Art Smart, Science Detective: The Case of the Sliding Spaceship (Young Palmetto Books)

Three friends prepare for an alien invasion with aluminum foil, peanut butter, and science

When Art and his friends―Robbie, Jason, and Amy―are having a sleepover, they decide to use Art's telescope for some stargazing. They are shocked to see a purple spaceship hurtling toward Earth. While his parents think his imagination is getting the best of him, Art thinks Earth is at risk of an alien invasion. What should he do? Should Art and his fellow science detectives alert the authorities, or should they take matters into their own hands?

When the local police don't seem concerned about Art's report, the kids decide to apply their knowledge of science and critical thinking skills to prepare for the impending attack. They need a plan―and fast!

What transpires as they gear up for the spaceship's arrival will amuse and educate. Art Smart, Science Detective will appeal to budding scientists and even reluctant young readers as it answers burning questions such as "How close is science fiction to real life?" and "Can peanut butter really keep your brain safe from an alien assault?" This entertaining journey through the science of the sky is easily incorporated into middle-grade science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics courses.

Melinda Long is the author of New York Times best-selling books How I Became a Pirate and Pirates Don't Change Diapers, as well as The Twelve Days of Christmas in South Carolina. She graduated from Furman University and was a middle school teacher for twenty-three years.

Monica Wyrick has a fine arts degree from the University of Dayton and has worked in advertising, as a muralist, and as an art instructor. The illustrator of Crabbing: A Lowcountry Family Tradition, published by the University of South Carolina Press, Wyrick and her husband live in South Carolina and have three grown children.