Items related to The Only Alien on the Planet
Synopsis
A young girl in a new school tries to help a deeply troubled boy and is forced to confront the pain and abuse that hurt him and caused him to withdraw. A first novel.
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Reviews
New student Ginny is intrigued by the handsome alien in her homeroom?no, this is not a science fiction novel. Smitty?real name Michael?is known to his schoolmates as "The Alien" because of his affectless appearance and complete silence. Soon, Ginny and Smitty's longtime protector, Caulder, team up to try and crack his shell. They get much more than they bargain for when they drag him along on old-movie outings; as a none-too-subtle plot device, the first turns out to be The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, the second, East of Eden. Smitty walks out of both, for it turns out that he was almost fatally abused by his older brother, who also convinced him that he would die if he spoke to anyone. With the help of Ginny, Caulder and a wise and sympathetic therapist, Smitty emerges from this psychological curse, and he and Ginny even begin a tentative romantic relationship. Randle (Why Did Grandma Have to Die?) unfortunately builds her otherwise well-crafted novel around an uncharacteristic response to abuse. Under his pain, Smitty is totally honest and caring?a very romantic figure, but not one likely to be found in the real world. Ages 12-up.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Gr. 8-12. Ginny Christianson had been a happy person: "happy, cheerful, easygoing, reasonably popular even." When her family suddenly relocates and a beloved older brother leaves for college at the same time--well, let's just say Ginny is a "displaced person." As life manages to go on, and fun, caring new friends begin to fill the gap, a strange boy at school captures Ginny's attention. Smitty Tibbs is a brilliant, handsome boy who never speaks. He is known as the Alien and lives in total isolation from emotion and communication--tolerated by the other students but pretty much left alone. Meanwhile, Ginny's new friend Caulder has long been fascinated with Smitty and is determined to break through to him. Together Caulder and Ginny take Smitty in and begin to probe at the barriers he has thrown up, the abuse he has suffered, and the resulting silence into which he's retreated. Ginny's deft and engaging narration reveals a delightful and totally believable teen. The otherwise strongly drawn characters sometimes delve into dialogue that sounds like social-work parlance, but we can forgive because the overall impact of this psychological novel is so powerful. Anne O'Malley
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The Only Alien on the Planet
Seller: World of Books (was SecondSale), Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardback. Condition: Good. Winner of multiple awards, praised by librarians and teachers as one of the best books ever written for teens--NOW BACK IN PRINT New town, new school, new friends. It was difficult for Ginny at first, but her senior year is finally starting to feel kind of normal. That is, until she sees him--the beautiful mystery in her English class. He has never spoken a word to anyone. He moves through each day at school without making eye contact. His name is Smitty Tibbs, but everyone calls him the Alien. Ginny is convinced there's more to the Alien than his muted exterior. But as she attempts to break into his safe and emotionless world, she realizes her efforts might be causing more harm than good. Has she gone too far, or not far enough? Utterly compelling totally satisfying. A fast-moving, unusual contemporary romance that should have great appeal. School Library Journal The thick wall an abused teenager builds between himself and the world is penetrated at last by an extraordinary pair of friends A strong book with healing at the end, memorable for its spirited friendships and unpreachy soul-searching. Kirkus Reviews Ginny's deft and engaging narration reveals a delightful and totally believable teen. T]he overall impact of this psychological novel is so powerful. Booklist. Seller Inventory # 00110119106
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The Only Alien on the Planet
Seller: World of Books (was SecondSale), Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardback. Condition: Very Good. Winner of multiple awards, praised by librarians and teachers as one of the best books ever written for teens--NOW BACK IN PRINT New town, new school, new friends. It was difficult for Ginny at first, but her senior year is finally starting to feel kind of normal. That is, until she sees him--the beautiful mystery in her English class. He has never spoken a word to anyone. He moves through each day at school without making eye contact. His name is Smitty Tibbs, but everyone calls him the Alien. Ginny is convinced there's more to the Alien than his muted exterior. But as she attempts to break into his safe and emotionless world, she realizes her efforts might be causing more harm than good. Has she gone too far, or not far enough? Utterly compelling totally satisfying. A fast-moving, unusual contemporary romance that should have great appeal. School Library Journal The thick wall an abused teenager builds between himself and the world is penetrated at last by an extraordinary pair of friends A strong book with healing at the end, memorable for its spirited friendships and unpreachy soul-searching. Kirkus Reviews Ginny's deft and engaging narration reveals a delightful and totally believable teen. T]he overall impact of this psychological novel is so powerful. Booklist. Seller Inventory # 00103760394
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The Only Alien on the Planet
Seller: Greenworld Books, Arlington, TX, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: very_good. Fast Free Shipping â" Very Good condition book with a firm cover and clean pages. Shows normal use and some light wear or limited notes markings. A solid, nice copy to enjoy. Seller Inventory # GWV.0590463098.VG
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The Only Alien on the Planet
Seller: ThriftBooks-Dallas, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Unknown. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. Former library book; May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G0590463098I4N10
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The Only Alien on the Planet
Seller: ThriftBooks-Dallas, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Unknown. Condition: As New. No Jacket. Pages are clean and are not marred by notes or folds of any kind. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G0590463098I2N00
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The Only Alien on the Planet
Seller: ThriftBooks-Dallas, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Unknown. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G0590463098I4N00
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The Only Alien on the Planet
Seller: ThriftBooks-Atlanta, AUSTELL, GA, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Unknown. Condition: Fair. No Jacket. Former library book; Readable copy. Pages may have considerable notes/highlighting. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G0590463098I5N10
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The Only Alien on the Planet
Seller: Blue Vase Books, Interlochen, MI, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: good. Former library book with the usual stamps, stickers and labels. The item shows wear from consistent use, but it remains in good condition and works perfectly. All pages and cover are intact including the dust cover, if applicable . Spine may show signs of wear. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting. May NOT include discs, access code or other supplemental materials. Seller Inventory # BVV.0590463098.G
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The Only Alien on the Planet
Seller: Better World Books: West, Reno, NV, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: Good. Former library copy. Pages intact with minimal writing/highlighting. The binding may be loose and creased. Dust jackets/supplements are not included. Includes library markings. Stock photo provided. Product includes identifying sticker. Better World Books: Buy Books. Do Good. Seller Inventory # GRP74816461
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The Only Alien on the Planet
Seller: Better World Books, Mishawaka, IN, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: Very Good. Former library copy. Pages intact with possible writing/highlighting. Binding strong with minor wear. Dust jackets/supplements may not be included. Includes library markings. Stock photo provided. Product includes identifying sticker. Better World Books: Buy Books. Do Good. Seller Inventory # 3351490-6