aliens ate my homework wikipedia

Common Sense Media

Movie & TV reviews for parents

• For Parents
• For Educators
• Our Work and Impact

Or browse by category:

• Movie Reviews
• Best Movie Lists
• Best Movies on Netflix, Disney+, and More

Common Sense Selections for Movies

50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

• Best TV Lists
• Best TV Shows on Netflix, Disney+, and More
• Common Sense Selections for TV
• Video Reviews of TV Shows

Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

• Book Reviews
• Best Book Lists
• Common Sense Selections for Books

8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

• Game Reviews
• Best Game Lists

Common Sense Selections for Games

• Video Reviews of Games

Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun

• Podcast Reviews
• Best Podcast Lists

Common Sense Selections for Podcasts

Parents' Guide to Podcasts

• App Reviews
• Best App Lists

Social Networking for Teens

Gun-Free Action Game Apps

Reviews for AI Apps and Tools

• YouTube Channel Reviews
• YouTube Kids Channels by Topic

Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube Kids

YouTube Kids Channels for Gamers

• Preschoolers (2-4)
• Little Kids (5-7)
• Big Kids (8-9)
• Pre-Teens (10-12)
• Teens (13+)
• Screen Time
• Social Media
• Online Safety
• Identity and Community

How to Help Kids Build Character Strengths with Quality Media

• Family Tech Planners
• Digital Skills
• All Articles
• Latino Culture
• Black Voices
• Asian Stories
• Native Narratives
• LGBTQ+ Pride
• Best of Diverse Representation List

Multicultural Books

YouTube Channels with Diverse Representations

Podcasts with Diverse Characters and Stories

Aliens ate my homework.

• Common Sense Says
• Parents Say 1 Review
• Kids Say 4 Reviews

Common Sense Media Review

Cartoonish violence in live-action book-based alien tale.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Aliens Ate My Homework is a live-action adaptation of the first book in Bruce Coville's successful series, Rod Allbright and the Galactic Patrol . In this origin story, Rod Allbright (Jayden Greig), a 12-year-old boy, is visited by aliens who are out to save Earth. The…

Why Age 8+?

Mild action and suspense. Aliens, with one exception, are more humorous than sca

Rude humor: "boogers," "fart." Massive stomach gurgling erupts into projective v

Razor helmet, Shock Rocks candy.

Any Positive Content?

May spark interest in science. Reference to and brief explanation of the Drake E

Values promoted: healthy and respectful disagreement and teamwork -- each indivi

Young hero, the victim of a bully, gains self-confidence, courage, and pride in

Violence & Scariness

Mild action and suspense. Aliens, with one exception, are more humorous than scary. The one exception: A boy transforms into an alien villain with hideous teeth and threatening demeanor. Ray-gun fire, lightning storm. Characters are shaken, threatened, momentarily frozen, held captive, and chased. A bully smooshes a large bug onto his victim's head and face. Visuals of creepy crawlies: a tarantula, a scorpion.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Rude humor: "boogers," "fart." Massive stomach gurgling erupts into projective vomiting.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Educational value.

May spark interest in science. Reference to and brief explanation of the Drake Equation, which is used to estimate likelihood of finding life in the galaxy.

Positive Messages

Values promoted: healthy and respectful disagreement and teamwork -- each individual has a part to play in a successful task. It's important to overlook our differences and find ways to connect.

Positive Role Models

Young hero, the victim of a bully, gains self-confidence, courage, and pride in his own abilities. His cousin and partner, a know-it-all girl, learns to be less judgmental and rigid. Adults are responsible, caring. Some ethnic diversity.

Parents need to know that Aliens Ate My Homework is a live-action adaptation of the first book in Bruce Coville 's successful series, Rod Allbright and the Galactic Patrol . In this origin story, Rod Allbright (Jayden Greig), a 12-year-old boy, is visited by aliens who are out to save Earth. The miniature beings, more humorous than scary, crash-land in a miniature spaceship in Rod's bedroom. Expect frequent mild action: ray guns, lightning, characters (including small children) frozen in place as hostages and held captive. ( Spoiler alert : The villain is vanquished when he's pelted with muck.) Another sixth-grader bullies the hero and his friend, mashing a large bug into his victim's hair and face. Words like "booger" and "fart" are used to get laughs. Some sad moments relate to Rod's father disappearing three years earlier in a turbulent storm. But overall it should be OK for kids who are comfortable with real vs. pretend violence. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Parent and Kid Reviews

• Parents say (1)
• Kids say (4)

Based on 1 parent review

Absolute garbage..

