i've adored chris colfer's books since 2012 (and his acting since 2009) and i am so excited to have gotten to check out his first foray into scifi! it comes with all the fun shenanigans i expect from a work of his; talking dogs and giant preying mantises, questionable heists, good prevailing over evil, and of course a through line and message of acceptance and love for marginalized groups. it's like feeding kids pasta that secretly has veggies in it; they'll get the message without being beaten over the head when they read books like this. i am off to rec this to every teacher and parent i know for their children!

This book was so much fun! I always have a good time reading Chris's books. He's so fun and inventive; it's very easy to immerse myself in his words.

Roswell Johnson Saves the World! was no different, it had an array of lovable characters and a plot so interesting that I couldn’t stop reading until I reached the last page.

In this book, Roswell, our protagonist, is obsessed with everything alien. However, after a bad day at school, he decides to give everything up and just forget about the mysteries of the universe. Yet, he is then abducted by the very aliens he’s obsessed with and embarks on a great adventure where he meets all sorts of planets and aliens.

This book also deals with a lot of important subjects like injustice and racism. I love how Chris doesn’t shy away from those topics. It's very important to introduce these topics to younger people, and Chris does a wonderful job at it.

I really hope there’s a second book, I will definitely be reading it.

Thanks Netgalley and Little Brown Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review

This was like middle grade Guardians of the Galaxy. I didn’t enjoy this as much as The Land of Stories but I know it will appeal to some middle grade readers. It is fast paced and silly which will be a win for many readers!

The story has all of Colfer’s signature humor and pop culture references, many of which will go over younger reader’s heads. The characters are pretty flat as well. There’s a Cyborg with no understanding of figurative language, a gray alien who only communicates in beeps (hello, Groot), an overly optimistic and overly wise human-like leader, and large furry cat-like alien (though not a raccoon…). Cassie (the Furgarian) is almost a carbon copy of Trollbella from TLOS who immediately forms a crush on main character Roswell and doesn’t have any ounce of character development throughout the story. She starts obnoxious and ends obnoxious. Each character stays firmly in their stereotype as they planet hop on their quest.
There is plenty of conflict, but no real suspense as each problem is quickly tackled and characters are on to the next. This is truly meant for younger readers. There are no attempts at explaining how all the different species can flawlessly communicate and survive on one another’s planets. The twist at the end is pretty obvious for older readers. However, for younger fans who want to venture into sci-fi, this should be a low stakes option!

*slight spoiler - Roswell is Black and struggles with facing prejudice on Earth. He gains hope as he sees the different alien species working together mostly in harmony through the Galactic Alliance. This was a good message, but it really didn’t fit the tone of the book and was handled in a rush way like most of the other plot points.

Another great novel from Chris, this time a science fiction adventure traveling all throughout the galaxy. I have been hoping he would write a sci-fi book for years and Roswell Johnson Saves the World definitely didn't disappoint.

Roswell's journey was an enjoyable ride with so many dynamic characters. Each came alive throughout the pages. I loved the alien friends Roswell made and the team they built. It was fun traveling to their worlds and learning about each of their civilization's cultures. They worked together very well and brought so much to the story.

This had Chris's signature sense of humor which fills each of his novels. Along with the humor, it focuses on many hard-hitting and thought provoking topics. Parents, teachers, and students can start many important conversations with this book. It's a great mix of silly and serious. A perfect book for middle-grade readers and those young at heart. I know I always have a wonderful time whenever I visit one of his worlds.

Roswell stands out as the protagonist. His personality shines through even with so many eccentric characters, such as a talking alien which looks like a dog. Roswell is a character readers will relate to on many levels and is a great one for kids to read about. I look forward to seeing what Chris will write after this book. Hopefully, a sequel so we can see what will happen with Roswell, Nerp, Bleep, Rob, Mank, Cassi, and Stella.

Cannot wait for my preordered copy to arrive today. I highly recommend this book (especially the audiobook) for lovers of middle-grade books.

[4.5] If you love the alien moments from Stranger Than Fanfiction or the Sci-Fi story from An Author's Odyssey I'd highly recommend this as well! Also Cassi reminds me of Trollbella.

Action, adventure, and a tie to Roswell NM?! Count me in. I usually don’t read middle-grade/children’s books but will always make an exception for Chris Colfer’s imaginative storytelling, especially with his Land of Stories series.
This story follows 11 year old Roswell Johnson, (yes, named after *that* Roswell), a lover of all things space & alien conspiracies…too bad no one believes him! Discouraged, he’s up one night when he heads out to his grandparent’s chickens and is accidentally abducted by real aliens, which somehow isn’t the craziest part…but that Earth is in danger and it’s up to Roswell and his new friends to save mankind and the other worlds in the galaxy from being taken over by tyrants.
There’s tongue-in-cheek humor the adults can appreciate (see if you can figure out which billionaire(s) served as villain inspiration!) and plenty of adventure for young readers.
Thank you to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

When I saw Chris Colfer had a new book coming out- I knew I had to read it!
“Roswell Johnson Saves the World!” is quintessential Chris Colfer at his finest. The humor, wit, bombshells, family/friends, and heart…true perfection. The perfect middle grade book.
Thank you NetGalley for the advance copy! Truly- absolutely loved it.