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| Perma-Bound Edition ©2011 | -- |
| Publisher's Hardcover ©2011 | -- |
Extraterrestrial beings. Fiction.
Brainwashing. Fiction.
Schools. Fiction.
Spies. Fiction.
Friendship. Fiction.
Family life. New York (State). New York. Fiction.
Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.). Fiction.
Alien Spaceheadz approach their goal of recruiting 3.14 million + one Earthling SPHDZ...can they save Earth!?
Fifth grader Michael K. and his human friends Venus and TJ have done a whizbang job of helping advertisement-spewing, oddball aliens Bob, Jennifer and Major Fluffy (their leader and hamster) recruit. The SPHDZ counter falls only a bit short, so Bob and Jennifer decide to ask Santa Claus for the final SPHDZ needed to save the Earth from being turned off. Little do they know, the Santa they're waiting in line to see is none other than Agent Umber of the Anti-Alien Agency! Michael K. & co. avert disaster, and the SPHDZ Counter hits its goal...then starts counting backwards! Evil Aliens are stealing the earthlings' Brainwave (the sum of the collected SPHDZ) for their own nefarious ends! Feeling betrayed, Michael K. gives up. Meanwhile, Mom K. and Dad K.'s secret lives (ZIA Agent and Secret Ad man) are on a collision course. Can Spaceheadz with unlikely allies get Michael K. back on board and save the cosmos? Scieszka and Prigmore deliver the most madcap installment yet in their uber-illustrated series. Surprise villains (foreshadowed in previous volumes)! Surprise interstellar-parking-lot plans! Surprise doughnut upchuck! Nonfiction interludes on networks, group intelligence and symbiosis—not to mention the goofy websites—add to the fun.
Fans will be in heaven, especially at the certainty of further installments. (Humorous science fiction. 7-10)
In this third entry in the Spaceheadz series, an imperiled world once more relies on rescue from Brooklyn fifth-graders Michael K. and his friends, along with aliens who are disguised as fifth-graders (although one of the aliens, Major Fluffy, is passing as a hamster). Meanwhile, Agent Umber of the AAA (Anti Alien Agency) is on a nonstop campaign to thwart the Spaceheadz. Finally, a tough-talking, military-type Santa recruits Michael K. into a search for a stolen brain wave, leaving the Spaceheadz well poised for their next adventure. As with the other books in this series, the plot is secondary to the slapstick gags and general mayhem. With plenty of twists, lots of well-timed comic noises, and even a hilarious section narrated by Major Fluffy, this is sure to delight fans, while recruiting new ones. Another laugh factory between covers.
School Library Journal (Mon Feb 06 00:00:00 CST 2023)BOWEN, Fred . Quarterback Season . 144p. (Fred Bowen Sports Story Series). Peachtree . Aug. 2011. pap. $5.95. ISBN 78-1-56145-594-2 . LC 2011002673. Gr 4-6 CARLSON, Melody . Glamour . Bk. 5. 194p. (On the Runway Series). Zondervan . 2011. pap. $9.99. ISBN 978-0-310-71790-4 . LC number unavailable. CAST, P.C. &; Kristin Cast . Dragon's Oath . 152p. (A House of Night Novella). St. Martin's . July 2011. Tr $12.99. ISBN 978-0-312-33415-4 . LC number unavailable. Gr 9 Up CHICK, Bryan . Riddles and Danger . Bk. 3. 304p. (The Secret Zoo Series). HarperCollins / Greenwillow . Oct. 2011. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-06-198927-8 . LC 2011005930. Gr 47 CROALL, Marie P. Under His Spell . Bk. 4. illus. by Hyeondo Park. PLB ISBN 978-0-7613-5602-8 ; pap. ISBN 978-0-7613-7076-5 ; ebook ISBN 978-0-7613-7188-5 . LC 2010035201. JOLLEY, Dan . My Boyfriend Bites . Bk. 3. illus. by Alitha E. Martinez. PLB ISBN 978-0-7613-5599-1 ; pap. ISBN 978-0-7613-7078-9 ; ebook ISBN 978-0-7613-7187-8 . LC 2010028723. ea. vol: 128p. (My Boyfriend Is a Monster Series). Lerner / Graphic Universe . Oct. 2011. PLB $29.27; pap. $9.95; ebook $21.95. Gr 7 Up DEVILLERS, Julia . Cleared for Takeoff . Bk. 3. illus. by Paige Pooler. 224p. (Liberty Porter, First Daughter Series) . S &; S. July 2011. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-1-4169-9130-4 . LC number unavailable. Gr 36 DUEY, Kathleen . The Full Moon . Bk. 4. illus. by Sandra Tang. 128p. (The Faeries' Promise Series). S &; S / Aladdin . July 2011. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-1-4169-8462-7 ; pap. $4.99. ISBN 978-1-4169-8463-4 ; ebook $15.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-1300-9 . LC 2010019165. Gr 3—5 FISHER, Catherine . The Lost Heiress . Bk. 2. June 2011. ISBN 978-0-8037-3674-0 . FISHER, Catherine The Hidden Coronet . Bk. 3. July 2011. ISBN 978-0-8037-3675-7 . FISHER, Catherine The Margrave . Bk. 4. Aug. 2011. ISBN 978-0-8037-3676-4 . ea vol: 384p. (Relic Master Series). Dial . Tr $16.99. LC number unavailable. Gr 5 Up FRENCH, Vivian . The Flight of Dragons . Bk. 4. illus. by Ross Collins. 208p. (The Five Kingdoms Series). Candlewick . July 2011. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-5083-4 ; ebook $15.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-5465-8 . LC number unavailable. Gr 4—6 FRIEDMAN, Laurie . Mallory's Super Sleepover . Bk. 16. illus. by Jennifer Kalis. 160p. (Mallory Series). Darby Creek , dist. by Lerner. Oct. 2011. Tr $15.95. ISBN 978-0-8225-8887-0 . ebook $11.95. ISBN 978-0-7613-7948-5 . LC 2010044418. Gr 2—4 GOWNLEY, Jimmy . The Meaning of Life...and Other Stuff . Bk. 7. illus. by author. 160p. (Amelia Rules! Series). S &; S / Atheneum . Sept. 2011. Tr $10.99. ISBN 978-1-4169-8612-6 . LC number unavailable. Gr 4—7 KATE, Lauren . Passion . Bk. 3. (Fallen Series). 432p. Delacorte . June 2011. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-385-73916-0 ; PLB $20.99. ISBN 978-0-385-90774-3 ; ebook $17.99. ISBN 978-0-375-89718-4 . LC number unavailable. Gr 9 Up KIRK, Daniel . The Road's End . Bk. 3. 496p. (Elf Realm Series). Abrams / Amulet . 2011. Tr $18.95. ISBN 978-0-8109-8978-8 . LC 2010038752. Gr 5—8 LASKY, Kathryn . Watch Wolf . Bk. 3. 288p. (Wolves of the Beyond Series). Scholastic . 2011. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-545-09314-9 . LC 2010049786. Gr 4—7 MAGUIRE, Eden . Phoenix . Bk. 4. 288p. (Beautiful Dead Series). Sourcebooks / Fire . Oct. 2011. Tr $8.99. ISBN 978-1-4022-3947-2 . LC number unavailable. Gr 9 Up MONTGOMERY, Lewis B. . The Case of the Missing Moose . Bk. 6. illus. by Amy Wummer. 96p. (The Milo &; Jazz Mysteries). Kane . Feb. 2011. PLB $22.60. ISBN 978-1-57565-331-0 ; pap. $6.95. ISBN 978-1-57565-322-8 . LC 2010023478. Gr 1—4 PEARSON, Ridley . Power Play . illus. by Tristan Elwell. Bk. 4. 448p. (Kingdom Keepers Series). Hyperion / Disney . Apr. 2011. RTE $17.99. ISBN 978-1-4231-3857-0 . LC number unavailable. Gr 3—6 SCHREIBER, Ellen . Cryptic Cravings . Bk. 8. 224p. (Vampire Kisses Series). HarperCollins / Katherine Tegen Bks. May 2011. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-06-168945-1 . LC number unavailable. Gr 7 Up SCIESZKA, Jon . Spaceheadz . Bk. 3. illus. by Shane Prigmore. 224p. (Spaceheadz Series). S &; S. Aug. 2011. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-1-4169-7955-5 . LC number unavailable. Gr 2—5 SHEPARD, Sara . Twisted . Bk. 9. 320p. (Pretty Little Liars Series). HarperTeen . July 2011. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-06-208101-8 . LC number unavailable. Gr 9 Up SIMON, Francesca . Horrid Henry Wakes the Dead . illus. by Tony Ross. 112p. Sourcebooks / Jabberwocky . Aug. 2011. pap. $4.99. ISBN 978-1-4022-5934-0 . LC number unavailable. Gr 2—4 SMITH, L. J. The Craving . Vol. 3. 256p. (The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries). HarperTeen . May 2011. pap. $9.99. ISBN 978-0-06-200395-9 . LC number unavailable. Gr 9 Up VAN DRAANEN, Wendelin . Sammy Keyes and the Night of Skulls /
Horn Book (Sun Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2012)Nearing their goal of recruiting "3.14 million + 1" earthlings to help save their planet, Major Fluffy and his crew's troubles are about to end. Or not. With their Earth friends' help, the aliens try to find out who betrayed them. Comical, convoluted, and goofy, this series will continue to engage fans and confound the uninitiated.