What's the story.

Rod Allbright's dad, dedicated to making science fun for his family, disappears when a strange storm carries him away in ALIENS ATE MY HOMEWORK. But before he is whooshed away, he promises Rod that he'll return. Three years later, Rod (Jayden Greig), now a sixth-grader, still misses his dad terribly but never stops believing that he'll come back. Bullied at school by the ruthless Billy (Ty Consiglio), Rod and his best friend, Mickey (Sean Quan), are simply outmatched. But things are going to change for Rod Allbright. To his utter amazement, a miniature spaceship crash-lands in his bedroom. Four very small (action figure-sized) alien members of "The Galactic Patrol" -- three creatures and a talking plant (voiced by William Shatner ) -- are in desperate need of his help. Their mission is to find B'kr, a ferocious villain guilty of the galaxy's greatest crime: cruelty. Certain B'kr is masquerading as a human, they must stop him before he can execute his plan to destroy the earth. It's all overwhelming at first. Not only does he have to keep the Galaxy Patrol's arrival secret and help them repair their damaged spacecraft, but his annoying cousin Elspeth (Lauren McNamara) has also arrived to stay with his family. And, most bizarre of all, the evil B'kr may be posing as someone Rod knows!

Is It Any Good?

Kids will find some laughs and some characters to like here, but the primitive special effects and general amateurish production make this movie hard to recommend. What's good about the film -- an inventive premise and the emphasis on science -- came from the book. It's clear that having William Shatner on board was a casting coup for the filmmakers, but his performance is more annoying than engaging. A crucial plot element, the disappearance of Rod Allbright's dad, isn't resolved, and the movie's ending indicates that there will be further adventures. On a positive note, Aliens Ate My Homework may inspire some kids to read the popular Coville book series, and that's always a good thing.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the violence in Aliens Ate My Homework. Even though it's a live-action movie, the action is more cartoon-like than real. What is the impact of violence on kids? Does cartoon violence lessen that impact? Why or why not?

How did the arrival of the Galactic Patrol help Rod work out his own issues? With Billy? With Elspeth? In what ways did Rod change over the course of his adventure?

The Drake Equation -- estimating the possibility of other lifeforms in the cosmos -- really exists. Have you ever thought about that possibility? Create your own ideal planet or star. What would the civilization and its inhabitants look like? What kind of world would it be?

Movie Details

• On DVD or streaming : March 6, 2018
• Cast : Jayden Greig , Lauren McNamara , William Shatner
• Director : Sean McNamara
• Studio : Universal 1440 Entertainment
• Genre : Family and Kids
• Topics : Adventures , Brothers and Sisters , Space and Aliens
• Run time : 89 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG
• MPAA explanation : rude humor, mild action, and thematic elements
• Last updated : April 18, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

What to watch next.

The Iron Giant

E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial

Monsters vs. Aliens

Best Alien Movies

Space movies, related topics.

• Brothers and Sisters
• Space and Aliens

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

To install click the Add extension button. That's it.

The source code for the WIKI 2 extension is being checked by specialists of the Mozilla Foundation, Google, and Apple. You could also do it yourself at any point in time.

Would you like Wikipedia to always look as professional and up-to-date? We have created a browser extension. It will enhance any encyclopedic page you visit with the magic of the WIKI 2 technology.

Try it — you can delete it anytime.

• Show original
• Random article

Aliens Ate My Homework (2018 film)

From wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Aliens Ate My Homework is a 2018 American science fiction comedy film directed by Sean McNamara and based on Bruce Coville's novel of the same name . [1] This film stars an ensemble cast, led by Jayden Greig , William Shatner , Dan Payne and Alex Zahara . [2]

The film premiered on Netflix on March 6, 2018, in the United States . It was followed by a sequel, Aliens Stole My Body (2020).

