Little Green Men at the Mercury Inn

The Mercury Inn, owned by narrator Aidan's parents, boasts an ideal vantage point for launches from the John F. Kennedy Space Center. A blackout interrupts one countdown, and a large, glowing aircraft hovers above the motel. Tourists, the media, government agents, and UFO fanatics swarm the Mercury. Cartoon spot art with a retro space-age feel works well with the wacky characters and situations.

The Mercury Inn, a fifties-themed "quirky-but-upscale boutique motel" on Florida's Space Coast, shelters a colorful cast of characters -- including its owners, narrator Aidan and his parents. In addition to its proximity to the beach, the Mercury Inn also boasts an ideal vantage point for space launches from the John F. Kennedy Space Center. Then one such launch dramatically changes the summer tourist season for the Mercury Inn. The odd habits of a young guest named Dru Tanaka and the anxious pre-launch chatter from UFO-obsessed friend Louis don't concern Aidan until a blackout interrupts the countdown and a large, unusual aircraft glows and hovers above the motel. Immediately tourists, the media, government agents, and UFO fanatics swarm the Mercury (and all of Florida), and Aidan, Louis, and Dru must depend on one another in a plot that twists and turns like a roller coaster through the engaging setting. The book design and spot cartoon art with a retro space-age feel work well with the wacky characters and situations of this enjoyably beach-y sci-fi escape. julie roach