Roswell Johnson is about to go on a bigger journey than he could ever imagine.Precocious 11-year-old Roswell, one of the few Black kids in his class, loves everything about astronomy, space, and the conspiracy theories that often accompany these topics. After all, inspired by a UFO sighting, his late father did name him Roswell. Following a major disappointment at the school science fair, Roswell's ready to give it all up when aliens accidentally abduct him (along with Persephone, one of his grandparents' chickens). He finds himself on a mission to save Earth from colonization while exploring far-flung corners of the galaxy and strange alien planets. Roswell's journey is complicated by the fact that he's being hunted by Reptoids, a vicious race of aliens who want to cause chaos and will stop at nothing. Along the way, he befriends a ragtag group of aliens, and together they race against the galactic clock before time runs out and he loses everything he loves. The combination of factual information and witty humor will maintain readers' engagement as they follow Roswell's journey. Much of the information about space, including the names of stars and constellations and facts about planets, is accurate and presented in an entertaining and seamless way. Actor and novelist Colfer also touches on prejudice and racism: Roswell grapples with both the injustices he faces and the ones he sees others confront. Final art not seen.A page-turning adventure that's truly out of this world. (author's note, glossary) (Science fiction. 8-12)

Gr 4–7 —Colfer's newest novel delivers a fast-paced science fiction adventure splashed with truth. Seventh grader Roswell Johnson was named after the famed 1947 UFO event in Roswell, NM. Raised by his grandparents and with both parents deceased, Roswell remembers enough of his father to have inherited his love of science, particularly involving planets, space, and aliens. Although others don't ascribe to his belief in extraterrestrials, Roswell gets an up-close and personal experience when he is accidentally abducted by a pair of aliens who want some DNA from a chicken to add to their collection. Roswell is sent on a whirlwind tour of the universe in a quest to save Earth from the Reptoids, an evil set of reptilian-like aliens bent on universal domination. Roswell, who is Black, is wise beyond his years in his knowledge of space, and converses easily with primarily adult aliens who all speak in English, with the exception of a cyborg who only speaks with beeps and boops. Readers will find Roswell kind, empathetic, and winning as he navigates his way around the universe with a cast of characters from various planets and dimensions in space. Colfer has nicely set up this 400-plus page novel for a sequel, much like his "Land of Stories" series. VERDICT A first purchase for libraries seeking adventurous science fiction mingled with facts about the universe.—Tracy Cronce