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Roswell Johnson Saves the World!
#1 New York Times bestselling author Chris Colfer is back with a funny, heartfelt, action-packed new “Guardians of the Galaxy meets The Land of Stories” adventure series that will take readers on an epic journey across the galaxy to save Earth!
Eleven-year-old Roswell Johnson is obsessed with conspiracies about extraterrestrial life, an interest he inherited from his late father, who aptly named Roswell after the infamous UFO crash in Roswell, New Mexico.
When Roswell is accidentally abducted by aliens, his biggest dream comes true—he learns that aliens are real! But when he discovers Earth is in grave danger, he must join forces with a team of quirky extraterrestrials, including two bickering Grays, a humorless Cyborg, a germophobic Mantis, an overly confident Furgarian, and an over achieving Pleiadean to save his planet from a tyrannical invasion. But can Roswell restore his own faith in humanity and Earth in time to save the world?
Eleven-year-old Roswell Johnson is obsessed with conspiracies about extraterrestrial life, an interest he inherited from his late father, who aptly named Roswell after the infamous UFO crash in Roswell, New Mexico.
When Roswell is accidentally abducted by aliens, his biggest dream comes true—he learns that aliens are real! But when he discovers Earth is in grave danger, he must join forces with a team of quirky extraterrestrials, including two bickering Grays, a humorless Cyborg, a germophobic Mantis, an overly confident Furgarian, and an over achieving Pleiadean to save his planet from a tyrannical invasion. But can Roswell restore his own faith in humanity and Earth in time to save the world?
464 pages, Hardcover
First published June 4, 2024
About the author
Chris Colfer
52 books10.6k followersChris Colfer is an Emmy-nominated and Golden Globe-winning actor best-known for his portrayal of Kurt Hummel on the FOX television series "Glee".
He is also a New York Times bestselling author whose books include the first three novels in the "Land of Stories" series ("The Wishing Spell", "The Enchantress Returns" and "A Grimm Warning") as well as "Struck By Lightning: The Carson Philips Journal" which is a novelization based on the script he wrote for the film "Struck By Lighting" (Colfer also co-produced and starred in that movie).
He is also a New York Times bestselling author whose books include the first three novels in the "Land of Stories" series ("The Wishing Spell", "The Enchantress Returns" and "A Grimm Warning") as well as "Struck By Lightning: The Carson Philips Journal" which is a novelization based on the script he wrote for the film "Struck By Lighting" (Colfer also co-produced and starred in that movie).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
June 7, 2024
Very cute idea, and so obviously Chris. Sadly, doesn’t come close to TLOS, but I still enjoyed it. Maybe she’ll be liked by younger kids, but Cassi was so unbelievably annoying I was almost praying she’d get killed by the Reptoids.
Want to read
April 21, 2024The author of my favorite series to exist/the series that got me into reading/the series where I fell in love with fairy tales is coming out with another series? And it's being released in under two months and I only found out about it now?
I don't care that this is for children and I'm turning 18 in 7 months; while I probably won't buy the book, I will definitely be picking this up from the library and reading it in a day. The Land of Stories and A Tale of Magic will always be my favorite and I hope this book does something similar.
I don't care that this is for children and I'm turning 18 in 7 months; while I probably won't buy the book, I will definitely be picking this up from the library and reading it in a day. The Land of Stories and A Tale of Magic will always be my favorite and I hope this book does something similar.
June 18, 2024
good book; very predictable. it was surprisingly really funny but we all know that chris colfer has a knack for comedy. the only thing that pissed me off is the pop culture references. having those references IMMEDIATELY dates the book and doesn’t make it timeless. some of the descriptions and plot points irked me too but that’s probably because this book is made for children lmao. all the characters were cool EXCEPT for cassi. she got on my nerves really quickly. “the world is not ready for cassi!” ur right because the world DOESNT WANT cassi. besides that, really chill book and deserves the instant nyt bestselling spot.
June 19, 2024
This was like middle grade Guardians of the Galaxy. I didn’t enjoy this as much as The Land of Stories but I know it will appeal to some middle grade readers. It is fast paced and silly which will be a win for many readers!
The story has all of Colfer’s signature humor and pop culture references, many of which will go over younger reader’s heads. The characters are pretty flat as well. There’s a Cyborg with no understanding of figurative language, a gray alien who only communicates in beeps (hello, Groot), an overly optimistic and overly wise human-like leader, and large furry cat-like alien (though not a raccoon…). Cassie (the Furgarian) is almost a carbon copy of Trollbella from TLOS who immediately forms a crush on main character Roswell and doesn’t have any ounce of character development throughout the story. She starts obnoxious and ends obnoxious. Each character stays firmly in their stereotype as they planet hop on their quest.
There is plenty of conflict, but no real suspense as each problem is quickly tackled and characters are on to the next. This is truly meant for younger readers. There are no attempts at explaining how all the different species can flawlessly communicate and survive on one another’s planets. The twist at the end is pretty obvious for older readers. However, for younger fans who want to venture into sci-fi, this should be a low stakes option!
*slight spoiler - Roswell is Black and struggles with facing prejudice on Earth. He gains hope as he sees the different alien species working together mostly in harmony through the Galactic Alliance. This was a good message, but it really didn’t fit the tone of the book and was handled in a rush way like most of the other plot points.
The story has all of Colfer’s signature humor and pop culture references, many of which will go over younger reader’s heads. The characters are pretty flat as well. There’s a Cyborg with no understanding of figurative language, a gray alien who only communicates in beeps (hello, Groot), an overly optimistic and overly wise human-like leader, and large furry cat-like alien (though not a raccoon…). Cassie (the Furgarian) is almost a carbon copy of Trollbella from TLOS who immediately forms a crush on main character Roswell and doesn’t have any ounce of character development throughout the story. She starts obnoxious and ends obnoxious. Each character stays firmly in their stereotype as they planet hop on their quest.
