The True Meaning of Smekday (Movie Tie-In Edition)

<strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">**WARNING -- POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD!**</span></strong>

I like to borrow audio books from my local library for my commute and this book looked really interesting, though I had absolutely no idea what it was about. This is a YA book about how one young girl survived when aliens invaded earth and shuttled all the humans to one location.

The audio book narrator, Bahni Turpin, was a struggle to listen to at the beginning - she had an unusual intonation - but by the end of the book, I had grown to actually looking forward to hearing her tell this story.

This was a rather unusual sci-fi YA story, though perhaps 'original' is a better term than 'unusual.' Aliens have invaded and sent everyone to Florida. Our story narrator, Gratuity "Tip" Tucci, stayed behind looking for her mother who disappeared earlier than most. Now pre-teen Tip is making her way to Florida on her own. She encounters one of the aliens (called "Boov") who is on the run himself and they team up to get across the country.

In good YA fashion, Tip learns a little about herself and the human race by befriending an alien. They have quite the adventure, which is what drives the plot, and includes a second group of aliens invading and chasing off the Boov.

There were a couple of small plot points that I thought were extraneous and did not propel the story forward but seemed to be included simply for the sake of action. But these actually slowed the story down. Also...the 'purpose' of the story changed about three-quarters of the way through. From a goal of finding her mother, the story switched gears to become one about stopping some humans from making bad decisions. All fine ideas, but it really became like a book and a novella rolled into one.

Still, this was fun and I'd encourage anyone looking for a sci-fi type story for a young reader.

Looking for a good book? <em>The True Meaning of Smekday</em> by Adam Rex is a YA sci-fi romp across the country with some powerful, but 'simple' aliens and a little girl.

The True Meaning of Smekday Review
The True Meaning of Smekday is an extremely entertaining novel of which it is impossible for a person to read without falling in love with the story. This is because The True Meaning of Smekday is a quirky read, filled to the brim with descriptive, funny, and emotional parts. The True Meaning of Smekday is descriptive, as each moment in the story is blown up with breath-taking details. This novel is also funny, written with wit and a dazzling sense of humor. Finally, The True Meaning of Smekday makes readers feel strong emotions, as feelings of sorrow, rage, relief, and are more of woven into the author’s yarn. In Adam Rex’s science fiction tale, The True Meaning of Smekday, when the earth is invaded by aliens named the Boov, eleven year old Tip is separated from her mom when the aliens force everyone in America to move to a single state, Arizona. All of the other humans having taken the Boovs’ rocket pods to get to their new home, with the exception of Tip, she is forced to ride a small car across the USA, with her cat named “Pig” and a special, different, not-so-terrible alien called “J.Lo” to keep her company, all the while having hilarious adventures. However, when Tip finally reunites with her mother in Arizona, a new threat emerges: an even bigger, stronger, meaner race of aliens called the Gorg trying to take over earth, the Boov and humans still on it. In the end, J.lo, Pig, Tip, and some of the people that Tip met on her journey join forces to rebel against the Gorg, attempting to send both the Boov and Gorg away forever. In the end, we learn that heroes are often unrevealed, and that by joining forces, we can do practically anything.
Firstly, The True Meaning of Smekday is described with expertise. In the text, when tip goes inside of a rest stop at night, it states, “The bathroom was pitch black, except for a small slit of a window framing the pink moon outside. The air was stale and thick. It wrapped itself around me, and I wore it like a mummy,” (Rex, 2007, p. 77). Readers can see here that Adam Rex describes the moments in his story with fantastic description. Through personification, figurative language, and plain good word choice, the author sends a clear image of the scene to his readers’ brains. In addition, in a part where Tip’s mom is being abducted and the spaceship is being described, the author writes, “Suddenly it lit. [...] It was like the globe was filled with a glowing gas, pale yellows and greens. And purples. And inside the globe were smaller globes, and layers of platforms and shapes. [...] It was terrible. And it was wrong. Just looking at it felt like losing. It was the great monstrous humming end of the world,” (Rex, 2007, p. 50). This is significant because it displays yet another of Adam Rex’s great descriptions. Through a sentence format alternating between simple and complex that tells of the monstrosity of the spaceship, readers can really imagine the threatening, enormous ship. By using words with negative connotation, people get a perfect image of the terrible thing above Tip in the story. Therefore, Adam Rex’s novel is descriptive.
The True Meaning of Smekday is also hilarious and a giggly read. In one part where J.Lo’s name is being addressed, the text says, “For a while he went by Spoon Possums, and then he was Dr. Henry Jacob Weinstein, and for a couple of days he was The Notorious B.B. Shaq Chewy before changing it back to J.Lo,” (Rex, 2007, p. 422). This displays to readers that Adam Rex has a brilliant mind, able to coax at least a chuckle out of his readers. Through the shock of the random and goofy name ideas that J.Lo pondered, readers find themselves amused and in a light spirit. In addition, in a section of the novel where Tip is traveling across the mostly desolate United States of America, she finds herself in an abandoned “Happy Mouse Kingdom,” pursued by a lion that escaped when the park shut down. Adam Rex writes, “Part of it [her mind] tried to remember if anyone in school ever told us what to do when faced with a lion; but no, of course they didn’t, they were too busy teaching us really useful things like the state capitals,” (Rex, 2007, p. 111). Readers witness here yet again the wonderful and funny mind of Adam Rex. He tickles his readers’ funny bones partly through his complex and goofy sentence structure that helps readers tap into the mind of a sarcastic eleven year old, and also through poking fun at the irony of the education system’s failure to offer life skills. Thus, The True Meaning of Smekday is funny.
Finally, The True Meaning of Smekday is emotional, triggering lots of feelings in readers. For example, in one part where Tip is expressing her feelings on how clunky walkie-talkies are, during a session of trying to stop the Gorg, the text says, “‘I can’t believe people used to run around with these while getting shot at,’ I said, because I didn’t know what I’d be doing a half hour later,” (Rex, 2007, p. 397). Readers can see here that Adam Rex uses foreshadowing to keep readers compelled to keep reading. When they find out that Tip will be shot at later in the story, readers find themselves on the edges of their seats, filled to the brim with anxiety and suspense, worried about what will happen next to Tip. For the last piece of evidence, I’ve taken an excerpt from when Tip finally reunites with her mother. Adam Rex writes, “Do you want to know that she squeezed me and lifted me up so that only my toes touched the ground, and that I hugged her back? Do you want to know if I felt her wet eyelashes against my cheek, and if she stood back and held my face in her hands and laughed? And I laughed?” (Rex, 2007, p. 346). This displays Adam Rex’s supreme craft in creatively making readers rejoice at the reunion of Tip and her mom. Adam Rex uses a succinct sentence structure that is simple yet beautiful and makes readers feel bittersweet and relieved emotions while reading this part. Therefore, The True Meaning of Smekday is emotional.
Overall, The True Meaning of Smekday is descriptive, hilarious, and emotional. I recommend this novel to kids ages eight to fifteen, but anyone could enjoy. I award it five out of five stars, and I deem it worthy of your attention!

