#BOOKREVIEW: Allen the Alien by Stephanie Ward and Aleck Morton

#BookReview: Allen the Alien, Stephanie Ward (author), Aleck Morton (illus.), Riveted Press, August 2024.

Blurb:

Allen and his trusty pet, Byte, set off for Earth to make some new friends. But it soon becomes clear that not everyone understands Allen’s intergalactic games and exuberant nature …

An out-of-this-world adventure for anyone who has ever felt like they don’t fit in, or has ever wished they had a friend like Allen!

Review:

This picture book stands out as unique for so many reasons. It has a cool edginess about it, yet maintains a wholesome, well-rounded story. Its protagonists reside in a far-off distant (and completely foreign) galaxy, yet its message feels so close to home. It shows us how we often ‘speak different languages’, yet it has a universal appeal. Meet Allen the Alien. Welcome to our Earth, Allen!

From the very first endpapers, you know you’re in for some fun adventures when Allen and his pet dog, Byte, come to visit Earth. Illustrator Aleck Morton immediately sets us up with his cosmically comic-styled, whimsical pen and digital mixed media artwork, cleverly ‘spacing out’ (pun intended) each animation to sequence the story. The typeset font paired with the handwritten labels add integrity to the juxtaposition of alien advances versus human sensitivities, as well as the simple sentence construct compared to the energetic big-eyed characters and loosely sketched scenes. Stephanie Ward‘s text brilliantly captures Allen’s naivety as a newcomer to this land; blissfully oblivious that his toys (ie. laser swords, ‘just your average double headed axe’, ray guns, supersonic horns, etc), games, monster dress ups, super secret alien shadow puppet skills and playground fun are perhaps a little too … scary, for the average earthling, that is. But Allen and Byte depart very glad they came to visit the ‘friendly’ earthlings, in their opinion, although you could say, they definitely left a lasting impression on the humans, too.

There’s so much space to explore (there’s that pun again!) with this book, particularly with navigating appropriate social behaviours amongst friends, both new and old, and how we can be inclusive to newcomers and especially those that may adopt different cultural or linguistic differences to us. It’s a conversation that goes two ways – working out which dissimilarities we can embrace, and which values are shared (or can be assumed) to be able to come together in harmony.

Allen the Alien is a story about belonging and finding your place in this world (or out of this world), and it has certainly found its place in our hearts. Hilarious and fun eye- and mouth-opening exuberance that is absolutely an intergalactically joyous read over and over again. Allen, you’re welcome in our homes anytime! 🙂

Review by Romi Sharp.

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Find Stephanie Ward at her website: Stephanie Ward – Notes from a Writer with Wanderlust (stephaniemward.com) and on Instagram, Facebook, Goodreads and Amazon.

Find Aleck Morton at his website: About — ALECK MORTON and on Instagram and Facebook.

Allen the Alien is available for purchase from Riveted Press and online and at your local bookstore or library.

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The #BOOKGIVEAWAY has LANDED! WIN Allen the Alien!

Click here for details on how to WIN copies of Allen the Alien AND a FREE online SCHOOL WORKSHOP with Stephanie Ward!

Closing September 30, 2024. Book copies to Australian residents only.

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Join in this intergalactic adventure with Stephanie Ward and her out-of-this-world picture book, Allen the Alien, impressing readers across the blogosphere (and entire universe)!

#allenthealien #belonging #friendship #humour #picturebooks #justkidslit

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