I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed the narration. What Fell from the Sky is a heartwarming fun dventure, that takes place during the 50s atomic scare and UFO craze. A rural small-town is the perfect setting for this tale of military overreach, and search for belonging, which will take Pineda and his friends on a journey of self-discovery, facing questions about identity, how they are perceived by others, and how they in turn view people around them, including their peculiar neighbor who stands out in the rigid social fabric. To help their new friend they will have to face the invading forces upending their town, and the daunting question of what home really is, and if you can keep a piece of it with you wherever you are, instead of being forced to leave everything behind. This book is filled with deep friendships, daring escapes fueled by pranks, baked goods, and secret evil plots that beg to be thwarted—all wrapped in a warm message of acceptance and celebration. I would definitely recommend this book to my young readers.
Thank you NetGalley for the audioARC to preview.

What Fell from the Sky by Adrianna Cuevas is a captivating blend of historical fiction and sci-fi that delivers a heartfelt story with lovable characters and a powerful message of kindness. The seamless integration of genres creates a unique and immersive narrative, while the richly drawn characters and their relationships add depth and warmth. Cuevas’s emphasis on embracing new people and experiences is both timely and timeless, making this book a must-read for anyone who enjoys thought-provoking, character-driven stories with a touch of wonder. It’s a truly unforgettable read!

What fell from the sky? Well, seems like more than you would expect in Texas! Told from the point of view of a middle school boy, Pinada, the concept of being different and trying to fit in is highlighted through several characters. Pinada is half Mexican and half American. He shares how he code switches depending on who he is with- including his name. His family lives in TX and his dad had served in the military, so when the government asks to use their land for military training they agree. In school Pinada and his friends practice hiding under their desks - per the instructions of "Shelly" the turtle who warns them about bombings. The big twist to this story is when Louisa (named by Pinada for his grandmother) falls from the sky and lands in his barn. This alien girl has lost her parents after arriving on an asteroid. It is heartwarming to read as Pinada, his friends and family take care of her and try to protect her from the government. Turns out they are using the training as a guise to find the aliens. In addition, one of the Sergeant's befriends the kids and his struggles as a black solider are highlighted as he navigates the humane treatment of those around him. Great addition of the surprising "mean" neighbor helping out and building a community.
Topics:diversity, protecting those you love, accepting differences, fitting in, friendship
Recommended: grades 4+

#netgallery

Every middle grade kid needs to read this, every human being needs to read this! This should be read to all 5th graders, at minimum.

This is a middle grade crossover genre of historical fiction and sci-fi. A military operation takes over a Texas town, but quickly things go south as a 12yo boy realizes that the military isn’t all that fell from the sky. An alien girl and her parents also came to Earth at the same time and got separated after they arrive. Our main character, Pineda, and his friends help the alien girl, Louisa, reunite with her family and break down fear of “different”.

What I loved about this book:
1. It displays true kindness in people, which is needed in society
2. The story is fast paced and exciting, never boring
3. There’s an emphasis on putting others before yourself
4. Highlights racial tensions that continue to exist today, helping people see the silliness of treating anyone differently just because of how they look
5. Biblical principle to love our neighbor seems to be a central theme, although not overtly spiritual


I highly recommend for everyone. I suggest ages 8+. There are scenes of military officers with guns that could be frightening to smaller children. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

I really enjoyed this book! I thought the author did a great job talking about racism, but didn't dumb it down for kids. It was great to see how "aliens" weren't all that different from us and how the kids understood that. I enjoyed how not everyone got on board with helping the aliens because that is how life is sometimes. I enjoyed the Corporal Shipley character and I thought did the author did a great job depicting his struggle in the 1950's. Over all a great book for tweens!

This middle-grade book is an amazing tale! I loved the characters, and the plot moved so quickly that I was entertained the entire time. It really gets you in your feelings, and the moral of the story was prominent and felt appropriate for current events. The narrators were excellent and did justice to the story. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to listen to this book.

This was my fourth Adrianna Cuevas read so far, and I think it ties with The Ghosts of Rancho Espanto for my favorite! I just so appreciate the way Cuevas writes books that appeal to both my students and to me as a teacher. What Fell from the Sky features her most lovable characters so far, and I highly recommend listening to the audiobook which has multiple narrators for all the different POVs, thus truly bringing the story to life. I will absolutely being adding a copy of this to my classroom library, and I recommend this book for middle graders who enjoy Stranger Things, Kelly Yang books, and stories that tug at your heartstrings.

