The Experiment by Rebecca Stead

The Experiment is a thrilling suspenseful dramatic exploration of friendship, family 

and what it means to be human. It’s dynamite! Story Links

Compelling and page-turning. Kirkus

Nathan and his parents know they are actually aliens living on Earth as a part of an experiment (yes that is the title). Nathan lives in New York and to some extent he lives like a normal kid - going to school, using his phone to talk to his friend, enjoying sleepovers, and reading his favourite comic - Calvin and Hobbes. But early on in the story a few things seem strange. He has to brush his teeth five times a day including at school with a special pink paste, his mother documents all his food and Nathan himself is weighed and measured regularly. Nathan also has some friends who live in different parts of America - Izzy (Isabel) from Illinois; Nina from New Mexico; Annie from Alabama; Leo from Louisiana; and Miriam from Missouri. Are you noticing a pattern here? And then we read that some kids have disappeared. 

The action moves with a swift pace as we watch a count down at the start of each section - Lift off minus eight days; Lift off minus seven days; Lift off minus six days; Lift off minus ten hours; Lift off minus ten minutes; Fate and Happiness. You should also stop and notice the chapter headings.

There is a moment in this book on page 255 where I found myself screaming at Rebecca Stead. I was sure Nathan was either going to die or be whisked off to Kast. I read The Experiment late into the night and again around 3am and then this morning I finished it off. This is a long book (207 pages of smallish print) but readers aged 9+ with reading stamina are sure to find themselves quickly hooked into the story. 

I want to mention a couple of things that I loved and that are quite different in this story - Nathan does not hide things from his parents - as a group they feel like a team and all of them want to discover the truth about The Kast and Hester and also find out why Nathan now has a tail (he names her Tuck) - you can see this on the cover. The other aspect of this story that was very different from other books about power and control came at the end (spoiler alert) when Hester is taken away on the spaceship and not punished and it seems she might have some sort of odd, but nevertheless happy, ending. 

Publisher blurb: Nathan never understood what was ‘fun’ about secrets, probably because he’s always had to keep a very big one, even from his best friend, Victor. Although he appears to be a typical grade-six kid, Nathan learned at an early age that his family is from another planet, and he’s part of an experiment to work out how to behave like a human and blend in. But the experiment suddenly seems to be going wrong. Some of the other experimenters, including Nathan’s first crush, Izzy, are disappearing without a word. After his family is called back to the mothership, Nathan begins to question everything he’s been taught to believe about who he is and why he’s on Earth. Can he, Victor and Izzy uncover the truth? The Experiment is a fast-paced adventure—with aliens—that asks universal questions about how we figure out who we want to be, whether it’s ever too late to change, and the importance of friendship.

Betsy Bird has penned a very detailed review of The Experiment (but be warned it is filled with spoilers). She links this book with Charlotte's Web, and like my experience of reading this book, that idea has also blown my mind! Betsy recommends reading her review AFTER reading The Experiment - and I whole heartly agree. Also DO NOT SKIP to the end of The Experiment - please let the story unfold and know you can trust Rebecca Stead that there will be answers to all of your (and Nathan's) questions.

Strong character development, like the complicated backstory of a villain, brings further depth, as do the believably strong relationships, including Nathan’s unbreakable friendship with Victor. Stead’s creativity shines here, from Nathan’s unusual tail to later plot twists and turns (not to mention the tattletale, alien-enhanced cat). Anyone who enjoys Stead’s writing, along with sci-fi lovers and even superhero fans will easily devour this latest offering, staying up late under the covers with flashlight in hand to read just one more chapter. Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

In this video Rebecca Stead talks about her books including The Experiment and Rebecca is interviewed by Betsy Bird. Here is the Reading Time review (but I disagree with the idea that this is 'tongue in cheek') Here is the review from Ms Yingling.

A few years ago I penned a post about Science Fiction books for young readers. For myself I well remember reading Trillions by Nicholas Fisk and The World Eater by Robert Swindells and having my mind blown because that's what Science Fiction can do - and now that has happened again with The Experiment - my mind is officially blown again. But by far the best books to compare with The Experiment are Halfway Across the Galaxy and Turn Left by Robin Klein and Edsel Grizzler and the Voyage to Verdana by James Roy. Sorry, these are both old books now so you will have to hunt in a library.

Halfway across the Galaxy and Turn Left

Edsel Grizzler and the Voyage to Verdada

Here are the teachers notes

Galax Arena by Gillian Rubinstein (1992) is a far more sinister story but it is also a book that I thought of after reading The Experiment. 