There is plenty of conflict, but no real suspense as each problem is quickly tackled and characters are on to the next. This is truly meant for younger readers. There are no attempts at explaining how all the different species can flawlessly communicate and survive on one another’s planets. The twist at the end is pretty obvious for older readers. However, for younger fans who want to venture into sci-fi, this should be a low stakes option!
*slight spoiler - Roswell is Black and struggles with facing prejudice on Earth. He gains hope as he sees the different alien species working together mostly in harmony through the Galactic Alliance. This was a good message, but it really didn’t fit the tone of the book and was handled in a rush way like most of the other plot points.
June 22, 2024
Such an amazing read of adventure and friendship and didn’t see the end coming no spoilers though. You will be transported into this new book and series by Chris Colfer!
June 16, 2024
It's June, which is Pride Moth. This year marks the 1st time since 2017 that I've read a Chris Colfer book in June. (That year, the book of his that I read in June was Stranger Than Fanfiction.) Because Chris himself is famously, openly, proudly Gay, reading this book this month is perfectly fitting. Additionally 2 characters are genderless and referred to with "They/Them" pronouns.
Chris Colfer's 2 previous series, The Land of Stories and A Touch of Magic, were fantasy-based. With Roswell Johnson Saves the World, Chris Colfer enters the realm of Sci-Fi. The synopsis of the book describes it as "The Land of Stories meets Guardians of the Galaxy." That is fitting. The protagonist is a human, while all the supporting characters are aliens. And there's a found family element to it as well.
Roswell Johnson is an 11-year-old 7th Grader from Cherokee Springs, Oklahoma. (He skipped a grade.) The book opens on the day of the science fair at Roswell's school. Roswell really wants to win, because the grand prize is a trip to Rump World Family Resort on Rump Island, Florida.
This theme park is owned by the billionaire Eli Rump. Let me talk about him for a second. It's obvious he's a parody mashup of Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos. He's bald like Bezos, and has a penchant for potty humor like Musk. (He actually made his fortune selling toilets.) And he owns a private space travel company like the both of them. Sadly for Roswell, he looses the science fair. His project is about famous alien encounters from throughout history, including the 1947 incident in Roswell, New Mexico, for whom Roswell Johnson is named after. And it makes him the laughing stock of the whole school.
Roswell returns home to family chicken farm where he lives with his grandparents. Both of his parents are dead. His mother died when died when Roswell was too young to remember her. And his father was solider who was killed in Afghanistan. Roswell inherited his interest in UFO's and extraterrestrials from his father. The elder Johnson, named Curtis, saw a UFO himself when he was 12-years-old. And it showed up again several times throughout his life.
That night, Roswell chases one of his family's chickens, Persephone, after she escapes. Suddenly, a flying saucer appears in the night sky. Boy and chicken are both caught up in its' tractor beam. Anyone who's ever seen the 1st Guardians of the Galaxy movie knows that this is what happens to a young Peter Quill, the future Starlord. Here, tough, I think Chris Colfer was going for a sort of reverse on E.T.: The Extraterrestrial. That movie, as we all know, is about an alien who is accidentally left behind on Earth and then befriends a lonely little boy. Here, a lonely little boy is accidentally taken from Earth by aliens. (What I found funny about Roswell's abduction is that he namechecks E.T.'s director, Steven Spielberg, as it happens.) These are the Grays. And they are the genderless characters who use they/them pronouns that I mentioned earlier in this review. They have the appearance of stereotypical aliens from the public consciousness, with pale gray skin, huge egg-shaped heads, big black eyes, tiny mouths, and rail-thin torsos. The only way to tell the two creatures apart is their height difference. One is a Tall Gray named Nerp, and the other is a Small Gray named Bleep. Nerp speaks English, but Bleep can only communicate in beeping sounds, kinda like the droids R2-D2 and BB-8 from Star Wars. Nerp translates for their shorter counterpoint. That reminds me of how in Star Wars, C-3PO translates for R2 or Chewbacca, which Han Solo also does. And in another nod to Guardians of the Galaxy, the other characters also do that for Groot.
Nerp and Bleep want to erase Roswell's memories of them before they return him to Earth, as is protocol. But it turns out they can't do that, because Roswell's name is in the Galactic Registry. Now I feel that I should describe the governmental structure of the galaxy in this book. The ruling body is called the Great Universal Alliance. All planets within the Alliance are grouped into 1 of 3 stages. A Stage 1 planet hosts non-intelligent lifeforms, like bacteria and small insects. A Stage 2 planet hosts semi-intelligent lifeforms like animals and humans. And a Stage 3 planet hosts ultra-intelligent lifeforms, like the Grays. Stage 2 planets can evolve into State 3 planets, where there invited to join its' local Alliance. Earth is a Stage 2 planet but it can't become a Stage 3 planet or join the Milky Way Galactic Alliance. This is because it doesn't meet all the qualifications, including being peaceful and self-sustaining and being able to travel to their local Alliance. Also, the aliens believe in something called the Source. Let me just say that it sounds a lot like the Force from Star Wars.
When Nerp and Bleep find out about Roswell's name, they're surprised. Because it was actually members of their species who crashed and died in the Roswell incident. To figure out why Roswell's name is in the Galactic Registry, Nerp and Bleep agree to to him to their homeworld of Grayton. but before that can happen the fly saucer is intercepted by a ship belonging to an alien species called the Reptoids. They are our villains. Their leader is called Repteiliz Supreme Reek VII. He's like this book's Emperor Palpatine. His 2nd-in-command is called General Xelic. Based on my comparing the Reptiliz to Palptine, you might be think General Xelic is like Darth Vader. But I felt that he was more like Grand Moff Tarkin or Director Krennic.