Thank you to NetGalley for my advanced reader and listener copies!

When I first started reading this book, I thought it was going to be historical, but as it went on, and Pineda encountered an alien, I realize it was going to be more science-fiction. I like the book OK I didn’t love it. But that could just be because I’m not a big. Science fiction person. I did like that it was set in Texas.

"What Fell From the Sky" is a fantastic blend of historical fiction based on true events with science fiction straight from the author's imagination. This story blends an adventure story of self discovery and friendship with history and social commentary.

At the height of the Cold War, thousands of soldiers fell from the sky and took over a small Texas town. The Aggressor Nation which liberated Texas was actually an army exercise in preparedness for a communist invasion. the townspeople played along with the scenario at first, but eventually they became embittered by the destructive army forces. Adrianna Cuevas wondered how people would have reacted if the soldiers weren't the only thing that fell from the sky. This great middle grade novel follows a sixth grade boy who discovers an alien girl hiding in his barn.

Cuevas has set the scene with a picturesque depiction of a small town in the early 1950's and populated it with a colorful collection of characters. The story alternates from the point of view of a half Cuban kid who tries to blend in and a frightened young girl who has been separated from her parents. Since Pineda can't replicate the sounds of her language, he names her Louisa and promises to help her find her parents. When it becomes evident that the Louisa's parents have been captured by the military and that soldiers are actually on an alien hunt searching for her, the stakes become even higher. Pineda can't save the visitors alone, and soon enlists the help of his friends, a black soldier in a newly integrated army, and eventually the disgruntled townspeople. The friends consist of a diverse group of characters and the story is reminiscent of "The Goonies" in that respect. The adults in this story are also well fleshed out and entertaining. This fast paced story was an engrossing read that I could not put down.

One of the things that makes this story fantastic is that it explores how people who are different have always been treated. The book shows a historic view of the issue, but it is a problem that persists to this day. Pineda and his mother do not speak Spanish in public. He his mom and his friend Ernesto are all known by anglicised names instead of their actual ones. They try to blend in. This is one of the reasons that Pineda can empathise with the alien. Parents and teachers can use the book to launch important discussions with children. They can find a video of author Adrianna Cuevas explaining the historical background of the novel as well as an extensive teacher guide on the author's website: https://www.adriannacuevas.com/teache...


I alternated between the ebook and the audiobook and this is one of the few books that I can honestly claim is "better as an audiobook." Many audiobooks have one narrator but since most of the book alternates between the points of view of the two protagonists, each has a seperate narrator and they did a fantastic job. However the last several chapters of the book are each from the point of view of a different character. This Dreamcast audiobook is a full cast production with different actors for each of these chapters. This approach made the audiobook delightful. The only negative part of this edition is that it did not include the author's note that was at the end of the text version where she explained that the book was based on true events"- except for the aliens".

I accessed advanced digital editions of this book from the publisher, but my review is voluntary. I loved this book and recommend it to any middle grade science fiction fan.

Holy baloney - I absolutely loved this book!! What a non-stop, thrilling adventure performed by an incredible cast. Extraterrestrials land in a small 1950s Texas town to explore the planet at the same time the military runs a massive training exercise. 6th grader Pineda is caught in the middle of everything as he discovers the visitor from another planet who he calls Louisa and must work with his friends to reunite her with her parents and escape Earth. OH MY HEART IT HAS ALL THE BEST ET VIBES in an action-packed rescue mission where the characters must confront racism, anti-immigration prejudice, and treating others differently so that the community can come together to save these visitors from what the government has in store for them. I laughed! I gasped! I was guessing until the very end! And why did the Dad's chapter make me cry?!?! One of the things that is so special about this production is that we have alternating POV between Pineda and Louisa for most of the story, but then as the rescue team expands from the friend group to the community at large, the POVs and acting cast also expand. Such a brilliant marriage of narrative and production techniques. Chills! MG readers are going to devour this book - have pie snacks handy! Highly recommend!!!

What Fell From the Sky is a historical science fiction read for middle grade. The story focuses on acceptance and the evils of racism. Readers will enjoy the quirky characters and the fantastic narration. Recommended for all middle grade collections.

