Alien Secrets

Twelve-year-old Puck has been thrown out of school and must join her parents on the planet they are studying a year earlier than they intended. She knows she’s in trouble. On the spaceship, she meets her first alien, Hush. He’s in trouble, too. The precious object he’s been entrusted to bring back to his people’s home world has been stolen. He’s tracked it down to the ship they’re on. Puck decides to help him whether he wants her to or not—they needn’t both go home in shame. But all of the passengers and crew seem to have secrets to hide, and on top of everything else, the ship is haunted. When a dead body is found and Puck receives a threatening message, she begins to wonder if she’ll make it to her destination alive. For ages 10 and up.

“Klause offers middle-grade readers a dynamic 1990s variation on the best of the 1950s-early 1960s juvenile science fiction by Heinlein, Norton, Bova, et al.” Booklist. (starred review)

“Combining science fiction with a tightly plotted mystery, Klause assembles a sympathetic and well rounded cast of characters, from Puck and Hush down to the ship’s cats. She maintains the suspense throughout and keeps the reader guessing until the very end.” VOYA.

“This is a fast-moving space mystery that’s filled with twists and turns and many surprises.” School Library Journal. (starred review)

“Klause juggles all this with admirable aplomb while devising a poetically literal manner of speech for Hush, deftly creating memorable characters…writing wonderfully suspenseful scenes…and slipping in some thoughtful, quite beautifully written passages…this is great fun.” Kirkus Reviews. (pointered review)

American Library Association Notable Books for Children.

Golden Duck Honor Book.

The New York Public Library’s One Hundred Titles for Reading and Sharing.

School Library Journal Best Books.

Booklist Best Books.