Book Review of Earth Shot
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The Children’s Book Review
Earth Shot
Written by Stephen Henning
Ages 8-12 | 171 Pages
Publisher: Independently Published (2024) | ISBN-13: 979-8332676727
What to Expect: Aliens, friendship, responsibility, AI technology, resilience
This middle-grade novel, Told from the alternating viewpoints of the children, is not just exciting but also filled with a plot that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
When Lucas, Avi, and Masie discover a crashed spacecraft and injured alien in the Suffolk woods, their summer holiday suddenly becomes a lot less boring. Although the military quickly moves in and cordon off the craft, the three children have something the military men don’t know about—an AI device that allows them to communicate with the alien. It has an urgent request for them—it wants to be returned to the injured alien (captain of the spacecraft) so he can communicate with the Earth authorities. However, from their very first conversation with it, the children get the sense that it is not being completely honest with them. They soon find out why—their involvement with the crash has made them the target for a ruthless alien criminal who hopes to seize power on Earth. What can three kids do to stop an interplanetary master criminal? The aliens are about to find out…
Avi and Lucas are endearingly curious, determined, and adventurous, while younger Masie provides the conscience of the trio, reminding the boys about right and wrong, kindness, compassion, and responsibility through their role as her protector. As they follow the kids’ quest to defeat the alien mastermind Castle, readers will be asked to think critically about the ethics of AI, what it means to be human, and the relationship between power and authority. More importantly, however, the story is a page-turner, drawing readers into the adventure as they seek answers alongside the children. The language is perfectly pitched for middle-grade readers, with realistic dialogue and vocabulary that is just challenging enough to be interesting.
Earth Shot is not just an enjoyable science fiction adventure but also a thought-provoking one. It will surely leave readers eagerly anticipating the next installment in the series.
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About the Author
Stephen Henning is a writer and filmmaker who is passionate about science fiction and creating books for children and young adults.
He is particularly enthusiastic about his Seconds to Midnight series. When he began writing Earth Shot, he envisioned what would have been the most extraordinary experience for him as a child. The answer is discovering a friendly alien, encountering various high-tech alien gadgets, and confronting an intergalactic villain. All of these elements are incorporated into Earth Shot.
In addition to his novels, Henning has written a script for an anthology movie titled The Haunted Hotel. He has also served as a script editor for another film currently in production, Once Upon a Time in Suffolk. Furthermore, he has authored a series of books targeted at teenage readers known as Class Heroes.
For more information, visit Stephen’s IMDB page or his website.
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