Shelly's Book Blog

In The True Meaning of Smekday, by Adam Rex, narrator Gratuity Tucci (know to her friends as Tip) tells the story of when an alien race called the Boov invaded Earth and herded all the humans first to the state of Florida, and then to Arizona. Her essay is an entry in a contest for inclusion in a time capsule. This is a funny, fast-moving book that I think both boys and girls will like very much. Although it is a hefty 423 pages, the type is fairly big and there are quite a lot of drawings and graphic novel-type sections that help speed things along. Gratuity is a smart, observant, 11-year old girl, and I never tired of listening to her story. The reference to "Smekday" is explained by the fact that the Boov leader's name is Smek, but we don't hear too much about him. Instead, the story focuses on Grautity's relationship with a rogue Boov whom she calls J.Lo (the author dedicates the book, in part, to Ms. Jennifer Lopez). I really liked watching their relationship grow and being able to root for both of them during their adventure!