When a spaceship flies through his window and lands on his school work, Rod and his cousin Elspeth meet a group of extraterrestrial lawmen known as the Galactic Patrol. They must help their new alien friends foil the plans of interplanetary criminal BKR, who has been hiding on Earth as Billy Becker, a school bully with a passion for making Rod's life miserable.

• Jayden Greig as Rod Allbright
• William Shatner as the voice of Phil the Plant
• Dan Payne as Grakker
• Tristan Risk as Madame Pong
• Alex Zahara as Tar Gibbons
• Lauren McNamara as Elspeth McMasters
• Ty Consiglio as Billy Becker
• Kirsten Robek as Gwen Allbright
• Christian Convery as Eric Allbright
• Carmela Guizzo as Linda Allbright
• Christine Lee as Ms. Maloney
• Sean Quan as Mickey
• Sandy Robson as Art Allbright
• Brad Proctor as Phil the Plant puppeteer
• Jamie Swettenham as Plink puppeteer

Bruce Coville also plays J. Carter, the principal of Rod's school, "Coville Elementary." The role is non-speaking until a mid-credits scene , where he delightedly reads a copy of the original Aliens Ate My Homework novel in his office and narrates the fate of BKR, the story's villain.

Differences from the novel

The film closely follows the story of the original novel, albeit with two major changes. Notably, the film includes the character of Elspeth, who did not appear on-page until the novel's sequel, I Left My Sneakers in Dimension X . The crew of the Ferkel is also minus one member, as the alien known as Snout is not included in the film, despite playing a major role in the book series.

In March 2018, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment acquired distribution rights to the film, and set it for a March 6, 2018 release.

The film has an estimated domestic DVD sale value of $46,603. [3]

• ^ "Bruce Coville's 'Aliens Ate My Homework' movie, feat. William Shatner, now on DVD" . Syracuse . Archived from the original on September 9, 2020 . Retrieved November 15, 2020 .
• ^ "Aliens Ate My Homework Box Office" . the-numbers . Archived from the original on November 15, 2020 . Retrieved November 15, 2020 .

External links

• Aliens Ate My Homework on Instagram
• "Aliens Ate My Homework" . Rotten Tomatoes .

Aliens Ate My Homework

Aliens Ate My Homework is a 2018 American family comedy\adventure film directed by Sean McNamara.

The film was released on March 6, 2018 on Netflix. It is based on Bruce Coville's 1993 novel of the same name.

• 3 Critical Reception

The film follows cousins Rod and Elspeth (Jayden Grieg and Lauren McNamara) who meet a group of friendly aliens known as the Galactic Patrol.

• Jayden Grieg as Rod
• Lauren McNamara as Elspeth
• Kirsten Robek as Gwen
• Ty Consiglio as Billy
• Sean Quan as Mickey
• London Cardinal as Young Eric
• Alexia Stroup as Young Linda
• William Shatner as Phil the Plant (voice)
• Dan Payne as Grakker (voice)
• Tristan Risk as Madame Pong (voice)
• Alex Zahara as Tar Gibbons (voice)

Critical Reception [ ]

Renee Longstreet from Common Sense Media gave the film a two-star rating, stating: "Kids will find some laughs and some characters to like here, but the primitive special effects and general amateurish production make this movie hard to recommend."

Brendan Campbell from Inside Impulse wrote: "Aliens At My Homework is a fairly fast-moving movie at 90-minutes, and fans who read the book will likely be happy to see the characters they’ve read about come to life."

Video Librarian gave it three stars, saying: "Unapologetically cheesy as effects-heavy sci-fi films go, Aliens Ate My Homework makes up for a lot of hokey ray-guns, miniature spaceships, and a talking shrub (or something) with clever, ironic humor that appeals to the middle-schooler in us all."