This is a review coming from an adult.
Starting off, I never saw the movie and because of that I don't have a bias against the book. I knew it would be a kids book and I shouldn't have high hopes for it. When I looked at a preview of the book, it seemed a bit boring. But, as I read the whole story months later, I was completely wrong. I had a blast reading it.
The book is about a girl named Gratuity "Tip" Tucci who was looking to find her missing mother during the time of when the alien race called Boov were invading earth. During her journey she meets one of the friendly Boov, J.Lo. Once the two meet they go through a fun journey to find Gratuity's mom (while going through some challenges along the way.)
To clear things up, the book is one huge essay in a novel format. It is literally Gratuity's entire essay about her journey. However, that meant having a hard time finding a place to stop; the story is not divided by chapters. There are page breaks through out and most sections don't last too long. Beware of those who want to easily put the book down and pick it back up, again.
The book is comedic and is the first book to make me laugh out loud so many times. The jokes are also made for both kids and adults to enjoy. But, some jokes seem a bit inappropriate for children. If you are giving this to a child, I would read the book beforehand to see if it is suited for their age. Not only because of that but there are some other political subjects that young children might not get, yet.
The way that Adam Rex wrote his characters made each of them likable and relatable. When I saw the bond building up between Gratuity and J.Lo, it made me very happy. I actually cared about them. I cared about why they were doing the things they did. That's another way to tell that the author was doing their job correctly.
So in all, this book is great for all ages. I also would recommend reading its sequel, Smek for President. It is equally as good as this one.

A Truly Great Book
A girl and an alien’s adventure to stopping the boov from conquering earth

The True Meaning Of Smekday by Adam Rex is a fantastic book, this book has a touch of sci-fi, now I don't love sci-fi books but when it only has a touch of it, they're perfect because I do like it when books have machines from the future, also, the book described what was happening very well, this was good so i knew what exactly was happening.
Lastly, this book makes you feel a lot of emotions. Overall, I give this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

This book starts with an essay, this whole book is an essay, Gratuity, or Tip, an 8th grader that is a key witness to her mom getting abducted by an alien race called the Boov, she is devastated, she will do anything to get her back, so that's what she does. She makes her way to Florida on her journey to find her mom, her car breaks down in a deserted town. This is where the story gets really good, she meets a boov named J. Lo, she tells him that she’ll give him a ride if he fixes her car. After it, Tip has a floating car, the boov made her car hover now. WIth a hovering car, a boov and a full heart, Tip goes on her unforgettable journey to find her mom, will she succeed?

My first reason why this book is fantastic is that it has a touch of sci- fi, if a book doesn't have a touch of sci-fi, the book is kind of boring because it shows everything that we already know and see every day. But with sci-fi it has all these new machines.
My first example on page 65-66 states “We packed up the hovercar, which I was now calling ‘Slushious’ [...] The gas pedal was now the brake pedal. The brake pedal opened the trunk. The steering wheel made the car float up and down. To turn left and right you tuned the radio.”
This is right after J. Lo made the hovercar. This shows sci-fi because we don't have hover cars in our world today and it's cool to imagine one because I think we will get it in the future.
My second example on page 68 states, “‘ The computer, it changes up the gasoline into computer data. A long code. We transmit the code, the gasoline but only a little bit. Not all.’”
At this point, j. Lo had just cloned gasoline for the car, the way the author made it sound made it feel really possible that that could actually happen.
These reasons are why this book shows sci-fi.

My second reason why this book is great is that it describes what is happening very well. This helps because it makes me know what and where everything is happening.
My first example on page 403 states, “The camera in my hand flashed, and all four Gorg recoiled slightly as I threw about sixty aspirin straight up in the air like a referee. Half the Gorg recovered enough to try to follow me” This part she had been caught by the Gorg and she found a smart way to find out how to escape and the author couldntve described it better.
My second piece of evidence on page 139 states, “The boov shot shot wildly behind him, vanishing rooftops and lampposts but not upsetting the lion a bit, they ran behind a snack bar”
At this point, I could just imagine the boov running wildly around shooting and scared, I could almost feel like I was right there watching the whole scene play out.
These reasons are why this book described what was happening really well.