Rosswell, Nerp and Bleep are imprisoned on the Reptoids' ship. There they meet a Cyborg called R08-36119, (Known as "Rob.") A Mantis named Mank and a Furgarian named Cassiopeia Furbotton, or Cassi for short. Rob takes things liteally. Mank is a germophobe. And Cassi reminded me of Red Riding Hood from The Land of Stories series, in that she starts off of narcissistic, shallow and self-observed, but ultimately proves to be goodhearted. If you want a vizulation her, she's shorter than a Wookiee, but taller than an Ewok, with an underbite and a pink bow. The new friends find out that the Reptoids are planning to invade Earth. And when Roswell is brought before the Reptiliz, he further discovers that the Reptoiids have teamed up with Eli Rump to pull off the invasion. (Oh, come on. Admit it. If Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos contacted aliens, they would totally ally with the evil ones to screw over Earth.)
Roswell is rescued by a Pleiadean named Stella Stargaze. She and Roswell develop a telepathic link. Now joined by Stella, Roswell, Nerp, Bleep, Rob, Mank and Cassi escape from the Reptoid ship. While taking a respite at a restaurant called Allen Astro's, the group decides that in order to save Earth, they will need the signatures of the leaders of 5 stage 3 planets, which will then be brought before the Milky Way Galactic Alliance. The aliens come up with a plan to visit each of their own planets. (Grayton for Nerp and Bleep; Pleiades for Stella; Furgaria for Cassie, the Cyborg Station for Rob and the Insectia Moon for Mank.) After completing a specific task on each planet, they get the respective leader's signatures. Along the way they're hunted by General Xelic, who tries to sabotage them at every turn. But they're always saved at the last second by a mysterious figure flying a boomerang-shaped spaceship.
Eventually they do make it to the headquarters of the Milky Way Galactic Alliance. I forgot to mention it earlier, but this was Rob's destination before the Reptoids captured him. He'd been going there to lobby for Cyborg rights. Roswell allows him to go first. Rob makes and impassioned plea, and Cyborgs are granted full rights. But when Roswell tries to get to Council to help Earth, he is refused. Roswell refuses to give up. Taking the Grays' flaying saucer, he returns to Earth to try and stop the invasion. And he discovers that his friends have come to help out. A huge battle in Earth's atmosphere ensues. Roswell, who is now piloting an escape pod from the Gray's flying saucer crashes it into Eli Rump launch pad in order to thwart the launch.
When he comes to, Roswell thinks he's died and gone to Heaven. Because his father is there. Here's the twist. Curtis Johnson has been alive this whole time! It was he who saved his son's life and brought him to a base on the moon. He was the one in the boomerang-shaped ship, which is the same type of craft he'd been seeing all his own life. You see, Johnson Sr. is an SPC (Space Program Commander) for the USSSP (United States Secret Space Program.) The program was created in 1954 in a secret meeting between the Milky Way Galactic Alliance and President Eisenhower. Roswell asked his dad if he put his name on the Galactic Registry, but he didn't. The father is just as confused as the son. Roswell also discovers that his interference at the Rump Rockets launch has created a whole host of new conspiracy theories.
The book ends with Roswell and his dad returning home to the family farm in Oklahoma. Nerp, Bleep, Stella, Cassie, Rob and Mank are already there. They introduced themselves to Roswell's grandparents. When Roswell and Curtis arrive, Gram and Pop are thrilled to have both their grandson AND their son home. Roswell then bids farewell to his new alien friends, but not before Bleep says their first words, "Bye, Roswell."
The front flap says that Roswell Johnson Saves the World is the 1st book in a new series from Chris Colfer. I really look forward to reading future installments. Because this was a very good series opener. I'd say it looks like Chris Colfer has another winning series on his hands.
Chris Colfer's 2 previous series, The Land of Stories and A Touch of Magic, were fantasy-based. With Roswell Johnson Saves the World, Chris Colfer enters the realm of Sci-Fi. The synopsis of the book describes it as "The Land of Stories meets Guardians of the Galaxy." That is fitting. The protagonist is a human, while all the supporting characters are aliens. And there's a found family element to it as well.
Roswell Johnson is an 11-year-old 7th Grader from Cherokee Springs, Oklahoma. (He skipped a grade.) The book opens on the day of the science fair at Roswell's school. Roswell really wants to win, because the grand prize is a trip to Rump World Family Resort on Rump Island, Florida.
This theme park is owned by the billionaire Eli Rump. Let me talk about him for a second. It's obvious he's a parody mashup of Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos. He's bald like Bezos, and has a penchant for potty humor like Musk. (He actually made his fortune selling toilets.) And he owns a private space travel company like the both of them. Sadly for Roswell, he looses the science fair. His project is about famous alien encounters from throughout history, including the 1947 incident in Roswell, New Mexico, for whom Roswell Johnson is named after. And it makes him the laughing stock of the whole school.
Roswell returns home to family chicken farm where he lives with his grandparents. Both of his parents are dead. His mother died when died when Roswell was too young to remember her. And his father was solider who was killed in Afghanistan. Roswell inherited his interest in UFO's and extraterrestrials from his father. The elder Johnson, named Curtis, saw a UFO himself when he was 12-years-old. And it showed up again several times throughout his life.