Read a detailed description of the plot here

And try to find these too:

The Last Cuentista

The Raven's Song

You might also look for this book:

The Future Trap

I think parts of The Experiment will also linger with me because earlier this week I re-read The Giver by Lois Lowry which, as you probably know, also talks about control and manipulation. 

Here are other books I have read and enjoyed by Rebecca Stead:

When you reach me

The list of things that will not change

Liar and Spy Five posts

Bob

The Lost Library

Books I want to read (now)

Today our local Beachside Bookshop presented a terrific selection of books at a District Teacher-Librarian Conference.  Here are few that caught my eye and that I would like to read over the coming weeks.

A Good Day for Climbing Trees by Jaco Jacobs
This appeals to be because it is about activism, it is a translated book (originally in Afrikaans) and for the simple reason I do like the cover.

Bob by Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead
Everyone seems to be talking about this book - seeming to sigh with happiness. It must be special because these two writers are at the top of their game. Rebecca Stead is the author of the Newbery winner When you Reach me along with Liar and Spy which is a book I adored. Wendy Mass is the author of the intriguing series that began with 11 Birthdays along with many other titles which I also need to explore.

Among the picture books they shared was this gem Leaf by Sandra Dieckmann. This is her first book. Kirkus gave this book a Star review and said "Dieckmann beautifully weaves together some of today’s most difficult themes into a deceptively simple tale."  Danica from Beachside also made particular mention of the publisher of Leaf - Flying Eye Books and clicking on their site has given a whole new set of books to explore.

The Infamous Ratsos by Kara LaReau - she is also the author of books about the Bland Sisters. Kirkus says this is "A nicely inventive little morality “tail” for newly independent readers." The sticker you can see on the front shows this book was an Honor book in the Theordor Seuss Geisel award in 2017.

Coming later in the year a new book illustrated by the very talented Cheryl Orsini called The Magic Bookshop by Natalie Jane Prior. This is a larger format illustrated book which looks delightful. You could dip into my review of Boat of Stars also by Natalie.

Elliot Perlman is a award winning Australian writer for adults. You may have seen the television adaption of his story Seven Types of Ambiguity. The Adventures of Catvinkle is his first book for younger readers. 

Finally one more book which is recommended for children who have read and been moved by books such as Wonder and Out of my mind.  The new title is  Lenny's Book of everything by Karen Foxlee. I think this will be a book for mature readers in Grade 6 and beyond. The plot sounds a little like Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick but I cannot confirm this until I read it and it is not due for publication until very late this year. I am excited to see an endorsement on the cover by Anna Fienberg.

Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan

I know it is April 1st but I am going to make a huge call and say this is my book of the month. Well to be truthful I read it last week when it was still March but since I am blogging this one here tonight I have decided to grab your interest by declaring Counting by 7s is my book of the month!

How do I measure a book?  One way is via my compulsion to keep reading.  I read Counting by 7s late into the night.  When I woke around 2am I turned on the light and read on.  Over breakfast I kept reading and while I was at school I couldn't wait to arrive home so I could get stuck in and finish reading Counting by 7s.

Willow Chance is a twelve year old girl. Willow Chance is a special girl.  Willow Chance has been orphaned twice.  Willow Chance loves the number 7.  Willow Chance needs a break.

Life has thrown some hard things her way.  Her adoptive parents have died.  The school authorities have no idea about her gifted brilliance and have accused her of cheating.  The school counselor, who is supposed to help her, is himself a total loser with no skills or training to work with young students especially students like Willow.

On the other hand, through this counselor called Dell Duke, Willow meets three very special people - Nguyen Thi Mai who is fourteen and from Vietnam, her brother Nguyen Quang-ha who is fifteen and considered a delinquent and their mum called "Pattie".  Willow also meets a wonderful taxi driver. She changes his life.

On the author web site you can read Chapter One.  I am sure this will convince you that this is a splendid book.  Here is a video interview with the author.  I even found a Readers Theatre Script. Here is a set of teaching notes with links and further reading ideas.

If you enjoyed My life as an alphabet, Counting by 7s is even better. You might also enjoy The view from the 32nd floor, Liar and Spy and Signed by Zelda.  I highly, highly recommend Counting by 7s for senior Primary students.

Here is the scene where the Kindergarten teacher has been reading to the class (perhaps you can guess the name of this book?)

"I had not uttered a single syllable in my five sessions as a student, and I had no intention of doing so. 

But after days of hearing more lies from an adult than I'd been exposed to in my whole lifetime - everything from how fairies cleaned up the classroom at night to insane explanations for earthquake preparedness kits - I was at some kind of breaking point.  

