Earthlog, My Not So Normal Sixth Grade Year

Jayden A. Williams expected sixth grade to be awkward. He didn’t expect his old friends to abandon him, aliens to arrive on Earth, or one of them to enroll at his middle school. After a summer away leaves Jayden feeling different and uncertain about where he belongs, he begins recording his experiences as “Earthlogs,” inspired by his favorite science-fiction show. Then Zin, a curious young alien, joins Frontier Middle School. As Jayden helps Zin understand tacos, video games, dodgeball, school dances, and the confusing rules of human friendship, he begins to recognize how much they have in common. Both know what it feels like to stand out. Both are searching for a place where they can be themselves. Told through Jayden’s funny and reflective Earthlog entries, this middle-grade science-fiction novel explores friendship, identity, courage, and the challenge of welcoming someone from another world.