The Joey Awards, Vancouver (2018)

• Best Ensemble in MOW or Video Feature: Jayden Greig, Lauren McNamara , Ty Consiglio, Sean Quan, Christian Convery and Carmela Nossa Guizzo [ Winner ]
• Best Leading Actress in a MOW/Video Feature: Lauren McNamara [ Winner ]
• Best Actress in a Principal or Supporting Role in a MOW/Video Feature 5-8 Years: Carmela Nossa Guizzo [ Winner ]

Daytime Emmy Awards (2019)

• Outstanding Makeup [ Nominated ]

Leo Awards (2019)

• Best Performance in a Youth or Children's Program or Series: Dan Payne [ Winner ]

Young Artist Awards (2019)

• Best Ensemble Performance in a Streaming Series or Film: Jayden Greig, Lauren McNamara, Sean Quan, Ty Consiglio, Christian Convery, Carmela Nossa Guizzo [ Winner ]
• Best Performance in a Streaming Series or Film (Young Actor): Christian Convery [ Winner ]
• Best Performance in a Streaming Series or Film (Young Actress): Lauren McNamara and Carmela Nossa Guizzo [ Nominated ]

Young Entertainer Awards (2019)

• Best Young Ensemble Cast (Feature Film): Christian Convery, Jayden Greig, Carmela Nossa Guizzo, Sean Quan and Lauren McNamara [ Winner ]
• Best Leading Young Actor (Independent or Film Festival Feature Film): Jayden Greig [ Nominated ]
• Best Supporting Young Actor (Independent or Film Festival Feature Film): Sean Quan [ Nominated ]
• Best Supporting Young Actress (Independent or Film Festival Feature Film): Lauren McNamara and Carmela Nossa Guizzo [ Nominated ]

A sequel, Aliens Stole My Body was released in 2020.

• 1 The Secret Path
• 2 Lucy Shimmers And The Prince Of Peace
• 3 The Girl Who Escaped: The Kara Robinson Story

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Trouble logging in?

By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes.

Email not verified

Let's keep in touch.

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

• Upcoming Movies and TV shows
• Rotten Tomatoes Podcast
• Media News + More

By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences.

OK, got it!

• About Rotten Tomatoes®
• Login/signup

Movies in theaters

• Opening This Week
• Top Box Office
• Coming Soon to Theaters
• Certified Fresh Movies

Movies at Home

• Fandango at Home
• Prime Video
• Most Popular Streaming Movies
• What to Watch New

Certified fresh picks

• 86% Speak No Evil Link to Speak No Evil
• 77% Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Link to Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
• 95% Rebel Ridge Link to Rebel Ridge

New TV Tonight

• 86% How to Die Alone: Season 1
• 62% Emily in Paris: Season 4
• 63% The Old Man: Season 2
• 18% Three Women: Season 1
• -- Universal Basic Guys: Season 1
• -- My Brilliant Friend: Story of the Lost Child: Season 4
• -- Lego Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy: Season 1
• -- The Circle: Season 7
• -- Jack Whitehall: Fatherhood with My Father: Season 1
• -- In Vogue: The 90s: Season 1

Most Popular TV on RT

• 93% The Penguin: Season 1
• 61% The Perfect Couple: Season 1
• 85% The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: Season 2
• 76% Kaos: Season 1
• 100% Slow Horses: Season 4
• 100% Dark Winds: Season 2
• -- Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter: Season 1
• 93% Bad Monkey: Season 1
• Best TV Shows
• Most Popular TV

Certified fresh pick

• 93% The Penguin: Season 1 Link to The Penguin: Season 1
• All-Time Lists
• Binge Guide
• Comics on TV
• Five Favorite Films
• Video Interviews
• Weekend Box Office
• Weekly Ketchup
• What to Watch

Resident Evil Movies In Order: How To Watch The Series Chronologically

50 Best New Horror Movies of 2024

What to Watch: In Theaters and On Streaming

Awards Tour

Transformers One First Reviews: The Best Transformers Movie Yet

The Penguin First Reviews: Colin Farrell’s Wild Performance Makes the Series a Must-Watch

• Trending on RT
• Emmy Predictions
• Toronto Film Festival
• Horror Movies of 2024
• Best Netflix Movies

Aliens Ate My Homework

Where to watch.

Rent Aliens Ate My Homework on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV.

Critics Reviews

Audience reviews, cast & crew.

Sean McNamara

Jayden Greig

Rod Allbright

Lauren K. Robek

Gwen Allbright

London Cardinal

Young Eric Allbright

Alexia Stroup

Young Linda

Sandy Robson

Videos & Photos

Formats & editions.