That night, Roswell chases one of his family's chickens, Persephone, after she escapes. Suddenly, a flying saucer appears in the night sky. Boy and chicken are both caught up in its' tractor beam. Anyone who's ever seen the 1st Guardians of the Galaxy movie knows that this is what happens to a young Peter Quill, the future Starlord. Here, tough, I think Chris Colfer was going for a sort of reverse on E.T.: The Extraterrestrial. That movie, as we all know, is about an alien who is accidentally left behind on Earth and then befriends a lonely little boy. Here, a lonely little boy is accidentally taken from Earth by aliens. (What I found funny about Roswell's abduction is that he namechecks E.T.'s director, Steven Spielberg, as it happens.) These are the Grays. And they are the genderless characters who use they/them pronouns that I mentioned earlier in this review. They have the appearance of stereotypical aliens from the public consciousness, with pale gray skin, huge egg-shaped heads, big black eyes, tiny mouths, and rail-thin torsos. The only way to tell the two creatures apart is their height difference. One is a Tall Gray named Nerp, and the other is a Small Gray named Bleep. Nerp speaks English, but Bleep can only communicate in beeping sounds, kinda like the droids R2-D2 and BB-8 from Star Wars. Nerp translates for their shorter counterpoint. That reminds me of how in Star Wars, C-3PO translates for R2 or Chewbacca, which Han Solo also does. And in another nod to Guardians of the Galaxy, the other characters also do that for Groot.
Nerp and Bleep want to erase Roswell's memories of them before they return him to Earth, as is protocol. But it turns out they can't do that, because Roswell's name is in the Galactic Registry. Now I feel that I should describe the governmental structure of the galaxy in this book. The ruling body is called the Great Universal Alliance. All planets within the Alliance are grouped into 1 of 3 stages. A Stage 1 planet hosts non-intelligent lifeforms, like bacteria and small insects. A Stage 2 planet hosts semi-intelligent lifeforms like animals and humans. And a Stage 3 planet hosts ultra-intelligent lifeforms, like the Grays. Stage 2 planets can evolve into State 3 planets, where there invited to join its' local Alliance. Earth is a Stage 2 planet but it can't become a Stage 3 planet or join the Milky Way Galactic Alliance. This is because it doesn't meet all the qualifications, including being peaceful and self-sustaining and being able to travel to their local Alliance. Also, the aliens believe in something called the Source. Let me just say that it sounds a lot like the Force from Star Wars.
When Nerp and Bleep find out about Roswell's name, they're surprised. Because it was actually members of their species who crashed and died in the Roswell incident. To figure out why Roswell's name is in the Galactic Registry, Nerp and Bleep agree to to him to their homeworld of Grayton. but before that can happen the fly saucer is intercepted by a ship belonging to an alien species called the Reptoids. They are our villains. Their leader is called Repteiliz Supreme Reek VII. He's like this book's Emperor Palpatine. His 2nd-in-command is called General Xelic. Based on my comparing the Reptiliz to Palptine, you might be think General Xelic is like Darth Vader. But I felt that he was more like Grand Moff Tarkin or Director Krennic.
Rosswell, Nerp and Bleep are imprisoned on the Reptoids' ship. There they meet a Cyborg called R08-36119, (Known as "Rob.") A Mantis named Mank and a Furgarian named Cassiopeia Furbotton, or Cassi for short. Rob takes things liteally. Mank is a germophobe. And Cassi reminded me of Red Riding Hood from The Land of Stories series, in that she starts off of narcissistic, shallow and self-observed, but ultimately proves to be goodhearted. If you want a vizulation her, she's shorter than a Wookiee, but taller than an Ewok, with an underbite and a pink bow. The new friends find out that the Reptoids are planning to invade Earth. And when Roswell is brought before the Reptiliz, he further discovers that the Reptoiids have teamed up with Eli Rump to pull off the invasion. (Oh, come on. Admit it. If Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos contacted aliens, they would totally ally with the evil ones to screw over Earth.)
Roswell is rescued by a Pleiadean named Stella Stargaze. She and Roswell develop a telepathic link. Now joined by Stella, Roswell, Nerp, Bleep, Rob, Mank and Cassi escape from the Reptoid ship. While taking a respite at a restaurant called Allen Astro's, the group decides that in order to save Earth, they will need the signatures of the leaders of 5 stage 3 planets, which will then be brought before the Milky Way Galactic Alliance. The aliens come up with a plan to visit each of their own planets. (Grayton for Nerp and Bleep; Pleiades for Stella; Furgaria for Cassie, the Cyborg Station for Rob and the Insectia Moon for Mank.) After completing a specific task on each planet, they get the respective leader's signatures. Along the way they're hunted by General Xelic, who tries to sabotage them at every turn. But they're always saved at the last second by a mysterious figure flying a boomerang-shaped spaceship.
Eventually they do make it to the headquarters of the Milky Way Galactic Alliance. I forgot to mention it earlier, but this was Rob's destination before the Reptoids captured him. He'd been going there to lobby for Cyborg rights. Roswell allows him to go first. Rob makes and impassioned plea, and Cyborgs are granted full rights. But when Roswell tries to get to Council to help Earth, he is refused. Roswell refuses to give up. Taking the Grays' flaying saucer, he returns to Earth to try and stop the invasion. And he discovers that his friends have come to help out. A huge battle in Earth's atmosphere ensues. Roswell, who is now piloting an escape pod from the Gray's flying saucer crashes it into Eli Rump launch pad in order to thwart the launch.
