Dark Energy

Gr 8 Up—This week, 17-year-old Alice is being forced to move to Minnesota with her father, the Director of Special Projects for NASA. That's because last week a giant UFO crashed in the Midwest, killing tens of thousands of people before skidding to a stop outside of Minneapolis. The world is outraged at the loss of human life and terrified that whatever is inside the UFO has come to invade Earth. Surprisingly, the aliens from the ship look like humans, despite having pale skin and an unfamiliar language. Calling themselves the Guides, they seem to come in peace. In an effort to boost diplomatic relations, two of the teenage Guides are sent to a boarding school in Minnetonka, where they are predictably befriended by Alice and her brilliant math- and science-minded roommates. What follows is a fast-paced adventure, filled with action, mystery, and humor. A rushed ending is the only glaring flaw in an otherwise entertaining (if not always believable) plot. The novel's greatest strength lies in the perfectly timed wit of its young female narrator. The Guides' inability to understand Alice's sarcasm and idiomatic expressions makes for some hilarious conversations. But those same sarcastic discussions lead to poignant observations about humans, who, as Alice explains, don't always treat one another very well and are generally afraid of other people's differences. In the end, Wells proves that teenagers are smart and resourceful and that their unique perspective might just save the world.