My Alien Penfriend by Faiz Kermani is a fun and unique science fiction fantasy book about a young boy on earth and his pen-pal on another planet. After joining a youth group that connects people across the universe, the boys write letters to each other and send them through spacemail, a futuristic version of email. These letters are used for a majority of the story telling technique employed by Mr. Kermani. Life on the planet Bartoch is about to undergo huge changes. Governments refusing the advice of a controversial scientist pay for this mistake with many lives and utter destruction of communities. Worry for his friend sets in during a communication shutdown with the planet and the depth of their friendship takes on a whole new meaning for both boys. My Alien Penfriend is an interesting tale of two boys ranging in age from 11-15 who learn from each other by comparing differences and similarities of each others planets and in the process, they develop a strong intergalactic friendship that will last a lifetime. Author Faiz Kermani is a scientist by trade, and My Alien Penfriend is his first childrens book. A fan of Roald Dahl, George Orwell and John Steinbeck, his style certainly reflects a love for space and children. This illustrated childrens book is tidy package at 94 pages and retails for under $12 (US). Many parents may find themselves reminiscing about their own childhood pen-pals and the excitement they felt waiting for each letter. Educators can use the book to encourage pen-pal writing with youth in other countries and improve creative writing skills. Author: Faiz Kermani Publisher: Author House ISBN: 1-4208-5860-2 ~ Book Reviewer: Lillian Brummet - Co-author of the book Trash Talk, a guide for anyone concerned about his or her impact on the environment Author of Towards Understanding, a collection of poetry. (http://www.sunshinecable.com/~drumit) |
