It Came from the Sky

From bestselling author Chelsea Sedoti comes the unforgettable story of the one small town's biggest hoax and the two brothers who started it all, perfect for readers who want funny books for teens.
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 threatens his whole world. Can he find a way to banish the aliens before Lansburg, and his life, are changed forever?
Told in a unique 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.
A great pick for readers looking for:
funny, quirky, and wholly original stories that will stick with you
books for teen boys
alien invasion fiction
conversation starters about the meaning of facts and truth
teen books for boys ages 13-16
gifts for teen girls 16-18
Praise for It Came from the Sky:"A page-turner as engrossing as any classic Twilight Zone starring two spirited brothers who run circles around the Hardy Boys."―Ben Philippe, Morris Award-winning author of The Field Guide to the North American Teenager "Well written...Believable characters facing realistic teenage issues coupled with a thematic exploration of wishes, fears, and principles of honesty and ethics will help to keep readers' attention."―School Library Connection "A balanced exploration of maturity, vulnerability, human connection, and our innate desire to believe."―Kirkus Reviews "Sedoti will draw readers in with the outrageous situation and the town's amusing aspects, such as a 63-foot lava lamp, but she truly excels with Gideon-a unique character whose desire for recognition and achievement is universal."―Publishers Weekly "[A] quirky, intelligent novel ... Big questions of morality, cosmic insignificance, and human connection ground this novel even as it ponders the stars."―Booklist
Also by Chelsea Sedoti:The Hundred Lies of Lizzie LovettAs You Wish
From School Library Journal
Gr 9 Up—The white Hofstadt family lives outside of Pittsburgh in rural Pennsylvania. Nothing is particularly interesting about them: Ishmael is a charming high school senior, Gideon is a science-minded junior, 13-year-old Maggie loves softball, and mom and dad are attentive and loving. But when Gideon and Ishmael set off an explosion—in the name of science—large enough to register on university seismographs, the chain of events that follows places the Hofstadts, especially Gideon, in the center of an alien invasion hoax, the bringing-down of a millionaire multi-level marketing guru, an alien cult, a missing cow, and the destruction of the world's largest lava lamp. Alongside attending high school, working at ye olde ice cream shoppe, learning to drive, and navigating friendships and first loves, Gideon struggles to keep control of the sociological experiment that he inadvertently put into motion. What he discovers is that people make terrible subjects, what with having their own interests and feelings and other illogical behaviors. Funny and lighthearted, this is a story about a young man who is learning about being human in the world, being loved, and showing care for others (like his ever-patient, kind-of boyfriend Owen). VERDICT Fans of Pete Hautman's dark humor, E. Lockhart's playful