When he comes to, Roswell thinks he's died and gone to Heaven. Because his father is there. Here's the twist. Curtis Johnson has been alive this whole time! It was he who saved his son's life and brought him to a base on the moon. He was the one in the boomerang-shaped ship, which is the same type of craft he'd been seeing all his own life. You see, Johnson Sr. is an SPC (Space Program Commander) for the USSSP (United States Secret Space Program.) The program was created in 1954 in a secret meeting between the Milky Way Galactic Alliance and President Eisenhower. Roswell asked his dad if he put his name on the Galactic Registry, but he didn't. The father is just as confused as the son. Roswell also discovers that his interference at the Rump Rockets launch has created a whole host of new conspiracy theories.
The book ends with Roswell and his dad returning home to the family farm in Oklahoma. Nerp, Bleep, Stella, Cassie, Rob and Mank are already there. They introduced themselves to Roswell's grandparents. When Roswell and Curtis arrive, Gram and Pop are thrilled to have both their grandson AND their son home. Roswell then bids farewell to his new alien friends, but not before Bleep says their first words, "Bye, Roswell."
The front flap says that Roswell Johnson Saves the World is the 1st book in a new series from Chris Colfer. I really look forward to reading future installments. Because this was a very good series opener. I'd say it looks like Chris Colfer has another winning series on his hands.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Want to read
April 23, 2024a new book by the love of my life chris colfer?? i’m already sold
August 21, 2024
A Florida-based billionaire who made his money in toilet sales cozies up to the US government and endangers the world for selfish and stupid reasons? Whose name is Rump? Is this precisely the book we need in this election year??
Unfortunately, while the setting is pretty fun, the rest is kind of cheesy, preachy, and predictable. And, just like the Land of Stories series, often reads like it was written with an eye on a film adaption.
All that said, my kids did love it. One of the strengths of the book is its really strong imaginings of place; there are some lively different worlds to explore in here.
Anyway, maybe give it a shot.
Unfortunately, while the setting is pretty fun, the rest is kind of cheesy, preachy, and predictable. And, just like the Land of Stories series, often reads like it was written with an eye on a film adaption.
All that said, my kids did love it. One of the strengths of the book is its really strong imaginings of place; there are some lively different worlds to explore in here.
Anyway, maybe give it a shot.
August 5, 2024
I honestly had my doubts but this book ended up being fast paced and enjoyable from start to finish. I really liked the similarities to TLOS (I cannot be the only one who thinks Cassi is literally Trollbella). Btw Nerp and Bleep are HILARIOUS and I laughed out loud multiple times.
July 17, 2024
Having an adult character continually hit on and make a child uncomfortable was ...a choice to say the least. Unfortunately made a decent kids book unpalatable
May 25, 2024
This is a fairly run-of-the-mill middle school sci-fi/humor book. It's formulaic and has the necessary potty humor for its audience. It gets three stars for the fact that the the universe knows Bowie. That bit was well done.
February 21, 2024
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
**Spoilers in Strengths**
Roswell Johnson is a dedicated young scientist who pursues information about extraterrestrials. Sadly, his school science fair doesn't appreciate this, giving the award to a baking soda volcano instead of his incisive expose. Roswell lives with his grandparents on their free range chicken farm in Oklahome, and is one of the few Black students at his school, where he has faced some discrimination. His mother died when he was young, and his father was in the military and was killed in Afghanistan. When Roswell is out looking for a chicken, he sees a space ship, and is taken up into it with a tractor beam! The aliens, Nerp (whom Roswell can understand) and Bleep (who is younger and communicates in robotic beeping), study the chicken and return it to Earth, but don't seem to realize that Roswell has also come aboard. He ends up blasting into space with them, and marveling that his dreams have finally come true. He finds out that the aliens are Grays from Grayton and are part of the Milky Way Galactic Alliance that is trying to save Earth from destroying itself. Sadly, their ship is attacked by Reptoids lead by General Xelic, and Roswell and his new acquaintances find themselves in captivity with a variety of other beings, including Cassiopeia Furbottom, a Furgarian, Rob, a Cyborg, and Mank. Stella Stargazer comes to their rescue, but Roswell soon finds out that the Reptoids are in cahoots with Eli Rump, the richest man on Earth who has convinced the US government to implement his ERASE system to protect the planet from asteroids. Rump has gotten his vast wealth from a variety of enterprises, including the Rump Dump luxury toilet, a football team, movies, and a Rump World theme park. They have agreed to put him in complete charge, but Rump has evil motives in mind. Will Roswell and all of the well meaning extraterrestrial beings he meets in his travels be able to save the world from the combined evil of the Reptoids and Rump?
Strengths: Colfer's 2012 Land of Stories books had quite a following for a while; a student even donated one of the books in the series after convincing his parents to buy it for him! There is something silly and pell mell about his narrative style that is appealing to middle grade readers. Roswell has a lot of reasons for being interested in extraterrestrial life; after all, his late father had a tale about seeing a UFO, and named him after the Roswell incident. (For more reliable information on that, I highly recommend Fleming's Crash from Outer Space. https://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/...) There are lots and lots of amusing and quirky space beings that Roswell meets, and he not only gets to save the day, but **SPOILER** is reunited with his father, who isn't dead, but is being held on a secret lunar base.
Weaknesses: I am not sure where the children't literature community is right now on the topic of white authors writing Black characters, but since Roswell does describe some issues that he has faced because he is Black, I was a bit uncomfortable with this. Colfer's writing tends towards an overuse of tropes and won't win any awards for beauty or creativity, but is serviceable.
What I really think: There are a lot of space adventure books out there like Mbalia and Makonnen's The Last Gate of the Emperor, Nick Brooks' Nothing Interesting Ever Happens to Ethan Fairmont and even Blackwood's Race to Fire Mountain for younger readers that I liked a little better than this one, but if Colfer's work has a large following in your library, this will be a popular title.
