UN!) who believe humanity can be better, and aliens who believe humans a violent animals and everyone would be better off if Earth were destroyed. Some pretty heavy philosophical questions are addressed with finesse for a book written for this level.
The following excerpt shows a conversation between human protagonist, Peter, and his alien mentor, Hoo-Lan, when they visit the mentor's home planet:
All the animals seemed happy and well cared for.
All the people did, too.
After a while I began to get suspicious. I know enough about cities to feel like something was missing.
"Don't you have anyone hungry here, anyone without a home?" I asked at last.
"Why should we?"
"I don't think you should," I said. "I just didn't know there could be a city without people like that."
"There can't, on your planet. The difference is that we've made a decision that it's not going to be that way. There's enough to go around, you know. Enough here, and enough on Earth. It's not like people have to be cold and hungry. You just haven't decided it's a bad idea."
"Of course we think it's a bad idea!"
"No, you think you think it's a bad idea. If your people, all your people, really believed it was a bad idea, they would stop talking about it and change things so it didn't happen anymore."
The aliens are NOT impressed with humanity's lack of humanity.
Very quick read! I think I read this in third or fourth grade. My seventh-grader is into it as a read aloud.
manwithanagenda's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
In the third book of the series we finally get to the bottom of where the aliens come from and why they were on Earth infiltrating a middle class American school system.
We also get to hear from Peter Thompson and just what he was up to in the five months between his running off with Broxholm at the end of 'My Teacher is an Alien' and when he showed up at the end of 'My Teacher Fried My Brains'. Turns out, it wasn't much. Coville uses this book to mostly introduce a series of wacky alien species and inventions, hang some lampshades, and set up the comparatively "heavy" book to follow. Very little really happens as this book is just a necessary stopgap to get the three main characters of Susan Simmons, Duncan Dougall and Peter Thompson (given the incredibly stupid name of 'Krepta, Child of the Stars') together for the Main Event.
Because, despite the great advances of the aliens, they are frightened of humanity. We are aggressive, treat our planet shamefully, and have not as a species solved world hunger, poverty, etc. Most damning of all, however, is the fact that we have the most stupendous brain capacity in the universe. We haven't properly harnessed it yet, but when we do we may inflict our 'plague' of dissension across the entire peaceful league of alien worlds. Right, of course we would have the biggest brains in the universe. It's a little much don't you think and goes against the idea of having kids think critically about how we behave as a species. Ah well.
The cover image of Hoo-lan blasting a television set is still a mystery at the end of the book, Peter has seen a vision of it but Hoo-lan never explained it. Not that it's a big mystery, there's already been more than a little "television rots your brain" talk in this series already, so I'm sure it'll be that kind of explanation.
My Teacher is an Alien
Next: 'My Teacher Flunked the Planet'
Previous: 'My Teacher Fried My Brains'
We also get to hear from Peter Thompson and just what he was up to in the five months between his running off with Broxholm at the end of 'My Teacher is an Alien' and when he showed up at the end of 'My Teacher Fried My Brains'. Turns out, it wasn't much. Coville uses this book to mostly introduce a series of wacky alien species and inventions, hang some lampshades, and set up the comparatively "heavy" book to follow. Very little really happens as this book is just a necessary stopgap to get the three main characters of Susan Simmons, Duncan Dougall and Peter Thompson (given the incredibly stupid name of 'Krepta, Child of the Stars') together for the Main Event.
Because, despite the great advances of the aliens, they are frightened of humanity. We are aggressive, treat our planet shamefully, and have not as a species solved world hunger, poverty, etc. Most damning of all, however, is the fact that we have the most stupendous brain capacity in the universe. We haven't properly harnessed it yet, but when we do we may inflict our 'plague' of dissension across the entire peaceful league of alien worlds. Right, of course we would have the biggest brains in the universe. It's a little much don't you think and goes against the idea of having kids think critically about how we behave as a species. Ah well.
The cover image of Hoo-lan blasting a television set is still a mystery at the end of the book, Peter has seen a vision of it but Hoo-lan never explained it. Not that it's a big mystery, there's already been more than a little "television rots your brain" talk in this series already, so I'm sure it'll be that kind of explanation.
My Teacher is an Alien
Next: 'My Teacher Flunked the Planet'
Previous: 'My Teacher Fried My Brains'
jhewittwrites's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
kurtpankau's review against another edition
4.0
Still fun, and I'm still amazed at the details that stayed with me from when I read it two decades ago. Have to admire this entry for going full-on weird with the aliens. The kids liked it too.
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