This is a strange mix of historical fiction and sci-fi. Set in a small Texas town that is simulating a communist take-over, a young boy finds a young alien. He realizes that she has lost her family and wants to help her find them. A black corporal, in the newly integrated army, decides to help the boy and his friends disguise and hide the young alien.

The backdrop of the historical simulation of communist takeover is already mind bending enough but adding in aliens took it a step further than I felt comfortable with. I spent more time working on suspending my disbelief than reading. I explain the concept to a small group of students and they were not interested in reading it. I am sure there is an audience for this book but I am not sure that I have that audience at my elementary school..

There is an underlying message of accepting those who are different. While this is an important message, especially for kids, it has been done in better ways in other books.

The dual POV turned to multi-POV at the end, makes the story choppy. The narrators did help with this compared to the ARC.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and Net Galley for the DLC. All opinions are my own.

Pineda and his classmates are bored by the commonplace missile practices at school when one day soldiers start parachuting into his town of Soledad.

They are there to take over and even arrest the mayor. It isn’t until much later, and after they’re terrified, that the kids learn this is all a military exercise.

What’s not an exercise is the sudden appearance of a young alien girl in their midst. She’s been separated from her parents and just wants to go home.

Pineda and his friends set out to help her and along the way help teach their town about what community really means.

(4.5/5 stars)

What Fell From The Sky by Adrianna Cuevas is a middle-grade historical science-fiction novel inspired by real-life history.

Pineda, a Cuban-American boy, lives in rural Texas with his parents during the cold war. One day, US soldiers parachute into town as a training exercise to mimic a communist take-over. However, they weren't the only things to fall from the sky that day; Pineda soon finds an alien girl who crash-landed in his family's barn.

This was such a delightful read! I laughed out loud several times, including some good cackles. I highly recommend the audiobook version--there are multiple narrators and they all do a phenomenal job.

There were so many important topics discussed in this book, and all were very well covered from a middle-grade lens. The author also has a ton of resources available on her website!

I had never heard of this military exercise before, but it was a fascinating rabbit hole to go down, especially in this day and age.

What a charming and thoughtful book! I can't wait to recommend this one to my students. Adrianna Cuevas used the idea of an alien crash landing in Texas in the height of the Cold War to talk about so much more than just that. This is a compelling story about a town chosen for a seemingly innocuous military exercise that turns out to be a cover for an extraterrestrial manhunt. Penida, a Cuban-American boy, who is ostracized by some in town for his own differences, finds a alien girl in his barn and he and his friends, all misfits in their own right, set off to reunite her with her parents. That adventurous story would be delightful on its own, but what happens next was my favorite part. I LOVED seeing the town decide they'd had enough and come together to run the military out of their town, while helping Louisa, the alien, and her parents return to their home. The entire book is a beautiful way to teach children the dangers of bigotry and prejudice, as well, as of following orders without asking questions. It feels like a very timely story. I will definitely be sharing with my students.

The narration for the audiobook is unique. I thought it was a simple dual narration between the characters of Penida and Louisa, but as the book starts to draw to its climax, many other characters get a chapter in the book and the full cast narration really works some magic to bring the book around to its conclusion. If you have access to audiobooks, I'd highly recommend picking this up in that format.

This was a fun historical scifi, a bit different from what Adrianna Cuevas has written in the past. There is a very obvious theme on accepting people for their differences and the racism is bad.

This is supposed to be based on something that actually happened (I'm assuming the part about the military taking over a town, not the alien). The audiobook had nothing about that so I hope the physical copy does.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced audio copy.

Adrianna Cuevas's What Fell From the Sky is a captivating story that seamlessly blends science fiction, historical context, and powerful themes of acceptance and belonging.
The full cast audiobook truly elevates the experience, bringing the diverse characters and their emotions to life with remarkable depth.
The story, which I'd describe as "ET meets the Cold War in Texas," takes place in Soledad, Texas, where a seemingly routine military training exercise quickly evolves into a hunt for extraterrestrial life.
Pineda and his friends find themselves thrust into a situation where they must do everything they can to help Luisa return to her family.
Cuevas masterfully explores themes of alienation, segregation, and the painful process of shedding parts of oneself to conform to societal expectations. The book's exploration of these complex issues, set against the backdrop of the Cold War, makes for a compelling and thought-provoking read.