You May Also Like

Curious George

Woody Woodpecker (2017)

The Land Before Time

Aliens Ate My Homework (2018)

PG | Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Sci-Fi

• Movies & TV Shows
• Most Popular
• Leaving Soon
• Descriptive Audio
• Documentary
• Browse Channels

Featured Channels

• Always Funny
• History & Science
• Sci-Fi & Action
• Chills & Thrills
• Food & Home
• Black Entertainment
• Kids & Family
• Nature & Travel
• Anime & Gaming
• International

Aliens Ate My Homework

• There are no locations currently available for this title

• Common Sense Media Renee Schonfeld Cartoonish violence in live-action book-based alien tale.

Take Plex everywhere

Selected Item

Aliens Ate My Homework

$ 7.99 – $ 19.99

“It’s the weirdest alien invasion ever!”

“I cannot tell a lie,” says Rod Allbright. And it’s the truth. Ask him a question, and he’s bound to give you an honest answer.

Description

Additional information.

“I cannot tell a lie,” says Rod Allbright. And it’s the truth. Ask him a question, and he’s bound to give you an honest answer. Which is why when his teacher asks what happened to last night’s math assignment, Rod has to make the only answer he can: “Aliens at my homework, Miss Maloney!”

Of course, no one believes Rod this time, so they don’t bother to ask him why the aliens are here—which is just a swell, since he is sworn to silence about their secret mission, and the fact that he has been drafted to help them!

Read a sneak preview of this title

Chapter One

Billy becker, boy beast.

“Watch out, Pudge-Boy! Here comes number 23!”

That was Billy Becker.

“Splat! Squish!”

That was Arnie Markle, providing sound effects for the final moments of the bug Billy was smushing against the back of my head.

“Mmmph grrgle!”

That was me, Rod Allbright, trying to say, “Let me go!”—which wasn’t easy with Arnie sitting on my back and pressing my face into the grass.

Why was Billy Becker squashing a bug against the back of my head?

It was his hobby.

You know how it is: some people collect stamps, or comic books, or beer bottle caps. Billy was collecting a list of how many kinds of bugs he could mash in my hair.

Why was Arnie helping him? Well, until Billy moved to town, Arnie had been our official class bully and kid most likely to spend time in prison. He was big—about a foot and a half taller than Billy. That wasn’t quite as big as it might sound, since  everyone  in our sixth grade class was taller than Billy, usually by at least six inches.

(My mother, who sort of drips sympathy, said that Billy’s size could explain why he had made it a point to beat up every boy in the sixth grade within a month of moving to our school.)

Most of the guys just stayed away from Billy after that. But Arnie was so awed by Billy’s fighting skills that he had become devoted to him. Now he was Billy’s official hench-thug, which meant it was his job to hold me down while Billy smeared bugs in my hair.

“Okay, Arnie,” said Billy, “You can let him up now.”

I scrambled to my feet, but didn’t say anything; I had already learned what a mistake that could be. Arnie, unfortunately, was perfectly willing to talk. “I don’t think that one should count,” he said.

“Why not?” demanded Billy.

“It was a spider. Spiders aren’t bugs.”

Billy slapped his hand against his forehead. “How could I have been so stupid! I’m sorry, Pudge-Boy. Really. I’ll tell you what. Just scratch that one off the list. And don’t worry about it—I’ll find something nice and juicy to replace it.”

Snickering at their wit, Billy and Arnie wandered off.

My best friend, Mickey, helped me to my feet. Mickey had been the shortest kid in the sixth grade until Billy showed up. He was still one of the nicest—which shows you what my mother’s theory was worth. “I’m amazed,” he said now.

“Why?” I asked, as I dug for my comb. (I never used to carry a comb, but after Billy started his new hobby I found it very useful for getting the bug guts out of my hair.)

Mickey shrugged. “That was the most intelligent thing Arnie’s said all year.”

You might wonder why I didn’t just pound Billy’s face in when he did these things—especially since he was so much smaller than me. The answer is simple: While Billy had already beat up every boy—and half the girls—in the class, I, personally, had never managed to beat up anyone. The sad truth is, I’m not much good at anything physical. That’s why the other kids call me Rod the Clod. (Except Billy, of course; he calls me Pudge-Boy, which I don’t think is really fair, since the doctor says I only need to lose ten or fifteen pounds to be the right weight.)