So when the teacher specifically said 'Willow, how does this book make you feel?' I had to tell the truth.

'It makes me feel really bad. The moon can't hear someone say good night; it is two hundred thirty-five thousand miles away. And bunnies don't live in houses. Also, I don't think that the artwork is very interesting."

If you still need convincing read the review by the Nerdy Bookclub and here is a quote from the School Library Journal from the review by Cheryl Ashton :  Willow’s story is one of renewal, and her journey of rebuilding the ties that unite people as a family will stay in readers’ hearts long after the last page.

Liar and Spy by Rebecca Stead

Final pages - my fifth part of this review. See below for links to the previous posts.

I am only going to say the last section of this book is like a huge punch in the stomach.  I can't tell you what happens I can only say - read this book!  READ THIS BOOK!

I had read so many book lists that included Liar and Spy and now I can see why.  I did enjoy When you reach me but this one is so much better.

Here is the author web site.

Liar and Spy is very short, very American and very enjoyable. It's also very funny in places, such as the extraordinarily personal fortunes in the fortune cookies at Yum Li's. ("Why don't you look up once in a while? Is something wrong with your neck?") Rebecca Stead makes writing this well look easy. She is, of course, playing games.

Here is an interview with the author.

Here is an extract from the book.

Have I convinced you to read Liar and Spy - ten out of ten!

Here are my earlier posts:

• Post Number one Pages 1-10
• Post Number two Pages 11-39
• Post Number three Pages 40-127
• Post Number four Pages 128-183
• Post Number five - final pages

Liar and Spy by Rebecca Stead

Review Part 4 now I am up to page 183 - next post will be the last...

Rebecca Stead has been giving little hints about Safer.  The biggest hint has just come when Georges and his dad are heading off to their favourite Chinese restaurant Yum Li's.  Candy is happy to go but Safer is adamant that they cannot.  Notice he only exercises the dogs in the basement courtyard, he sends Georges to check out the parrot nest outside in the street and he never answers the door.  Then there is the continuing issue of his name - Safer?

On Saturday their mum is photographing a wedding, their father is a driving instructor so Saturday is his busy day.  Only Safer and Candy are home and so Safer decides to break into Mr X's apartment again to solve the mystery of the key and the suitcases and the bodies.  Georges says this is the last time he will be a look out.  Safer takes Pigeon's mobile phone and Georges watches the screen on the intercom in his apartment.

Georges sees a man in black with a suitcase arrive home.  He has to stall him so he stops the lift and joins him on the pretext of feeding indoor plants for another resident on the fourth floor.  Georges becomes desperate.  Mr X walks into his apartment - it seems Safer will be caught!

On with the final pages.

Liar and Spy by Rebecca Stead

Part 3 of this review - a work in progress!

Well at page 127 I actually laughed out loud - something I rarely do.  This book is making me smile, smile, smile.

Georges is now good friends with Safer and his sister Candy.  Safer and Georges are working together to solve the mystery of Mr X. In the basement laundry Safer has seen a dryer filled with black clothes.  Mr X only wears black, even in May, so while Georges stands as a lookout Safer rifles through the clothes and he finds a tiny key. Safer is teaching Georges how to be a spy and especially how to hone his skills of observation.

Along side these events Georges goes to school each day where he suffers regular taunting by the school bullies and eats different lunches in the cafeteria.  In Science the class are studying the sense of taste and experimenting with the five tastes - salty, sweet, sour, bitter and Umami.

Another disparate piece of information is that Candy does not like orange - as a flavor or a food.  She has a theory about who she will marry one day  - a person who loves orange. "Mr Orange. That's who I'm going to marry. Someone who likes orange.' ... That way he and I can always share the pack.' 'Pack of what?' 'Starbursts, Lifesavers, Jolly Ranchers, Whatever."

Have you been wondering about these kid's names.  The parents of Candy, Safer and their older brother Pigeon let them choose their own names when they were about two years old.  Candy loves candy, Pigeon loves birds and since there are lots of pigeons around Brooklyn where they live he especially loves or loved pigeons but we don't yet know about Safer.

Mum is working hard night and day at the hospital and she and Georges communicate using scrabble letters. I really like this idea. Georges has made one friend at school - Bob English - who is, by coincidence or perhaps design,  interested in English and in particular in the odd way we spell words.  I think Rebecca Stead herself loves words.  What do you think of when you hear the word stool?

On with the reading!  Wait what about the part that made me laugh.  Safer decides to 'break into' Mr X's apartment.  He shows Georges an American Express card and Georges says "You're going to pay someone to open the door?"