My last reason why this book was fantastic is that it makes you feel a variety of emotions. If a book doesn't do that then it it is very bland and boring to me. This really makes books stand out from others and really just makes a book more memorable.
My first example on page 421 states, “That's it, I saved the world. J. Lo helped.”
This part was short but very sweet, it made me get a good feeling in my stomach of satisfaction because Tip and the boov had been through so much and to see them win really put a smile on my face.
My second example on page 82 states, “ After that, I was just a screaming tornado of fists. I battered the Boov with everything i had.”
At this point, J. Lo had said the word Tips lost mom had called her and she got really mad and sad. I also felt that's because if I was in that situation I would've cried so much too.
These reasons are why this book made me feel different emotions.

In conclusion, this book was fantastic, it had a touch of sci-fi, it described everything really good and it made me feel different emotions, overall like I said before, I rate it 4.5 out of 5 stars and is a must read to anyone.

After watching Home (and liking it, despite its uneven pacing), I wondered if the book it was based on would smooth over those uneven points and expand on the themes of colonization, imperialism, and privilege that Home touched on.

Well, yes. And no.

The True Meaning of Smekday does make the parallels between English (French, Spanish, etc.) colonization of North America and Boov colonization of...all of Earth much more clear, and explicitly includes 'human reservations' and a Native character who talks with the main character about white colonial abuse of Native peoples. There're moments of racism between humans woven into the text and briefly addressed. There's some brief discussion of assumptions people make around Gratuity ('Tip'), since she's a multiracial kid (in the novel, unlike Home, Tip's mother is white--and perhaps an Italian second-generation immigrant? I wasn't sure about that one. She's Italian-descent, at least). It's--all sort of off-kilter, though, since I feel like racism is like--turn off/turn on, in the novel. It's brought up now and then, to make a point, and then it melts away again. Which. Isn't how race works in actual life; the effects of people's/society's perceptions of race don't just turn up now and then and then disappear. So. That left me a little uncertain about the book and how well it handled what it seemed to intend to handle.

As for the pacing--the book's not much better than the movie. Like the movie, there's a series of cascading goals. First, Tip wants to get to Florida, to the human reservation there; then, it's off to Arizona; then, the Gorg rear their heads and become the new problem. Unlike the movie, the book jams even more action in between and around each switch in goal, until it all gets a little muddled. I read through the end sequence with relief, ready to be done, but at the same time disappointed at how fast and easy the solution seemed to be, in the end. And there's none of the sweetness of that last-minute redemption that Home indulged in. Here, the resolution is a comedy sequence, with little emotional resonance.

I also feel like J.Lo (Oh, in Home) almost gets shelved, as a character, as the plot goes along. Which is a shame, because I *like* J.Lo/Oh and the relationship he and Tip develop. In the novel, we don't get to learn anything about what J.Lo's life was like before he met Tip, and he seems to be there almost as just--comedic relief, a magic plot device, and a tool for Tip to emotionally mature. Which is a shame, because--I mean, he singlehandedly, in the book, is responsible for the deaths of both Boov and humans, by calling the Gorg (the book has much more death than Home). He's got to have a lot of feelings about that, and about his ostracization from his species. But they're not looked at. It feels like a big gap in the emotional depth and life of the book.

Odd book. Some good ideas, handled in a way that keeps them from gaining the kind of depth and weight that sticks with you. I think Home had more oomph, in the end.

The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex, starts off when the mom of Gratuity Tucci, an eleven-year-old girl, is taken away by the Boovs, aliens who have come to their new home, Earth. The Boov have moved all the humans that they can find to one location in Florida. Gratuity goes off on a journey to find her mother, but on the way, meets a Boov named J.Lo. Little does she know, J.Lo is a fugitive Boov, and is hiding from the rest of his kind. They form an unlikely friendship, and that friendship carries them through all kinds of adventures that will make you laugh on the edge of your seat.

This book is a must-read for ages 10-12. The dialogue is very funny, with lines like: “can I come into the out now?” (p. 22) or “Some people call them poomps, pardon my languages” (p. 195). The characters are unforgettable. What eleven-year-old teaches herself how to drive a car so that she can save her mum, and then figures out a world-saving secret? And how many aliens do you know who are named after a female singer or who threaten to “Shoot forth the lasers from my eyeballs” when actually, he can’t (p.23)? Lastly, the author shows instead of tells what a close friendship is like.

“Can you toss me the purple thing?”
“Which one?”
“Um... shoot. You know, the purple thing. With the things?”
J.Lo reached into his toolbox and threw me what I wanted.
“Thanks.”
“Do not even mention it.” (p. 187).

So get in the floating car and take a ride with Gratuity and J.Lo. The humorous dialogue, memorable characters and sweet relationships will show you that love and friendship can save the day.

A few days ago, my grandmother and I watched Home together. I thought it was new, funny, and had a good overall story. Then, in th end credits, it mentioned that it was based on a book called The True Meaning of Smekday. I bought the book two days ago and just finished it a few minutes ago. I like the book better than the movie, and it was clear that they really sugarcoated the story for the movie's PG rating. I liked the characters and settings, as well as the fun style of the various comics in throughout the book. On of my favorite parts was when Gratuity and J.Lo cloned Pig and defeated the Gorg. I loved the hilarious bad English of the Boov, as well as their unique design. I'm crossing my fingers that my Mom will let me buy book 2.

My all time new favorite book. Which is pretty great! Because out of all the books I've ever read, I've never found one that fit my interests so perfectly. And never had I loved a book so much I couldn't bare to put it down. Except for constantly, because I needed lots of breaks while reading this book. Because it was constantly overwhelming me with how good it was. I'd have to draw out some of the characters or talk about how good it was to someone online before I could continue reading.

So I mean, that's just my personal opinion though. I'll love this book to my grave. I think lots of others can also really enjoy this book too! Especially if two characters, (One who happens to be a humans girl, and the other an alien) taking a long road trip together and end up saving the world interests you at all.