**Spoilers in Strengths**
Roswell Johnson is a dedicated young scientist who pursues information about extraterrestrials. Sadly, his school science fair doesn't appreciate this, giving the award to a baking soda volcano instead of his incisive expose. Roswell lives with his grandparents on their free range chicken farm in Oklahome, and is one of the few Black students at his school, where he has faced some discrimination. His mother died when he was young, and his father was in the military and was killed in Afghanistan. When Roswell is out looking for a chicken, he sees a space ship, and is taken up into it with a tractor beam! The aliens, Nerp (whom Roswell can understand) and Bleep (who is younger and communicates in robotic beeping), study the chicken and return it to Earth, but don't seem to realize that Roswell has also come aboard. He ends up blasting into space with them, and marveling that his dreams have finally come true. He finds out that the aliens are Grays from Grayton and are part of the Milky Way Galactic Alliance that is trying to save Earth from destroying itself. Sadly, their ship is attacked by Reptoids lead by General Xelic, and Roswell and his new acquaintances find themselves in captivity with a variety of other beings, including Cassiopeia Furbottom, a Furgarian, Rob, a Cyborg, and Mank. Stella Stargazer comes to their rescue, but Roswell soon finds out that the Reptoids are in cahoots with Eli Rump, the richest man on Earth who has convinced the US government to implement his ERASE system to protect the planet from asteroids. Rump has gotten his vast wealth from a variety of enterprises, including the Rump Dump luxury toilet, a football team, movies, and a Rump World theme park. They have agreed to put him in complete charge, but Rump has evil motives in mind. Will Roswell and all of the well meaning extraterrestrial beings he meets in his travels be able to save the world from the combined evil of the Reptoids and Rump?
Strengths: Colfer's 2012 Land of Stories books had quite a following for a while; a student even donated one of the books in the series after convincing his parents to buy it for him! There is something silly and pell mell about his narrative style that is appealing to middle grade readers. Roswell has a lot of reasons for being interested in extraterrestrial life; after all, his late father had a tale about seeing a UFO, and named him after the Roswell incident. (For more reliable information on that, I highly recommend Fleming's Crash from Outer Space. https://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/...) There are lots and lots of amusing and quirky space beings that Roswell meets, and he not only gets to save the day, but **SPOILER** is reunited with his father, who isn't dead, but is being held on a secret lunar base.
Weaknesses: I am not sure where the children't literature community is right now on the topic of white authors writing Black characters, but since Roswell does describe some issues that he has faced because he is Black, I was a bit uncomfortable with this. Colfer's writing tends towards an overuse of tropes and won't win any awards for beauty or creativity, but is serviceable.
What I really think: There are a lot of space adventure books out there like Mbalia and Makonnen's The Last Gate of the Emperor, Nick Brooks' Nothing Interesting Ever Happens to Ethan Fairmont and even Blackwood's Race to Fire Mountain for younger readers that I liked a little better than this one, but if Colfer's work has a large following in your library, this will be a popular title.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 6, 2024
Another great novel from Chris, this time a science fiction adventure traveling all throughout the galaxy. I have been hoping he would write a sci-fi book for years and Roswell Johnson Saves the World definitely didn't disappoint.
Roswell's journey was an enjoyable ride with so many dynamic characters. Each came alive throughout the pages. I loved the alien friends Roswell made and the team they built. It was fun traveling to their worlds and learning about each of their civilization's cultures. They worked together very well and brought so much to the story.
This had Chris's signature sense of humor which fills each of his novels. Along with the humor, it focuses on many hard-hitting and thought provoking topics. Parents, teachers, and students can start many important conversations with this book. It's a great mix of silly and serious. A perfect book for middle-grade readers and those young at heart. I know I always have a wonderful time whenever I visit one of his worlds.
Roswell stands out as the protagonist. His personality shines through even with so many eccentric characters, such as a talking alien which looks like a dog. Roswell is a character readers will relate to on many levels and is a great one for kids to read about. I look forward to seeing what Chris will write after this book. Hopefully, a sequel so we can see what will happen with Roswell, Nerp, Bleep, Rob, Mank, Cassi, and Stella.
Cannot wait for my preordered copy to arrive today. I highly recommend this book (especially the audiobook) for lovers of middle-grade books.
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.*
Roswell's journey was an enjoyable ride with so many dynamic characters. Each came alive throughout the pages. I loved the alien friends Roswell made and the team they built. It was fun traveling to their worlds and learning about each of their civilization's cultures. They worked together very well and brought so much to the story.
This had Chris's signature sense of humor which fills each of his novels. Along with the humor, it focuses on many hard-hitting and thought provoking topics. Parents, teachers, and students can start many important conversations with this book. It's a great mix of silly and serious. A perfect book for middle-grade readers and those young at heart. I know I always have a wonderful time whenever I visit one of his worlds.
Roswell stands out as the protagonist. His personality shines through even with so many eccentric characters, such as a talking alien which looks like a dog. Roswell is a character readers will relate to on many levels and is a great one for kids to read about. I look forward to seeing what Chris will write after this book. Hopefully, a sequel so we can see what will happen with Roswell, Nerp, Bleep, Rob, Mank, Cassi, and Stella.
Cannot wait for my preordered copy to arrive today. I highly recommend this book (especially the audiobook) for lovers of middle-grade books.
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.*
June 17, 2024
Chris Colfer hasn’t disappointed me since I first read the land of stories in 2016. I’ve since read all of TLOS books and have loved seeing his skills improved with time.
After so many years writing in the same universe I was nervous about this new series but damn it this is another success for Chris and a new favourite for me!
If you know a bit about Chris you know how much he loves aliens, UFO,…so it’s not really surprising he picked this topic for his new series and it worked really well! Whether you enjoy conspiracy theories or not this is a treat. His humour is the same while talking about an important subject.
