Zartog, an alien who lands on Earth, loses his spaceship's remote control. When Rachel finds it, she pushes the channel change button and things change from one thing to another--very useful for dealing with bullies. Zartog, however, needs his remote to get home. The cartoon-style line drawings are, at times, unappealing, but the fast-paced story is full of silly puns and ridiculous situations.

Gr 3-5 Two parallel plots quickly unfold in this sci-fi adventure. Zartog, an eight-year-old alien, takes his family's flying saucer for a spin, travels beyond the limits his parents have set, and decides to do the forbidden and land on Earth. There, plucky eight-year-old Rachel is the target of bullies who enjoy picking on smaller kids, especially those who are of a different color. Zartog steps out of his ship and promptly loses his remote control, a special device that allows him to run his flying saucer and to change an object from one thing into another. When Rachel and her dog arrive on the scene, he is so frightened that he flees, and the girl picks up the device. He soon discovers that without the powerful remote, the ship cannot make the long trip back home. Thus, Zartog is forced to face his fears. Armed with the remote, Rachel takes on the bullies, and changes them into a host of objects from a pair of glasses to a penguin to a hamster. Ultimately, she returns the device to the alien, and the two find courage. The text is bogged down by the author's message: that we accept those who may look or act differently from ourselves. Rachel's problem is not solved with brains or brawn, but rather with a souped-up appliance. Morality lessons aside, this is a light story fit for young sci/fi fans. Alison Grant, West Bloomfield Township Public Library, MI