My favorite thing from stories is characters, and their relationships and interactions with each other. And how they end up growing on each other over time, and working together. Understanding each other and such. Especially, when they're quite literally from two different planets. Lots to figure out about each other!

But I suppose if you're not into that stuff, maybe not the right book for you. If you're looking for a romance novel or some sci-fi Aliens VS Humans ultimate show down with lots of blood and gore and drama maaaybe not this one either.

They do fight aliens in this book though, don't get me wrong. And I mean - they do have guns too. So I guess you can say it does get a little violent at times. But their ultimate secret weapon they use at the end might just end up surprising you. Personally, I thought it was pretty purrfect though.

Anyways. I love this book a lot. I hope others read this book and also love it a lot. Please love this book!!

After reading Lisa Von Drasek's very positive New York Times Sunday Book Review of November 11, 2007, I purchased a copy of The True Meaning of Smekday, read it in January of 2008, and thoroughly enjoyed it.

When my eight year old son recently expressed interest in the copy we own, I suggested that we obtain the audiobook so that I could listen to the story while he read it. To my mind, the Adam Rex illustrations are such an essential part of the tale that I couldn't imagine what the story would be like without them, but since I had already read the book, I thought I'd give it a shot.

Well, the narration by Bahni Turpin is excellent! She creates wonderfully credible and distinct voices for all of the characters, whether young, old, female, male, or alien, and reads with such warmth, sympathy, emotion, and humor that it's easy to visualize each scene even without the illustrations.

The New York Times reviewer called The True Meaning of Smekday "a satire about the conquering of foreign cultures" but it also pokes fun at prejudice, collaboration with occupying forces, bureaucracies, resistance movements, ufology, the inaccuracy of historical records, manufactured heroes, the natural consequences of celebrity, and so much more. Although the store recommends this book for ages nine through twelve, the plot is so thought-provoking (and amusing!) that teenagers and adults will find plenty to laugh about and discuss.

Now, here's the interesting part: when my son got to the final page of the book, he smiled at the last illustration and said, "THE END!" Imagine our surprise when the audiobook kept going. I was so startled that I stopped the CD and picked up the hard copy to figure out where the extra pages were. Needless to say, there weren't any---the audiobook has an epilogue that my first edition hardcover lacks! It's a short but funny story that explains how J.Lo formulated a plan to introduce himself to the rest of humanity once he had achieved a settled existence. Perhaps it was added to compensate for the absence of illustrations?

Both the hard copy and the audio versions are very highly recommended.

First Sentence:
"It was moving day."

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of Adam Rex's upcoming book, and thought that before I delved into it that I would check out one of his previous books to see what his writing style was like. So after checking my library I decided upon reading The True Meaning of Smekday and find it to be quite enjoyable-am now working my way through his newest book.

One of the things that makes The True Meaning Smekday such an original read is the way it's told. I loved the fact that the story is written from Gratuity's POV and as essay for her school (to potentially be placed in time-capsule for future residents of earth). I thought it was pretty genius to tell it that way because it definitely pulls you into the story and the struggle that Gratuity faced during the double invasion of earth.

As for the aliens that invaded, I found the Boov to be quite odd, and it was very surprising that they even managed to fully take over the earth. Why, because at the first sign of opposition from their nemesis they pretty much began to call it quits. The other group, were kind of hilarious in their grotesqueness and they way they talked (if you saw my Teaser Tuesday you'd understand). I thought each group brought an interesting slant to the story with the way the humans reacted to them.

Gratuity was an absolutely joy to read about. I loved how she could go from sassing some one to trying to charm her way out of the trouble she found herself in. Attitude aside, I really thought Gratuity was an interesting character, and I loved how her narration of the story came across and that at times she would apologize for something she said (like, cursing or taking the Lord's name in vain).
Ah, J.Lo, what can I say. He was odd cookie and that's not even taking into account the name he picked while on Earth Smekland. His sense of humour is kind of hard to describe, but funny nontheless.

Easily, my favorite thing about The True Meaning of Smekday would have to be Gratuity "Tip" Tucci. She was, like, the perfect mix of sass and wit, and had me either laughing at some of things she got herself into or hitting my head as got herself into one pickle after another. She was just one of those characters that I can't help but like, and for that one reason I will most likely be adding this book to my ever-growing collection one day.
While The True Meaning of Smekday was one of the funniest and most entertaining books I have read in a while, there was one thing that kept it from being a five pineapple read. My main complaint against this book has nothing to do with the writing, the story, or even the characters in the book, what really annoyed me though was apparent lack of proper chapters and stopping points. I just wanted to read straight through this book but had to put it down at points t accomplish things, so the lack of chapters was a bit irritating because I felt like I was always stopping in the middle of something important. Other than that, this is one incredibly good read.

Final Verdict: The True Meaning of Smekday was a barrel of laughs with a witty, and funny leading character.

The True Meaning of Smekday earns 4 out of 5 pineapples.

Review taken from my blog, The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia.

Our family listens to a lot of audiobooks, many of them excellent (Jim Dale's Harry Potter series and Peter and the Starcatchers, lots of Full Cast Audio productions, etc.). This is simply the best one we've ever had the pleasure to experience. Nine discs and never a dull moment. The book is wildly original in the way it Cuisinarts familiar genres - alien invasion blends with buddy road trip. My 9 & 11-year-old boys both loved it.

Rex really gets into the head of his smart, poetic 13-year-old narrator, Gratuity ("It didn't mean what my mom thought it meant") Tucci. His language is beautiful, but you never feel like it's something she wouldn't think or say. Partly because she is mixed race & the Boov think we humans are noble savages, there is a lot of food for discussion in the book's themes. Plus it's funny as hell (pardon my language, as Gratuity would say).

