This fast-reading science-fiction spoof begins with friends Jimbo and Charlie overhearing two teachers at their school talking what seems to be gibberish. Naturally they conclude the teachers are space aliens, and it just so happens they’re right. The discovery puts Charlie and Jimbo in danger, and it isn’t long before Charlie is kidnapped. A sibling relationship of mutual disdain is transformed when Jimbo is saved from the same fate by his teenage sister Becky, who unwittingly disrupts the aliens’ kidnapping attempt, and then helps Jimbo try to save Charlie. To Jimbo’s surprise and relief, Becky turns out to be strong, steadfast, and quick with a stick in a crisis as they deal with the alien threat to the world. There’s plenty of humor (“The giant monkey spider walked up to me and held out a hairy leg . . . 'My name is Ktop-p-páãçôñï”,’ said the spider. 'It will cause a car crash in your mouth. But you can call me Britney.’”) and action in this fun-filled, tongue-in-cheek novel originally published in Britain in 1994 as Gridzbi Spudvetc h! Mark Haddon revised the original story for this edition. (Ages 8–11)

An explosive, highly charged, and hilarious middle-grade adventure from Mark Haddon, acclaimed author of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time.

From the moment that Jim and his best friend, Charlie, bug the staff room and overhear two of their teachers speaking to each other in a secret language, they know there's an adventure on its way.

But what does "spudvetch" actually mean, and why do Mr. Kidd's eyes flicker with fluorescent blue light when Charlie says it to him? Perhaps Kidd and Pearce are bank robbers talking in code. Perhaps they're spies. Perhaps they are aliens. Whatever it is, Jimbo and Charlie are determined to find out.

There really is an adventure on its way. A nuclear-powered, one-hundred-ton adventure with reclining seats and a buffet car. And as it gathers speed and begins to spin out of control, it can only end one way . . . with a BOOM!