A story so original, so absorbing, and so hilarious that when you reach the last page, you’ll want to flip back to the first and read it all over again. This science fiction novel uses humor to draw an ironic image of the human condition and its weaknesses. This surprising book combines text, cartoons, and extraordinary vignettes. An 11-year-old girl by the name of Gratuity Tucci, “Tip” for short, has to write an essay for school entitled “The True Meaning of Smekday.” But what is Smekday? It is the name that is used to commemorate the alien invasion that occurred long ago. The newcomers have occupied the planet, which they have renamed as Smekland, in honor of their Captain Smek, and they force all Earthlings to relocate to Florida. Tip soon learns that her story is much larger than any school assignment.

Adam Rex is a designer, an illustrator, and an author. He is the illustrator of The Dirty Cowboy and the author of the New York Times children’s bestseller Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich.