The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex (A)

I want everyone to read this book. Can I just leave my review at that? Since about page 42 I was positive this was a winner and I've spent the remaining 380 pages wracking my brain for a good way to review it when I wasn't laughing out loud. How do you do such a strange, randomly hilarious book justice in a short review? I'll give it my best shot...

The True Meaning of Smekday begins as a school essay assignment and then moves into an extended memoir by our heroine, 11-year old Gratuity "Tip" Tucci. She's assigned to write about the true meaning of Smekday--the day aliens invaded earth in the year 2013 and renamed the planet Smekland. Her story begins with her mom being abducted by aliens, and ends three different times (with her original essay, her rewritten winning essay, and then her longer "unpublished" memoir). After Mom gets abducted, Gratuity has to make her way to the well-named Happy Mouse Kingdom in Orlando, FL, and then on to Arizona...where all humans are being forced to move because the aliens like Florida too much to give it away. Along the way, she picks up her very own Boov--an alien named J.Lo who's in trouble with his fellow aliens, and who proves to be a useful road trip companion. If you keep reading, you'll meet the people of Area 51, a Clark Kent look-a-like, and stereotypical G-man named Mitch.

The adventures in the story never stop and that's one good reason to read. The real selling points, however, are all Gratuity Tucci's. The author's ability to write through a snarky 11-year old's voice is awesome, and her asides and comments will have you laughing out loud. Literally. Don't read this one in a library. And don't let the fact that its about aliens taking over earth put you off picking this one up. This book is hilarious and you'll be recommending it to everyone you know before long.

I give it an A.

And after you read, you'll probably enjoy visiting the official website of Smekday where the hilarity only continues.