This is a totally new book that hasn't even reached the library yet in hard copy. I had to listen to it. It is by Disney so expect a movie. There is also a sequel in the works.
David "Scrub" Elliot has to spend his summer vacation before 7th grade at his grandmother's bed & breakfast in Washington State instead of chilling at home around the pool and playing basketball in Tampa, Florida. The plot revolves around the strange clientelle of the bed & breakfast which all happen to be aliens. The aliens are closer to the kind in "Men in Black" than realistic sited aliens so it makes for a wacky story since the aliens are on Earth for vacation and must be disguised. There's an obnoxious stereotypic sheriff, some punk high school kids, and the girl love interest. There's also, my favorite, grandma. She's a new age, galactic hippie - very cool.
I can buy the whole alien culture and alien vacations and everything else in the book. What I couldn't buy into was that David could make an entire alien costume complete with paper mache and paint in less than an hour. I guess the author didn't either because he hedges and puts in a lame bit about using 2 hair dryers and "not that much paper mache". Sure. I believe in the reality of aliens more than I believe paper mache could dry in 20 minutes. Other than that, it was an entertaining book even if it wasn't quite what I was hoping for.
You have the true markings of a Children's Librarian. I can believe the paper mache can dry in 20 minutes by using 2 hair dryers. What I can't believe is that this kid cleaned up the mess instead of leaving it out for grandma!
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