Title: Here Come the Aliens
Author(s): Colin McNaughton
Illustrated by: Colin McNaughton
Publisher and Year: Candlewick Press (1995)
Number of pages: 27
Genre: Fiction
Descriptive Annotation: In this book a group of aliens are set to invade earth. On each page the aliens and their mission is described. At the end of each page the saying the aliens are coming is repeated. At the end of the book, when the aliens are just about to attack, the aliens find a picture of a class of four-year-old kids, which they find so terrifying they turn around and leave.
Linguistic and Cultural Diversity Analysis: This book uses very common vocabulary and has few words per page. Each page of the book rhymes and ends with the repeated line “The Aliens are Coming.” Culturally, the book shows many different types of aliens- aliens of every color, shape, and size imaginable. However, the aliens and the humans find each other’s looks to be scary- something that brings to mind cultural fear of the “other.”
Interdisciplinary Connections: “Here Come the Aliens” could be used in a music class to teach about the uses of rhyming and repetition in communicating meaning in songs. Additionally, this book could be used in math class for students to identify aliens that are symmetrical and asymmetrical.
Other Information: This book was a cute, easy read. The pictures and story were engaging, and I think the surprise at the end of the aliens being afraid of the kids would be really fun for students. I think almost any student would enjoy the book. Finally, I think this book would be perfect to read aloud with a young child due to the lyrical nature of the book.