Liar and Spy by Rebecca Stead

Part 2 of this review

I am now up to page thirty-nine and things just get better and better.

Georges and his dad spend the day moving into their new apartment. Georges sees a boy with two dogs heading down a door to the basement. He will meet this same boy in a few pages.

I am enjoying the small observations Rebecca Stead makes such as when Georges is standing by the main door to the apartment building supposedly to hold it open but actually it is being held open by a door wedge "a scratched up wooden triangle that reminds me of the blocks in pre-K."

When Georges and his dad take the recycling down to the basement after unpacking all the kitchen bits and pieces they see a sign : "Spy Club Meeting - Today!"  Georges' dad takes a pencil and writes "What time?"  When Georges goes back to the basement a few minutes later the sign says "1.30?" and when Georges goes to the meeting at 1.30 he meets the boy with the dogs - who is called Safer and a girl called Candy - who oddly enough loves to eat Candy.  He also finds out about Mr X.

I have a little better insight in to why they have moved.  Dad has lost his job and is now working for himself as a freelance architect. The family have downsized. Dad sounds like he has great ideas.  Georges' old bedroom had a real fire escape built in with his bed right at the top.

I mentioned those tiny details.  Here is another one as they unpack their books and place them onto the shelves in the living room : "Dad is looking at the bookshelves, deep in thought, deciding exactly where book should go where.  Once, Mum came home from work and discovered that he had turned all the books around so the bindings were against the wall and the pages faced out.  He said it was calming not to have all those words floating around and 'creating static."

One more thing I know how Georges got his name.  The family own a print of a famous painting by Georges Seurat.  I have included it on this post.  On with the reading!

Liar and Spy by Rebecca Stead

Here is a new idea for me I am going to talk about this book in a series of posts. (See below for a link to the full set).  Each time I have something to say I am going to post it here.  This will be a dialogue as I read this book.  Right now I am up to page ten and in reading heaven!  I love this writing.  Here is an example :

"In the morning the cafeteria smells fried and sweet, like fish sticks and cookie.  But after lunch, it's different. There's more sweat and garbage mixed in, I guess. Or maybe, it's just that, after lunch, the cafeteria doesn't have the smell of things to come.  It's the smell of what has been."

Perhaps I am drawn to books like this because I am a teacher and when you combine my own school life and my time as a teacher more than forty years of my life is accounted for.  Oddly though I am often drawn to books about boys and especially boys in American schools and with facilities like cafeterias which we don't have in Australia.  This setting is so far removed from my actual life.

So far, in just ten pages, I have met some kids in the class like Bob English Who Draws and Dallas Llewellyn the class bully along with the narrator Georges.  I have also met two teachers Mr Landau and the PE teacher Ms Warner.  I think I like Ms Warner even though, like George, PE would be my worst subject. Along with this I know Georges is moving house on the weekend and he is not happy and this but his mum, who is an intensive care nurse, is working hard to make him happy.  "Mom's always telling me to smile and hoping I'll turn into a smiley person."  His mum has a theory that if you smile for no reason you will actually start to feel happy. People used to tell me this when I was a child.

That's all for now I will get back to my reading.

It is now a few years since I posted this entry on my blog.
I have linked all my posts about Liar and Spy on the final post.

New books

I thought I might take a moment away from blogging individual titles to tell you about my reading over the next couple of weeks.  Tonight I visited my school library.  I have been away for nearly a year and while I have been doing heaps of reading many new books have been added to this collection so started by borrowing four novels all of which are fairly new books.

• Liar and Spy by Rebecca Stead  - you might read my review of her Newbery winner When you reach me
• Pookie aleera is not my boyfriend by Steven Herrick  - I have talked about his verse novels before.  What a great title for this newest book.
• Everything for a dog by Ann M Martin - I did enjoy A dog's life by the same author
• Liesl and Po by Lauren Oliver - I seem to have read a lot about this one so I hope it lives up to my expectations.

Keep an eye on my blog for the reviews of these books.  I wonder which one I will read first.

I have one other piece of exciting news. I recently received a tweet that this little blog had been nominated for the prestigious Edublog awards.  I really did not take much notice but tonight I thought I should look at the web site and I have discovered something truly amazing.  My little blog has been short listed for in the Library/Librarian category.  My colleague who nominated me has his blog in the Class Blog category.

It is now too late to vote for me but just being short listed is such an honor.  I cannot stop smiling.

My big plan is to have 400 book reviews by the end of 2012. I am getting close - just over 50 to go!