Bahni Turpin narrates this excellent book brilliantly, evoking not only a range of American voices but those of two different alien races as well. We've all started quoting her rendition of J.Lo, the utterly endearing Boov ("We'll be sneaky agents, like Bond James Bond.") I'm sure Smekday is a great read, but if you have a chance to hear the audiobook, do not miss it. It's a joy.

Gratuity Tucci (her friends call her Tip) is driving by herself to Florida. Why? Because that's where the aliens are relocating the humans and they've already taken her mother. She doesn't trust their transportation so she's relying on her own. But then her car breaks and she and her cat, Pig, are stranded at a gas station . . . until one of the aliens fixes their car. Soon Tip, Pig, and J.Lo the Boov are on a cross-country trip to save the world from even worse aliens.

When I started the novel, I was underwhelmed. Alien invasion as a satirical critique of Western imperialism has been done to death. But things improve after the group reach Bland Name Disney World and the storyline becomes more complex. Adam Rex does do one thing with the satire that I appreciated - an actual Native American shows up and some people are pretty cognizant of the comparisons between the Boov's actions and human action.

I liked Tip's personality from the beginning as well. She doesn't trust easily, but she doesn't cut herself off from other people either. She accepts genuine help. She's also pretty savvy for an eleven-year-old. But I'll take it because I love a book featuring a strong female character, especially ones aimed at children. I enjoyed the way Rex portrayed her biracial heritage. It's not an issue at all when she and J.Lo are alone, but it sometimes bothers the people they encounter.
The plot peters out a bit at the end as well, when the way to defeat the aliens becomes clear yet takes forever for Tip to figure out. Luckily, there's lots of great character interaction among her, J.Lo, and minor characters that fills up the space well. Unluckily, adults tend to be all but useless. In fact, I can only recall one useful adult. It couldn't hurt to have more adults act a little intelligently, could it?

THE TRUE MEANING OF SMEKDAY is pretty firmly aimed at older children. There's a bit of cussing and a lot of violence. (Some violence which I find disturbing, even.) At the same time, it's quite funny and charming. I'd have loved it as a kid. I still found it absorbing and worth recommending to others, but it does have flaws.

This book is truly amazing and I will always count it as my favorite science fiction story. If you are considering buying this book, you should. It is both hilarious and memorable, and you will probably find yourself dreaming of it and waking up to hungrily devour more of it. I simply could not put it down and I agree that this story has no age limit. Kids and adults might interpret it differently, both they both will love it. The True Meaning of Smekday is full of witty dialogue, takes at pop culture and famous people (Jennifer Lopez and Chelsea Clinton, for example), and wonderful illustrations. Some of the pictures in this book are comic book style. The others are pretend newspaper clippings and photographs from Polaroids. I discovered this book on a trip to the local bookstore. I opened up the front flap and read the product description. I was a bit confused when I got to the part about the mole (Aliens sending messages through a pimple. What's up with that?) I put it down and my attention was drawn elsewhere. I forgot it existed, really. I would not of read one of the most magnificent books EVER if on the faithful day my dad decided to purchase new books for me the book I had selected turned out to be not at all what I thought after reading an exerpt. It was terrible. I turned away and out of the corner of my eye, The True Meaning of Smekday twinkled serenely. I proceded hesitantly to read an excerpt which I found quite marvelous. Forgetting the fact I originally had not been atracted towards the book, I found myself dashing to the cash register as fast as I could. After reading it, I sat for a while, shaken from such a powerful read. I plan to make a landing tarmac in my backyard for the Boov ships. Just kidding! Enchanting and emotional, The True Meaning of Smekday will grasp you and never, ever let go.

It all starts as a school assignment. Eighth-grader Gratuity Tucci (known to her friends as Tip) is assigned to write a story about the "True Meaning of Smekday" as part of a national contest. The winning story will be buried in a time capsule, to be unearthed a hundred years in the future, in the year 2113.

It turns out that Smekday is actually Christmas, the day when a race of aliens (known as the Boov) invaded Earth (which they renamed Smekland after their leader), destroyed its most famous and valuable landmarks --- from the Statue of Liberty to the Great Wall of China --- and forced its inhabitants to resettle in small colonies while the Boov themselves took over the rest of the world.

It also turns out that Gratuity, more so even than the rest of the human race, has a vested interest in the meaning of Smekday. Gratuity's mother had actually been abducted by the Boov months before the invasion. While on the ship, she was tested on her language ability and on her talents at folding laundry. After her abduction, Gratuity's mom was never quite the same --- especially when she got sucked up into an alien ship on Christmas Eve, just before the main invasion began.

Gratuity also has a personal relationship with the Boov, or, rather, with one particular Boov who has named himself J.Lo. J.Lo is on the run from the other Boov for accidentally broadcasting their whereabouts to a particularly nasty brand of aliens, the Gorg. When Gratuity, who has decided to drive to Florida (the location of the American human colony), runs into J.Lo, the two join forces to escape from the other Boov and the Gorg alike. As the two drive cross-country, they rely on their limited shared language, on comic book drawings and on their growing friendship to cross the bridges between their cultures. The result is a road trip as riotously funny as it is bizarre --- and it's a trip that readers will willingly tag along on.

Adam Rex is best known as a picture book artist and illustrator. The clever humor he uses in his picture books is certainly abundant in his debut novel as well, as is his talent at drawing --- the book is illustrated with hand-drawn "photos" from Gratuity's journey, as well as by J.Lo's amusing cartoons detailing the history of the Boov, among other things.

In addition to being a wild road trip story and a completely original take on alien invasion, THE TRUE MEANING OF SMEKDAY also manages to include satirical (but surprisingly insightful) commentaries on everything from global warming to the state of Texas ("Who ever thought a state that big was a good idea? It's just arrogant.") to Walt Disney World to the resettlement of the Native Americans after European colonization.