Every character was a delight honestly:
- Roswell felt like a perfect mix of Alex and Conner with the jokes and the brain combined
- Rob was the android who doesn’t understand sarcasm, puns,…
- Mank brings the hysteria in and I’m here for it! As someone with OCD I loved him so much (and I can’t wait to listen to his voice in the audiobook because Chris does the best audiobook adaptations!)
- The duo Nerp and Bleep got me laughing hard
- But I think my 2 favourites were Cassi and Stella! Those 2 brought the extra dose of fun and over the top craziness I love in Red, Trollbella and Mother Goose.
I highly recommend if you’re a fan of C.Colfer past books or if you’re looking for a fun children’s book for the summer!
After so many years writing in the same universe I was nervous about this new series but damn it this is another success for Chris and a new favourite for me!
If you know a bit about Chris you know how much he loves aliens, UFO,…so it’s not really surprising he picked this topic for his new series and it worked really well! Whether you enjoy conspiracy theories or not this is a treat. His humour is the same while talking about an important subject.
Every character was a delight honestly:
- Roswell felt like a perfect mix of Alex and Conner with the jokes and the brain combined
- Rob was the android who doesn’t understand sarcasm, puns,…
- Mank brings the hysteria in and I’m here for it! As someone with OCD I loved him so much (and I can’t wait to listen to his voice in the audiobook because Chris does the best audiobook adaptations!)
- The duo Nerp and Bleep got me laughing hard
- But I think my 2 favourites were Cassi and Stella! Those 2 brought the extra dose of fun and over the top craziness I love in Red, Trollbella and Mother Goose.
I highly recommend if you’re a fan of C.Colfer past books or if you’re looking for a fun children’s book for the summer!
May 16, 2024
Action, adventure, and a tie to Roswell NM?! Count me in. I usually don’t read middle-grade/children’s books but will always make an exception for Chris Colfer’s imaginative storytelling, especially with his Land of Stories series.
This story follows 11 year old Roswell Johnson, (yes, named after *that* Roswell), a lover of all things space & alien conspiracies…too bad no one believes him! Discouraged, he’s up one night when he heads out to his grandparent’s chickens and is accidentally abducted by real aliens, which somehow isn’t the craziest part…but that Earth is in danger and it’s up to Roswell and his new friends to save mankind and the other worlds in the galaxy from being taken over by tyrants.
There’s tongue-in-cheek humor the adults can appreciate (see if you can figure out which billionaire(s) served as villain inspiration!) and plenty of adventure for young readers.
Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
This story follows 11 year old Roswell Johnson, (yes, named after *that* Roswell), a lover of all things space & alien conspiracies…too bad no one believes him! Discouraged, he’s up one night when he heads out to his grandparent’s chickens and is accidentally abducted by real aliens, which somehow isn’t the craziest part…but that Earth is in danger and it’s up to Roswell and his new friends to save mankind and the other worlds in the galaxy from being taken over by tyrants.
There’s tongue-in-cheek humor the adults can appreciate (see if you can figure out which billionaire(s) served as villain inspiration!) and plenty of adventure for young readers.
Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
June 7, 2024
Roswell Johnson was named after the Roswell, New Mexico incident by his father. Roswell lives on a chicken farm with Gram and Pop. His father has died fighting in Afghanistan. His mom is also dead. Roswell loves science. After competing in the science fair at school and losing, Roswell wants to give up on science. He is accidentally kidnapped by two aliens named Bleep and Nerp. Bleep and Nerp are Grays from the planet Grayson. They remind me a lot of Star Wars' C3Po and R2D2 in that they are always bickering with each other. Roswell, Bleep, and Nerp get taken by bad aliens who throw them in prison. In prison, Roswell, Bleep, and Nerp meet Cassi, a furgarian, Rob, a cyborg, and Mantis, a preying mantis type alien. They are rescued by Stella Stargaze, a Pleidean. Roswell and the others escape from prison but find out that the bad aliens are planning to attack Earth. I liked the characters in this book a lot, especially Roswell, Cassi, Nerp, and Bleep. Stella was a little too positive, while Mantis was very negative. The bad aliens Reptiliz Reek and General Xelic were very evil.
July 1, 2024
11 year old Roswell has always been fascinated about space. His bedroom is a shrine to all things Star Wars, extraterrestrial and solar system. It just so happens that one night, Roswell is accidentally abducted by friendly aliens who are cataloging living creatures on Earth. What then transpires is a trip across the Milky Way, with the unlikeliest of friends, outwitting the evil aliens and ultimately, protecting the Solar System and everyone in it, and saving Earth.
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This is an incredibly fun adventure book- great for younger readers who have a keen interest in science and who wouldn’t be intimidated by a thick 400 page book. @ has done an incredible job creating different planets, life forms and fun characters while weaving in real places in the Milky Way (I learnt many things!). I also appreciate the many, many pop culture references throughout the book.
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This book could be triggering, as Roswell’s parents have both passed away and he lives with his grandparents. Definitely a great read and recommend this!
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This is an incredibly fun adventure book- great for younger readers who have a keen interest in science and who wouldn’t be intimidated by a thick 400 page book. @ has done an incredible job creating different planets, life forms and fun characters while weaving in real places in the Milky Way (I learnt many things!). I also appreciate the many, many pop culture references throughout the book.
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This book could be triggering, as Roswell’s parents have both passed away and he lives with his grandparents. Definitely a great read and recommend this!
July 11, 2024
This book was so much fun! I always have a good time reading Chris's books. He's so fun and inventive; it's very easy to immerse myself in his words.