The few times I lost my temper and actually struck back at Billy he either put on his innocent face—which teachers and other adults seem to find totally angelic—or else he beat the daylights out of me.

I know I am not a good fighter. Even so, it is very embarassing to get beat up by someone a foot shorter than me.

I was still trying to think of a way to get revenge on Billy when the afternoon bus dropped Mickey and me in front of our houses. We live about four miles out of town, and there are not a lot of other kids around, except for our stupid “siblings” (as our teacher, Miss Maloney, calls them). Mickey has one sibling and I have two. Mickey’s is a little sister named Markie. She is pretty much a normal kid.

Mine are a matched set, three year old twins known as Little Thing One and Little Thing Two. They are not normal by any stretch of the imagination.

Their real names are Eric and Linda. They decided they wanted to be Little Thing One and Little Thing Two after I read  The Cat in the Hat to them. (They had a fight about who got to be Thing One, but since Linda was born first, Eric was doomed to lose that battle. He loses a lot of fights that way.)

My mother is totally unamused by these names, but she can’t do much about them because (a) they were the Things’ idea and (b) the Things are only three years old. (In case you don’t happen to have any around, let me explain that three year olds are very good at insisting on this kind of thing.)

My dog, Bonehead, started barking as I came up the driveway.

“Hello Rod, pick up your feet,” said Mom, as I stumbled over the doorstep. “I’m glad you’re here. Mrs. Nesbitt needs help, and I don’t want to take Eric and Linda up there if I don’t have to.”

“My name isn’t Eric,” said Eric, without looking up from the blue fingerpaint he was smearing across a big piece of paper. “It’s Little Thing Two. And I like Mrs. Nesbitt. She gives me cookies.”

Mrs. Nesbitt is this old lady who goes to our church. Mom sort of watches out for her, which takes a lot of time.

Once I asked Mom why she did it. She just looked at me funny and said, “It needs to be done.”

I wouldn’t have cared all that much, except watching out for Mrs. Nesbitt didn’t just mean extra work for Mom. (I mean, who do you think got stuck with Thing One and Thing Two while Mom was off playing Good Samaritan?)

“Can’t you take them with you?” I asked. “I have to work on my volcano.”

“The twins make Mrs. Nesbitt nervous.”

“They make me nervous, too,” I said. I started breathing fast and wheezing to prove it.

Mom gave me one of her looks. You know the kind I mean.

“All right,” I muttered. “I’ll do it.”

Like I had a choice.

I decided to let the Things help me with the volcano—or at least, with making the papier mache I needed for the next step. The volcano was my major science project for the big end-of-the-year Science Fair, which was scheduled for that Friday. I had been working on it for over a week now, and it was going to be big time—a great looking volcano that would really erupt when it was finished. I needed to add one more layer of papier mache before I could start painting it.

“Hey kids!” I yelled, as Mom headed out of the driveway. “Wanna make pooper mucky?”

(“Pooper mucky” is what the Things called papier mache.)

“Yay for Roddie!” cried Little Thing One, who loved gooping around with the stuff.

Little Thing Two started to clap.

“Okay, you two get the tub. I’ll meet you in my room.”

It was one of those hot days that sometimes surprises you in early May, so I opened my windows and put on a pair of shorts. After spreading some papers on the floor to protect it from the goop we were about to make, I went to look at the volcano, which stood on a card table in the corner of the room. It was nearly two and a half feet high, built it on a four foot by four foot square of plywood I had found in the basement. I was really proud of it.

The Things lugged in the tub we used for making papier mache and we dumped in some torn-up paper left from the last time we had done this. Then I poured in water and paste, and we started squeezing it with our hands to get that nice oozy goop that is so much fun to work with. When it was pretty much ready, I went back to the volcano to see where I wanted to start working. Suddenly I heard a tearing sound. Before I could turn to see what had caused it, a dollop of papier mache smacked against the back of my bare leg.

“Wow!” cried Little Thing One.

“Holy Macaroni!” cried Little Thing Two.

I spun around.

The first thing I saw was a big hole in the screen.