While What Fell From the Sky is undoubtedly a powerful book for children, its themes of standing up for what's right, even when it's difficult, resonate deeply with adult readers as well. The narrators' exceptional performances perfectly capture the nuances of each character, further enriching the listening experience.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

I received this audiobook from Dreamscape Media via NetGalley and the Libro.fm ALC program in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for the audio opportunity to listen and immerse myself in this middle grade book. Our main character is faced with a dilemma - a creature not from Planet Earth has found themselves landing inside his barn. What comes is a group of middle schoolers determined to help their friend while the Texas government acts stranger and stranger. This is an eerie echo (the historical parts) on what is slowly occuring at the moment and I think kids and adults can relate to this diverse group merely trying to survive. I will definitely be picking up a copy for my classroom and implementing it as a class novel for Fall 2025/Spring 2026.

Adrianna Cuevas blends historical fiction and science fiction in What Fell from the Sky, a middle-grade novel set in 1952 Soledad, Texas. The story follows Pineda Matlage, a boy who just wants to pull pranks and get through the school year with his friends. However, his world is upended when American soldiers take over his town for a "training exercise." Pineda soon realizes their presence is more than just military drills—they’re searching for something. What they don’t know is that Pineda has been hiding a mysterious alien girl, Louisa, in his family’s barn, promising to help her reunite with her family.

One of the novel’s strongest aspects is its exploration of identity, prejudice, and belonging. Pineda, whose is Cuban American, constantly hides parts of his culture—he doesn’t correct people when they don't call him by his true name, avoids speaking Spanish in public, and tries to blend in to avoid unwanted attention. His struggles parallel Louisa’s, as she also grapples with feeling different and unwelcome in a place that doesn’t accept her because of how she looks. These themes make What Fell from the Sky thought-provoking and a great conversation starter for young readers.

I appreciated the dual perspective, allowing readers to hear from both Pineda and Louisa. This was especially effective for Louisa, as she doesn’t speak English when she crash-lands on Earth. Through her perspective, we still get insight into her emotions and experiences. The audiobook enhances this with two separate narrators. Another highlight was the historical element of Operation Long Horn, which could inspire further discussion or research for kids.

However, I had some mixed feelings. While the military exercise was engaging, younger readers who pick up this book expecting a fast-paced alien rescue may be disappointed. The "rescue mission" is brief, only occurring at the very end of the book. Additionally, while I heard a lot from Pineda and Louisa, I never felt deeply connected to the characters. Though I enjoyed the dual perspective, the sudden shift to multiple viewpoints near the end—jumping from Pineda and Louisa to the townspeople and soldiers—felt jarring and unnecessary. Lastly, while I liked that Pineda’s mother spoke Spanish throughout the book, I wish there had been translations for non-Spanish-speaking readers, as the meaning wasn’t always clear.

Overall, What Fell from the Sky is an enjoyable read with meaningful themes, but it doesn’t leave a lasting impact. The mix of historical and sci-fi elements makes it unique, but the slower pacing and lack of emotional depth held it back for me. That said, it’s a solid book for young readers interested in historical fiction with a light sci-fi twist.

This middle grade book loving girl was seriously overjoyed listening to this. What a spectacular story told in such a gentle & charming way.

Pineda is a cuban american boy living in a rural town in texas during the cold war. When a military operation blows into town, mimicking a communist military take over, Pineda & his friends have to learn to cope with new rules & and a new way of life. But that isn’t the only out of the ordinary occurrence. Pineda happens upon an alien girl in his family’s barn who crashed here & lost her parents. With the help of his friends, Pineda embarks on a quest to keep his new friend safe from the military surrounding them & reunite her with her family.

This was an incredible work of sci-if mixed with historical fiction. I had never heard of Operation Long Horn before & was so interested to look into more on my own. The idea of wrapping together the red scare with aliens & the fear of the other is, of course, a perfect metaphor. Combined with Pineda & his own struggle as a half cuban boy living in Texas in the 50s, this was an enchanting story about unity & the importance of loving all of our neighbors (even the outer space ones) as ourselves.

This was such a reminder for me of why I love middle grade fiction so much. There’s always such wonderful lessons and stories, told with the wit, humor & language that is accessible even to children. Was absolutely enamored with this read & hope it gets the love it absolutely deserves!

Thank you so much to NetGalley & Dreamscape Media for this ARC!