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The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex

Summary

When her mother is abducted by aliens on Christmas Eve (or "Smekday" Eve since the Boov invasion), 11 year-old Tip hops in the family car and heads south to find her. Along the way, she meets an alien Boov mechanic who agrees to help her and save the planet from disaster.

Booktalk

‘Twas the night before Smekday when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. Wait, Smekday? What’s Smekday? Well, Smekday, which did occur on Christmas Day, was the day the Boov arrived. The Boov? Who are the Boov? So, the Boov are aliens from outer space who needed to colonize Earth because they trashed their own planet. Before they arrived, they abducted a number of people, including Gratuity Tucci’s mom. Gratuity – who goes by the nickname Tip -- has been living alone in their apartment ever since, but now the Boov have announced that all humans will be relocated to reservations in Florida and Arizona. Tip doesn’t want to relocate (who does?), and she really wants to find her mom, so she takes the cat and the family car, which she can drive even though she’s not old enough for a license, and hits the road. Very soon, she finds herself with a passenger: a Boov on the lam named J.Lo. And, although Tip is understandably reluctant to have a Boov as a companion on this road trip, considering what faced them as they headed down to Florida, it turns out to be a very good idea. Join her on her journey to discover The True Meaning of Smekday. For another good booktalk, ask two students take the parts of Tip and J.Lo in this skit from the author: http://www.smekday.com/10reasons.html.

423 pages, 4th grade and up

Discussion questions

Warning! Some of the questions contain key elements of the plot. Do not read if you don't want to know what happens!

  1. Why do you think there was an essay contest about the Boov’s invasion?
  2. In her essay, Tip fudges some truths about what happened. Why does she do this? Do you think she should have told the truth? Why?
  3. What grade would you give Tip for her essay? Why?
  4. In this story there are a lot of familiar places given different names (Disneyland = Happy Mouse Kingdom). Why do you think the author does this?
  5. Tip’s story is told through pictures and other visual items as well as words. Does this add to the story? Why (or why not)?
  6. Tip and her mom both change to meet the challenges of post-Boov life. How do you think you might react to that situation? What about the rest of your family?
  7. What do you think about the way J.Lo talked? Was it hard to follow? Funny? Did you take him seriously? Does Tip?
  8. Knowing that J.Lo can be a little stingy with the truth, can you believe his history of the Boov? What might he be making up? Why?

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