The Dark Side of Nowhere

Shusterman, N. (1997). The dark side of nowhere. Little Brown and Company: New York.

Jason Miller lives in Billington.  He feels that nothing ever happens in Billington.  Everything and everyone is so normal.  Then one day, his friend, Ethan dies of from what the doctors is calling a burst appendix.  His death is announced announcements at school and then after that everything changes.  It is at Ethan’s funeral when Jason notices that everything is really not what is seems.  Jason and his girlfriend, Paula notice that Ethan’s parents look more nervous than upset by his death.  Then, Ethan is approached by the school janitor, Mr. Grant.  He tells Jason that Ethan is not dead.  Mr. Grant gives Ethan a metal glove that is dangerous and mysterious.  He then sets up a meeting in a place called Old Town where Ethan finds out that the gloves shoots steel pellets.  Jason starts to hide his actions from his parents and even from Paula.  But then, Jason realizes that there is more to his life then he really knows.  He starts putting the lies together and realizes that he is not really what he thought he was.  He learns that he is from somewhere beyond Earth.   

This science fiction novel is a great read for grades 6-9.  It is a fast pace read and you really have to pay attention because the story gets a little weird but it is in a good way. It involves aliens that take on human form after a botched invasion.  At the end, it makes you think what a human is.   

Here is a fun book trailer that a middle school student created about The dark side of nowhere.