Combine these social commentaries with plenty of action, a mission to save the world and a resourceful alien whose naiveté and know-how are both on display, and you have a novel with equal appeal for kids and adults. In fact, the best idea yet is for parents and kids to take this road trip together --- it's a journey you won't soon forget.

--- Reviewed by Norah Piehl

This is a great book! I had lower expectations based on the fact that it is a children's book, however I was very wrong. The length is quite long for a normal children's book, but it keeps interest throughout the whole thing. I was able to read it in an evening. I had seen the movie previous to reading the book, but it didn't skew anything. The book is almost a different story from the movie, so there wasn't anything to really skew my interest. It would be a very fun book to read to children or with them. I will definitely be purchasing this book asap.

The title of my favorite book is The True Meaning of Smekday. This was written by Adam Rex. The genre of this selection is fiction and the theme would be best described entertainment.
The author's writing style is would be best described as someone who uses time sequence and flashbacks. The main characters are J-lo, the alien, Gratuity Tucci, the main character, mom, Daniel Landry (mayor of the town that the booves send humans to), and Pig (Gratuity's cat).
The background information is that two types of aliens the gorgs and the booves are fighting and they are both trying to steal Earth. But while the booves fight they are sending humans to a place to hide them and keep them from the gorg. But it isn't for their safety it's so they won't fight back against the both alien races. But while the girl is at her house her mom gets abducted by booves so she goes driving a car to see if she can find her mom. My favorite part of the book is when it introduces the koobish and when Gratuity gets shot at by booves and Pig falls all around the car. You'll have to read to find out how the author concludes these two crazy events.
I recommend this book for people who like crazy and funny stories. Also I like this book because it reminds me of a deserted wasteland that is being attacked by something weird.
I think that everyone should read this book if they like how it sounds. It is my favorite book and the best one I have ever read!

I'm nearly thirty but not a single sentence failed to keep my attention. Anybody with a sense of humor will enjoy the jokes in this book. Everything is original, crisp, and organic. Tip is a very engaging narrator. She's a little smarter than her age would suggest so any age will feel comfortable in her head.

The way the Boov and Gorg mutilate the English language is both unique and logical. What a delightful read.

I have always been fascinated by novels about aliens. I have often considered attempting to write such a story myself, but I think it's hard to create one that's in any way believable. If the aliens are sufficiently advanced to get here, they're also advanced enough to annihilate us without a fight. For instance, they could release a super virus and kill everyone. We probably would never even know they were behind it, or that they existed at all, before we'd all died.

I'm not sure whether this book sets out to be believable. It's a comedy and a parody, and at times utterly ridiculous, but its ridiculousness mirrors real life. The Boov don't bare any particular animosity toward humans, but that doesn't keep them from inflicting incredible harm. They want all the nicest places to live, and so they want us out of them. Sound familiar?

At moments I found this book a bit slow, but that's my only criticism. Without giving anything away, I'll say that I loved the prominent role Pig the cat played in the narrative. In my previous writing (including Goblin Fruit) I haven't included many animals. I'm definitely going to change that in the future. I think that including animals as characters gives a more complete view of the world than stories entirely focused on humans. After all, humans would not be the only species impacted by an alien invasion.

This book is truly amazing and I will always count it as my favorite science fiction story. If you are considering buying this book, you should. It is both hilarious and memorable, and you will probably find yourself dreaming of it and waking up to hungrily devour more of it. I simply could not put it down and I agree that this story has no age limit. Kids and adults might interpret it differently, both they both will love it. The True Meaning of Smekday is full of witty dialogue, takes at pop culture and famous people (Jennifer Lopez and Chelsea Clinton, for example), and wonderful illustrations. Some of the pictures in this book are comic book style. The others are pretend newspaper clippings and photographs from Polaroids. I discovered this book on a trip to the local bookstore. I opened up the front flap and read the product description. I was a bit confused when I got to the part about the mole (Aliens sending messages through a pimple. What's up with that?) I put it down and my attention was drawn elsewhere. I forgot it existed, really. I would not of read one of the most magnificent books EVER if on the faithful day my dad decided to purchase new books for me the book I had selected turned out to be not at all what I thought after reading an exerpt. It was terrible. I turned away and out of the corner of my eye, The True Meaning of Smekday twinkled serenely. I proceded hesitantly to read an excerpt which I found quite marvelous. Forgetting the fact I originally had not been atracted towards the book, I found myself dashing to the cash register as fast as I could. After reading it, I sat for a while, shaken from such a powerful read. I plan to make a landing tarmac in my backyard for the Boov ships. Just kidding! Enchanting and emotional, The True Meaning of Smekday will grasp you and never, ever let go.

A very fun read. This book will be appreciated by adults as well as children. Adam takes "pot shots" at a number of contemporary conventions. His illustrations add depth to the readers experience.

Make sure to set aside enough time because once you start reading you well have trouble stopping.

Twelve-year old Gratuity is writing a paper about what happened during the Boov invasion. All the citizens of the United States had to move to Florida and the rest is Boov territory, named Smekland in honor of the glorious Boov leader Smek. Gratuity joins up with a friendly Boov named J.Lo and they travel across the States in an automobile thingamajig called Slushious. But J.Lo makes a grave mistake that threatens the existence of both Boovs and humans. This is such a unique, fun book chock full of aliens and adventure. Comic strips, news clips, and photos are interspersed throughout the novel to give it an extra pop of awesomeness.

