Area 51 is the military facility located in southern Nevada and managed by the U.S. Air Force. Conspiracy theories have piled up over the years that extraterrestrial life is a part of this iconic place. The humans there may not appreciate the extra attention the first title in this new series will bring, but middle grade kids won’t care and should thoroughly enjoy a fun mystery.

For starters you meet Sky, the 12-year-old narrator, as she describes her first moments at Area 51. Grandma can’t take care of her anymore after moving to a retirement community and now it’s up to Uncle Anish to take over. He lives inside Area 51 and once there you can never leave.

It’s not long before Sky realizes there are aliens everywhere (or as they are called inside Area 51: Break Throughs). They include her new friend Elvis, who looks like a normal boy about her age but appears different to each human interacting with him. Together they try and discover who helped a group of Break Throughs escape. All signs point to Sky’s Uncle but she feels certain it has to be someone else.

Full of puns and jokes, the tale moves along at a nice pace. Text is enhanced with creative illustrations like the one on the cover. Images inside the pages of THE AREA 51 FILES will for sure make you smile. The mystery is wrapped up nicely by the end, but more alien/human fun will be forthcoming in a book 2.

Lighthearted and perfect for those needing a break from the more serious novels.

BOOK BIRTHDAY: September 13, 2022 PAGE COUNT: 304

FIVE MORE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: THE AREA 51 FILES by Julie Buxbaum

1. Humorous names for the adult characters and alien groups are a perfect draw for middle grade readers. Flatulence is the key here, need I say more?
2. A great entry into the world of science fiction books for young readers.
3. Family and friendships are a central component. Sky’s own thoughts about the mother she never knew were written beautifully.
4. Looking beyond your initial perceptions of others and learning the truth is an important thread throughout.
5. Silly and different, exactly what we need more of in books for kids.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Julie Buxbaum is the New York Times best selling author of Tell Me Three Things, her young adult debut, What to Say Next and most recently, Hope and Other Punchlines. She’s also the author of two critically acclaimed novels for adults: The Opposite of Love and After You. Her work has been translated into twenty-five languages. Julie’s writing has appeared in various publications, including The New York Times. She is a former lawyer and graduate of Harvard Law School and lives in Los Angeles with her husband, two children, and more books than is reasonable. Visit Julie online at www.juliebuxbaum.com and follow @juliebux on Twitter.

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