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Help a Reader Out: Don’t Feed The Aliens At The Zoo

Here’s our most recent request for help: a reader seeking a short story collection for children themed around aliens.

Allison writes:

Hello, this may seem like a strange request. I am trying to locate this book
that I absolutely loved as a kid (possible publication date, between
1994-1997ish).

It was a children’s/young adult book in the line of “More Scary Stories To
Tell In The Dark”. I believe I actually got it at an elementary school book
fair many many MANY years ago, or possibly from the Scholastic book catalog
that was sent to us in elementary school. It was a collection of short
stories about aliens, some funny and some scary. It was a paperback and on
the cover was a picture of a green alien with one eye reaching through a
cage. It corresponded to an inside story about these kids from the
not-so-distant-Earth who go to an “alien zoo” to see the alien specimins.
The antagonist kid chucks an ice cream cone at the alien, who eventually
escapes and enacts his revenge. Another story was about two kids who
discover cave art and upon further inspection realize it is depicting the
true “aliens” on Earth are the human race, who invaded and killed the
original inhabitants. There were more and I just remember snippets. It was
very “Twilight Zone”…but for kids…I can’t find it anywhere! It was not
either of the Bruce Coville collections, and I’m not sure if it was an
anthology of authors or just one author.

I figured a website devoted to children’s horror books might be able to
assist me.

Can anyone identify Allison’s unidentified favorite?

Help a Reader Out: Three Card Monty and a Killer Whale

Okay, I admit it. These requests haven’t all come in at once. Michael here has been waiting for an answer very patiently. He writes:

You helped me find a book before, so I’m wondering if you can help again? This book I started reading in 1997 was some fantasy adventure book. All I can remember about it was the beginning: There’s a boy who cheats people in three card monty in some alley in New York City. I think he gets chased by the police. Then a talking Killer Whale appears and teleports the kid to a fantasy world in turmoil that needs his help. I think there are three heroes. The kid from New York, a princess, and a third warrior.

Unfortunately, that’s all I remember. Any information you might have would be helpful.

I have to say, the beginning of this story sounds extremely familiar to me. I’m sure I read it. But like Michael, I cannot for the life of me remember the name of the book. The only killer whale I can come up with is the unfortunate one from The Hitchiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and I know that’s not right- that definitely isn’t children’s or teen fiction. But there can’t be too many sentient killer whales out there.So please, help us out!

Summer Reading Is Killing Me! Contest Winner

So, we have reached the end of June. Actually, the beginning of July. That means your chance to win a copy of Summer Reading Is Killing Me! by Jon Scieszka has passed- and we have a winner!

Karen, who is reading The Help this summer, is our winner! Karen, you can email us at monsterlibrarian@monsterlibrarian.com with your address and we’ll get your copy out to you shortly.

Everybody, keep reading! And find a child to read with some time this summer, too!