The True Meaning of Smekday is a really funny book about a girl named Gratuity and a cat named Pig who join forces with an alien named J.Lo (ha ha) to try and save the world from another group of alien. It gets complicated. But it never stops being hilarious and bizarre. All the names in the book are amusing (like Gratuity and J.Lo), and the book was quite suspenseful. I wanted to find out what would happen to Gratuity and the whole Earth. There were also some wacky and wild machines that aliens used. It was really interesting to see how Gratuity and J.Lo tried to learn about each other's vastly different cultures.

*You can read all of my reviews at my book review blog, [...]*

True Meaning of Smekday, TheYou know you're in for a wonderful ride when the citizens of the U.S. are all relegated to Florida by a group of invading aliens...and you haven't even gotten to page ten.

Sly digs at consumerism, Disney World, Manifest Destiny, the treatment of immigrants, Native Americans, and even No Child Left Behind give this book the zing of awesome satire, and like the best children's books, it's written on at least two different levels. Improbable as the plot sounds -- young preteen joins with Artoo-shaped alien to save the planet -- it's a wild ride and one you care about. Plus, did I mention how absolutely FUNNY this book is? The book hooked me when the young heroine, Gratuity Tucci, successfully traps one of the alien Boov (later to call himself "J. Lo," and no, I'm not kidding). The Boov threatens to shoot Gratuity, but realizes he has no phaser. Capitalizing on humans' ignorance of all things Boov, the alien threatens to zing her with his "eye lasers." Capitalizing on the Boov's ignorance of all things human, Gratuity threatens to "explode his head," explaining that humans CAN do this, but usually don't, "because it's rude." Wonderful!

A wonderful, funny, and socially perceptive YA book. Young Gratuity, after her mother is abducted by Boov aliens, travels the countryside with her renegade alien friend J.Lo. and her cat Pig in tow. Extremely funny throughout, but also a commentary on European treatment of Native Americans (the Boov earnestly explain to the humans that the Boov came to help them because they were so backward), racial stereotypes, the cult of media personality, government, and journalism. Highly recommended to start a conversation with your 11-year-old about social forces and control. And also, if I didn't mention it before, it's funny. An alien whose human name is J.Lo., am I right?

I bought this at a bookfair because I loved Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich, and so did my kids. I can't wait for them to read this, it is so funny. Narrated by Gratuity "Tip" Tucci as a time capsule assignment, the story follows her quest to find her mother (who was abducted by the Boov, the aliens) in Florida, and then in Arizona. On her way she befriends a renegade Boov named J. Lo, and together they plot to protect Earth from another, scarier, race of aliens.

This book is full of funny digs at our society. I love how the alien is looking for Tip at the casino and he describes it as a "large, offensively colored building where humans who are bad at math give away their money."

I have read many well-written books, but this one will always be among my favorites.
Gratuity tells the tale from a mature, dim point of view. It is very interesting that it is also told realistically, as if the reader is inside the story, watching how a wonderful friendship that would save the world.
As well as being a good nighttime read, it could be a science fiction book, as it involves gadgets and civilizations that are simply out of this world! In fact,this is one of the best alien books I've ever read!
A incredible and authentic adventure, with a story of partnership. AUTOMATIC FIVE STARS!

Utterly smashing. Hilarious and witty. Gratuity is hilarious in her sensibility and J-Lo is the most well-developed alien I've ever come across in literature. I'm glad to have a book to recommend for African American girls that isn't about slavery or civil rights. It is a book about the conquest of civilizations and it would be easy to draw some historical allegories, but it's not a Metaphor of anything specific. I listened to the audiobook, and apparently there are many hilarious pictures and comic that I would like to see some day, but the voice actress is awesome and makes up for any lost content. I loved the Boov voice. Read this! It's funny!

This book has something crazy on every page. It has you on a hook from the very beginning.
It is not like any other book I've read. It is the weirdest story ever. The aliens in it are hilarious and made reading fun.
There were times when I wanted to scream at the main character, Gratuity for the insane things she did. I started looking for aliens everywhere!
Don't let the fact that this book is so thick scare you off. It is worth reading and you'll be sorry when it ends.
I am a third grader and I loved this book, but I think even older kids would like it.

This is the book that DreamWorks movie "Home" was loosely based on. I found this book far more detailed and the plot more interesting than the movie version. There are more characters having more, well, character. The format of the presentation of the story was creative and rather unique. The book covered issues not usually seen in books catering to younger readers. While the books targeted demographic is the tween / teen group, adults will enjoy this one as well. It was fun to play compare and contrast game with the book versus the movie to get the interpretation and perspective of younger readers. You may discover that they are more observant and astute than you thought.

The writer really creates something you can believe in and it is a great story that keeps you wondering until the very last page, I mean the very last page. If you have or haven't seen the movie read the book. It took me lest the 24hrs to read this book it was that good. He brings you into the life of Tip and JLo and makes you want to know more, to what would happen next.

Cute, fun and oh so filled with suspense and twists and turns with space aliens and a spunky girl and a cute alien. This book is extra delightful on audio as the narrator is delightful beyond measure (Bahni Turpin)!

Aliens invade Earth, and a middle school girl named Gratuity, whose friends call her Tip, narrates the story. The book includes cartoons by Tip's alien sidekick, whose actual name is unpronounceable by humans so he chose the name J.Lo.

The story is engaging, and the goofy humor reminded me of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy." I'm a science fiction fan in my forties, and I really enjoyed this book. I think middle schoolers would really enjoy it too, and I was going to recommend it for the library at the school where I teach, but I discovered we already have it.

DreamWorks made it into a movie called "Home," which was a huge disappointment and would probably only appeal to kindergarteners.