Kirkus Reviews
ALA Booklist (Thu Dec 01 00:00:00 CST 2011)
School Library Journal (Mon Feb 06 00:00:00 CST 2023)
Horn Book (Sun Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2012)
Two small elves stood in line behind the red ropes outside Dunker’s Donuts on Fifth Avenue in Brooklyn. This was not as completely crazy as it might sound, because there was also a sign in the Dunker’s Donuts window that read:
The two elves stood in line with the rest of the moms and dads and babies and kids waiting to tell Santa what they really wanted. The two elves wore those green elf outfits you’ve seen in cartoons and movies and cookie commercials.
But the strange thing about these two elves was that one of them wore soccer cleats and the other one wore a SpongeBob SquarePants backpack . . . that was carrying another tiny, hamster-size elf.
“What are you going to ask Santa to bring you, Chelsea?” the mom in front of the elves asked her daughter.
“A pony,” said Chelsea, kicking her little brother.
“Oooooh,” said the SpongeBob-backpack elf. “More flavor! I’m going to add a pony to our list.”
“We are already asking Santa for one hundred more ,” said soccer-cleats elf. “Can he also fit two ponies in his flying-sled delivery system?”
“Eeek squeak squeak eeek,” said hamster elf. “Squeee week wee eek.”
“Great whole-grain jingle bells!” said soccer-cleats elf. “This Santa Claus is super-size and great taste!”
“Eee eee eee eeek?” asked hamster elf.
“Yes,” said backpack elf. “That is a most extra-crunchy idea. I will send a visual image of us to Michael K. and Venus.”
“Ho, ho, ho,” said the suspiciously skinny-looking Santa in the Holidayz HoHoHoles Korner of the Dunker’s Donuts. “I don’t think Santa will be able to get you a real F-18 Hornet fighter jet.”
The little boy in Santa’s lap punched Santa in his red velvet stomach and pulled Santa’s white beard down under his chin. “You are a stupid Santa.”
The backpack elf held a camera out at arm’s length.
“Squeeek,” said the hamster elf.
The elves twisted their faces into something like smiles.
The hamster elf nodded.
The camera took a picture.
“Come on, Jackson,” said the little boy’s mom. “We will go talk to Santa’s manager about this.”
The dad took Jackson’s hand and glared at Santa. “I can’t believe I had to buy a dozen Holidayz HoHoHoles for this. All you had to do was say ‘Okay.’”
“I could look into procurement of the F-18,” said Santa, replacing his beard and fixing his stomach. “But I am pretty sure it is not in line with federal procedure to release these fighter jets to citizens.”
The dad stared at Santa.
“There would also be a lot of paperwork. But maybe the older model F-111 might be available?”
Now both the mom and the dad were staring at Santa.
Santa realized he had almost forgotten to say the required Dunker’s Holiday Saying. He added, “Ho, ho, ho. Dunker’s knows what dunkers love.”
The mom and dad and punching kid stormed over to talk to the manager.
The line and the elves moved three steps closer to Santa.
Hamster elf sent off the picture and text.
“Eeee eee, eee eee.”
“CLINICALLY PROVEN SAFE AND EFFECTIVE ,” added backpack elf. “Michael K. and Venus are going to be sooooo surprised!”
© 2011 Shane Prigmore
Excerpted from Sphdz Book 3! by Jon Scieszka
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
The SPHDZ are about to reach their recruitment quota—and that’s when the real story STARTS!
Michael K. and the gang only have 100 SPHDZ left to sign up. But something is about to go horribly wrong that will change EVERYTHING forever.
What if the 3.14 million and one brainwaves aren’t for saving the world at all? What if Agent Umber finally catches up with the SPHDZ? What if the AAA Chief has a new plan? What if Fluffy can speak...baby? New twists and new turns await readers. And in the end, Michael K. may not know whom he can trust anymore.... The third book in the out-of-this-world series is full of twists and turns—and a bigger mystery is about to be revealed!