Love and other Alien Experiences by Kerry Winfrey –ESSENTIAL

Winfrey, Kerry Love and other Alien Experiences 258 pgs. Feiwel & Friends (Macmillan), 2017. $10.99 

Content: Language: G (0 swears) Mature Content: PG (teen drinking ; Violence: PG

Mallory has some anxiety issues and attends school from home via webcam. Her two best friends Jenni and Lincoln (her brother) help keep her cheered up. She also spends as much time as she can on an online message board about aliens, particularly with BeamMeUp, a guy she enjoys bantering with. In the meantime, she is nominated homecoming queen. The mean joke turns into a stepping stone for Mallory to start to confront her anxiety and appreciate what she has.

That was not a great plot summary for this fantastic multifaceted book. It addresses time spent online, broken homes, anxiety, and friendship, with an overall message of anxiety being a part of your life –not who you are. The characters and dialogue are 100% believable and incredibly well written. I literally felt like I was there hanging out with them. The plot keeps your attention by moving forward at just the right pace and providing a high level of interest. It has a romantic component that teens will love without being too mature and as a bonus minus any cheese. This is a great book to add to your library and for teens with anxiety to relate to in a constructive way.

HS  –ESSENTIAL  Reviewer: Stephanie Elementary School Librarian & Author.