YOUR ALIEN RETURNS

It’s an interstellar play date with your alien!

“When you least expect it, something special will get your attention. / Your alien will be back.” After getting permission from distracted parents, the “you” in the tale, a brown-haired, olive-skinned child in a blue jersey and jeans, hops into the alien’s flying saucer. Once on the alien’s home world, the protagonist meets the alien’s family and has a snack. “You’ll sample a few things but will politely decline anything that stares back at you.” They play, tool around town on scooters, go out for ice cream–like things, and meet the alien’s friends. “Seeing all of them will make you feel a little alienated,” the wry text states. The strangeness has started to get to the child. When an accidental kick ruins a big game, the child couldn’t feel worse. Fortunately the alien knows just what to do. Sauer and Fujita team up again for this sequel to their sweet E.T. tale, Your Alien (2015), and allow readers to tag along with the pals into the next phase of the ultimate in long-distance friendships. Simple, declarative text makes good use of the second person. Fujita’s bright, color-saturated illustrations are again the perfect pairing, from the inventive alien landscapes to the expressive characters and the cinematic framing.

A worthy tale of friendship that will have every reader wishing for a little green buddy.