Overall Review: The True Meaning of Smekday is not your average alien takeover story. It's told from the point of view of an eleven year old girl writing an essay for a contest. That said, this is more like War of the Worlds meets E.T., complete with the alien in a `ghost' costume (old sheet with holes) and absolutely no one notices that it doesn't remotely resemble a human! The aliens have taken over the world, and eleven year old Gratuity just wants to find her mom. On her way to Florida to the `humanskind preserve', she meets J.Lo--a boy alien that's in a little trouble from his kind. By an unfortunate accident, some even bigger and meaner aliens are called down, and it's time to step it up a notch to save the world! Gratuity and J.Lo team up, and their antics are hilarious! Their conversations even more so! J.Lo to speaks in not so good English and does not to understandings always the Gratuity. They are always talking in circles with each other. It was great fun! J.Lo was a very endearing little creature and I just loved the little guy! These two meet a great cast of characters along the way such as Chief Shouting Bear (aka Frank) who owns the Area 51 spaceship, Mitch, the guy in the missing persons bureau who always talks in questions?, and Daniel Landry who may not be the fantastically great guy everyone seems to think he is--but they need leaders and he's rich, so that must make him a good leader! The future looks dim for the humans and it seems like the new and improved group of aliens may just win the day...except for a little glitch in their nature that Gratuity figures out! Even if it has a few small loose ends in some of the subplots, The True Meaning of Smekday fulfills its purpose as a fun and wacky recreational read for younger teens. Overall rating is 4 out of 5 stars!

Content Review:

PROFANITY: Some mild instances

VIOLENCE: Some mild instances throughout

SEXUAL CONTENT: A few mild instances

MATURE THEMES: Mild

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP: 12+

Since this is supposed to be an essay written by a twelve year old (about her experiences as an eleven year old), it's relatively clean. There are some instances of profanity--and after every single one, she says, "pardon my language". The alien swears in his native language and says, "pardon my language" as well, and that's funny. There is also one character in the story who swears a lot--but the narrator mentions that she didn't like this, so she writes `bleep' in his sentences instead of the swear words. There are a few crude references, as well, by some characters. As far as sexual content, there are some vague discussions about babies of the different races and how they're made/raised. It's not graphic. Some characters think the aliens are there to impregnate the humans (the narrator says they should at least get married first). Again, this is not graphic or uncomfortable, but there is a short discussion. There are also two different groups of boys who have formed some sort of club and work really hard to make their acronym spell `boob' just so they can giggle. There are many different forms of violence, such as shootings, destruction and kidnappings. Some aliens set fire to an entire city. One alien hits a human and knocks him out. A group of aliens hunt cats. There are shootings and lootings in most of the cities. Many characters are abducted by the aliens for different tasks such as folding the laundry and tutoring in English, and those left behind are worried and frightened. There are also themes such as hostile takeovers, destruction of cities/people, the ethics of one group `discovering' the new land and pushing out those who already live there, and being on your own and alone. On the whole The True Meaning of Smekday is a Clean Read for ages 12+.

This review was written by Emily
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer

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This reader, Bahni Turpin, is really, really funny. The voices she does for all the characters are amazing. My kids and I all are constantly copying her and laughing again and again at her interpretation of the text. It is really a winner on a long car ride. I can't believe it hasn't had any reviews yet! The voice playing J.Lo in the movie Home is no where near as funny as the recording. I highly recommend it!

In some places, Rex takes two steps forward in terms of head-on challenges to stereotypical depictions of Native people, but he overwhelmingly takes giant steps backward at the end when the aliens leave earth.

In his book, aliens are Europeans, and humans are Indians of North America. He draws many parallels throughout. I've noted all of them in my full review.

He turns that parallel on its head, however, with the aliens leaving. The Europeans obviously didn't leave the Americas.

My review is here: http://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com/2015/02/the-true-meaning-of-smekday-by-adam-rex.html

I first happened across this book in Texas several years ago. I read the back and intrigued, I opened it to read the first few pages. I became enraptured with the view of this invasion that was taking place. Tip was about my age at the time and I fell in love with her journey. The way that Adam Rex wrote made me think I was reading something Tip would have written. The strange habits of the boov filled me with smiles and I laughed at J-Lo's antics. This is truly a book that I adore and would recommend to anyone of any age.

This book is incredibly smart and engages the reader in so many different ways. A great read for those who want to think more critically about issues of identity, culture, right to geographical space, and what it means to be different.

Also a great read for those who want to laugh out loud, enjoy sci-fi/fantasy, and wish they were a bit older than they are.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a great story from the near future. I like how it was in an essay format, too. I am Mrs. Bentley's daughter, writing this review with her permission. I listened to the book on a long car trip and my brother, who is 10, and my parents and I laughed a lot. It made the trip go by too fast because we were sad to finish the book.

A very fun read. This book will be appreciated by adults as well as children. Adam takes "pot shots" at a number of contemporary conventions. His illustrations add depth to the readers experience.

Make sure to set aside enough time because once you start reading you well have trouble stopping.

or... "The True Meaning of Connections" as that's got to have something to do with all of the five star rave reviews this book has received on the store. Has anyone who isn't buddies with the author actually read and reviewed this book -- excuse me -- anyone over the age of 8, that is? Although I can see the appeal of its style & subject matter for moderately young kids (8-12, maybe?), it had a hard time holding the interest of my two kids who are in that age group. We dove into it with great excitement, expecting to find it both brilliant and entertaining -- instead, we found it a rather muddled mess with a few laughs and some sparkling moments, but dimmed by chapter after chapter of messy writing. I'm sorry that I cannot subscribe to the tidal wave of praise here. My kids love good books, and yes, they loved Tom Sawyer & Huck Finn -- but we barely made it past half way through this one before simply giving up. It just wasn't worth our time. The first chapter is kind of funny -- kind of promising, and throughout the pace keeps up, but after chapter 1, expect a an increasing load of puffery & pretension that bogs down an already weak story line. Plus, I'm no prude by a long shot, but frankly, some of the language used in this book was really out of place for its intended audience.