The next thing I saw was globs of papier mache spattered all over the room, including a big splotch on Thing One’s face.

The third thing I saw was a foot-long spaceship that had landed nose first in my vat of papier mache. I thought it must be a toy—until a blue glow began to crackle and sizzle around it. You could  smell  the electricity.

I revised my opinion. This thing was real!

The crackle continued. Just as I was wondering if the ship was going to explode, it started to grow.

Within seconds it was three feet long. I wondered if it was going to get so big it would blow our house to smithereens. But suddenly the crackling electric glow began to sputter. The ship shrank back to two feet, grew a bit, then shrank again. A moment later the crackling stopped.

The electric glow disappeared.

The spaceship held steady at about two feet long.

Thing One and Thing Two had been edging closer to me while all this was going on. Now I had one of them clinging to each hand.

We waited, holding our breath.

Everything was silent.

We stepped forward, then stopped as a door opened in the side of the ship.

BACK TO TOP

Related Items

My Teacher Flunked the Planet

Last Hunt, The

Monsters of Morley Manor, The

Aliens ate my homework

By bruce coville.

• ★ ★ ★ 2.50 ·
• 24 Want to read
• 2 Currently reading
• 1 Have read

My Reading Lists:

Use this Work

Create a new list

My book notes.

My private notes about this edition:

Check nearby libraries

• Library.link

Buy this book

Rod is surprised when a miniature spaceship lands in his school science project and reveals five tiny aliens, who ask his help in apprehending an interstellar criminal.

Previews available in: English

Showing 8 featured editions. View all 13 editions?

Add another edition?

Book Details

Edition notes.

"A Minstrel book."

Classifications

The physical object, source records, community reviews (0).

• Created April 1, 2008
• 14 revisions

Wikipedia citation

Copy and paste this code into your Wikipedia page. Need help?

Browse reviews by:

• School/Group

Spaghetti Book Club - Book Reviews by Kids for Kids

Aliens ate my homework.

Written by Bruce Coville

Illustrated by Katherine Coville

Reviewed by Kevin C. (age 9)

In this story, a space ship crashes through a boy's window and falls into his room. The boy's name in Rod. The aliens tell him that their ship is broken and that they need to stay with him for a while. Then one day, when Rod came home from school the aliens told him that a boy in his school named Billy Becker is really an alien criminal from outer space! The aliens said that they have been searching for him for a long time but never caught him. Rod reacts by yelling, "I'm going to get him!" In the ending there is a surprise! The illustrations are very good. The illustrator put a lot of detail into them. The only thing I didn't like about the pictures is that they were black and white.

I like this book a lot because I like books about aliens. I would recommend this book to others because it is very interesting when the ship goes through the window and other things. I don't think girls would want to read this book because I don't think that girls would want to read about aliens.

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience.

• 168,891 literary resources
• 172 content providers
• 53,470 books

Aliens Ate My Homework Summary and Analysis

FreeBookNotes found 2 sites with book summaries or analysis of Aliens Ate My Homework . If there is a Aliens Ate My Homework SparkNotes, Shmoop guide, or Cliff Notes, you can find a link to each study guide below.

Among the summaries and analysis available for Aliens Ate My Homework , there are 1 Short Summary and 1 Book Review.

Depending on the study guide provider (SparkNotes, Shmoop, etc.), the resources below will generally offer Aliens Ate My Homework chapter summaries, quotes, and analysis of themes, characters, and symbols.

Aliens Ate My Homework

By bruce coville, full book notes and study guides.

Sites like SparkNotes with a Aliens Ate My Homework study guide or cliff notes. Also includes sites with a short overview, synopsis, book report, or summary of Bruce Coville’s Aliens Ate My Homework.

We found no such entries for this book title. Please see the supplementary resources provided below for other helpful content related to this book.

Short Book Summaries

Sites with a short overview, synopsis, book report, or summary of Aliens Ate My Homework by Bruce Coville.

Wikipedia - Aliens Ate My Homework

Book reviews.

Sites with a book review or quick commentary on Aliens Ate My Homework by Bruce Coville.

GoodReads - Aliens Ate My Homework

More Books by Bruce Coville

FreeBookNotes has 14 more books by Bruce Coville, with a total of 52 study guides.