Roswell Johnson Saves the World! was no different, it had an array of lovable characters and a plot so interesting that I couldn’t stop reading until I reached the last page.
In this book, Roswell, our protagonist, is obsessed with everything alien. However, after a bad day at school, he decides to give everything up and just forget about the mysteries of the universe. Yet, he is then abducted by the very aliens he’s obsessed with and embarks on a great adventure where he meets all sorts of planets and aliens.
This book also deals with a lot of important subjects like injustice and racism. I love how Chris doesn’t shy away from those topics. It's very important to introduce these topics to younger people, and Chris does a wonderful job at it.
I really hope there’s a second book, I will definitely be reading it.
Thanks Netgalley and Little Brown Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review
Roswell Johnson Saves the World! was no different, it had an array of lovable characters and a plot so interesting that I couldn’t stop reading until I reached the last page.
In this book, Roswell, our protagonist, is obsessed with everything alien. However, after a bad day at school, he decides to give everything up and just forget about the mysteries of the universe. Yet, he is then abducted by the very aliens he’s obsessed with and embarks on a great adventure where he meets all sorts of planets and aliens.
This book also deals with a lot of important subjects like injustice and racism. I love how Chris doesn’t shy away from those topics. It's very important to introduce these topics to younger people, and Chris does a wonderful job at it.
I really hope there’s a second book, I will definitely be reading it.
Thanks Netgalley and Little Brown Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review
July 25, 2024
3.5
while it doesn’t come hear the excellence and innovativeness of the land of stories series, you can’t deny that chris was born to write middle grade. his wittiness, pacing, and notable characters makes him a standout in this genre. i did find some of these characters to be too similar to those that came before, but it’s obvious that his passion for all things space and extraterrestrial will ensure this series will be handled with love and care.
(and i’m nothing if not a supportive boyfriend)
while it doesn’t come hear the excellence and innovativeness of the land of stories series, you can’t deny that chris was born to write middle grade. his wittiness, pacing, and notable characters makes him a standout in this genre. i did find some of these characters to be too similar to those that came before, but it’s obvious that his passion for all things space and extraterrestrial will ensure this series will be handled with love and care.
(and i’m nothing if not a supportive boyfriend)
June 5, 2024
I must say I am on my middle grade fiction lately. Especially if the story is by @chriscolfer. This was a cheeky middlegrade read. Perfect for middleschoolers. There was adult humor and extraterrestrials, which I love. ET is what I thought of when I was reading the synopsis. Or Marvin the Martian. It was a fun sci-fi fantasy. The characters are great. The plot is fun. There is so much action and adventure. It pleases it's audience.
July 15, 2024
I really loved this book! It was super fast paced, which is perfect for anyone who hates super dragged out stories. This book was also funny, amazing if you love chris’ humor. The only MINOR complaint might be the pop culture references. Not that it’s bad, there’s just SO MANY they don’t end, despite this the book was still a five star read. I definitely recommend this book and I cannot wait for the second one!! I also got to go to the book tour for this book and got to meet Chris which was such an amazing experience!
August 20, 2024
Sci-Fi, fast paced, adventure, aliens
Roswell Johnson is accidentally abducted by aliens, and then they're all abducted by worse aliens. During their escape attempt, Roswell and his group of intergalactic friends learn that the evil aliens are planning to invade Earth, so they travel across the entire milky way galaxy in an attempt to save us. There's some commentary on race issues and general human issues that I felt were rather poorly done, but otherwise a fun read.
Roswell Johnson is accidentally abducted by aliens, and then they're all abducted by worse aliens. During their escape attempt, Roswell and his group of intergalactic friends learn that the evil aliens are planning to invade Earth, so they travel across the entire milky way galaxy in an attempt to save us. There's some commentary on race issues and general human issues that I felt were rather poorly done, but otherwise a fun read.
September 24, 2024
I LOVED The Land of Stories, this however was just okay. It is still super cute but it feels very modern day middle grade and less timeless story. The amount of Beeps and Boops in this (especially for the audio) was sadly too much and started to get on my nerves very quickly. I would recommend this if you love sci-fi and are looking for a cute fast paced space adventure story, but be warned that this is filled with young humour.
June 11, 2024
Chris Colfer is SUCH a comfort author for me.
The space world that he creates in this book is so inviting and imaginative. I’m really excited to see more of it in this series. I also love the R2D2/C3PO relationship between Bleep and Nerp, and the obvious Chris Colfer humor throughout the book.
The space world that he creates in this book is so inviting and imaginative. I’m really excited to see more of it in this series. I also love the R2D2/C3PO relationship between Bleep and Nerp, and the obvious Chris Colfer humor throughout the book.
July 23, 2024
It was cool to learn about the science of space in an accessible middle grade novel. The story was an interesting one, though a little predictable. I always enjoy a story where very different characters team up to save the day.
October 25, 2024
Cute, especially for kids not ready for Artemis Fowl. Had lots of little kid humor in it. I assume it is a graphic novel-Bill and I listened to it on trips up to Indy. It didn’t take a lot of attention so it was a good choice for stressful drives.
May 18, 2024
This was everything I wanted it to be. Funny with a lot of heart.
May 20, 2024
[4.5] If you love the alien moments from Stranger Than Fanfiction or the Sci-Fi story from An Author's Odyssey I'd highly recommend this as well! Also Cassi reminds me of Trollbella.
June 17, 2024
I’ve officially read every Chris Colfer book now. 😢
This book was so much fun and made me laugh out loud multiple times; I would recommend!
This book was so much fun and made me laugh out loud multiple times; I would recommend!
June 17, 2024
MY God, this man can write. He has to be one of the best middle-grade writers ever.
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