REBECCA STEAD BOOKS

The Experiment by Rebecca Stead

The Experiment

Nathan wants to help his people, but first he has to figure out who they are.

Nathan never understood what was “fun” about secrets, probably because he’s always had to keep a very big one.

Although he appears to be a typical sixth-grader (with parents, homework and a best friend, Victor), Nathan learned at an early age that his family is from another planet. Now, their time on Earth may be coming to an end.

Nathan, his parents and nine other families are part of an experiment that suddenly seems to be going wrong. Some of the experimenters, including Nathan’s first crush, Izzy, are disappearing without a word. After his family is called back to the mothership, Nathan begins to question everything he’s been taught to believe about who he is and why he’s on Earth.

The Experiment is a fast-paced coming-of-age novel – with aliens – that asks universal questions about how we figure out who we want to be, and whether it’s ever too late to change.

Reviews

A Junior Library Guild Selection
“The pacing is superb, neatly blending family dynamics, friendship, and tween romance with page-turning mystery, adventure, and horror.”
– Kirkus Reviews
“Stead takes her deepest dive yet into the world of science fiction . . . presenting a grounded but at-times thrilling story, inspired by the likes of E.T. and other Hollywood alien flicks. Her prose is as accessible and compulsively readable as ever, with keen insights and wry humor coloring the short chapters that keep the pages turning to the end. Fun, light alien fare.”
– Booklist
“[A] twisty, thoughtful tale.”
– Publishers Weekly (pun intended? we’ll never know.)