Spaceheadz by John Scieszka

Title:  Spaceheadz

Author:  John Scieszka
Publisher:  Simon and Schuster for Young Readers
Year:  2010
Pages:  163
Genre:  Science Fiction
Themes:  Saving the World
Age Range:  3rd-5th Grade

Summary:  (from Goodreads)

Michael K. just started fifth grade at a new school. As if that wasn't hard enough, the kids he seems to have made friends with apparently aren't kids at all. They are aliens. Real aliens who have invaded our planet in the form of school children and a hamster. They have a mission to complete: to convince 3,140,001 kids to BE SPHDZ.
But with a hamster as their leader, "kids" who talk like walking advertisements, and Michael K as their first convert, will the SPHDZ be able to keep their cover and pull off their assignment?

Review:
I don't get this book.  It is silly and zany and a little ADHD.  An awful lot of the action seemed designed to allow Scieszka to tell as many puns and goofy jokes as possible.  That said, I can completely understand why kids, especially 10 year old boys, probably like it.  The whole book reads like a cartoon, complete with all of the silliness and mayhem you might expect from the likes of Spongebob or Phineas and Ferb.

To be sure, there is very little literary content in this book, making it pretty inappropriate for use during whole group instruction or guided reading.  However, as a high interest book to have in your library for independent reading, it is great.  It's a good choice to offer an intermediate reluctant reader, especially if they are interested aliens taking over the world.