What Fell From the Sky by Adrianna Cuevas

What worked:

The book includes elements of historical fiction as it’s set in 1952 Texas. The Korean War is going on and Communism is a major threat to the United States and democracy. The Cold War is brewing and the book opens with Pineda’s class under their desks, practicing a nuclear bomb drill. Pineda’s father and most of the men in Soledad served in World War II so a feeling of patriotism is strong. An army corporal knows white soldiers don’t like taking orders from him since he’s black. People don’t have a high tolerance for things that are different so Pineda doesn’t feel fully accepted due to his half-Cuban heritage. Interestingly, the Author’s Note at the end of the book says the military exercise that’s so important to the plot actually happened in Texas.

The author has the alien, Luisa, resemble humans to make her more relatable to young readers. She has one head, two legs, two arms, and white hair but there are differences beyond that. Close observation will show she has two pupils in each eye and two eyelids covering them. Her six toes on each foot can be covered by shoes but her light gray skin is harder to hide. She doesn’t understand human languages but she seems to be a quick learner. Luisa’s parents explore life on different planets so she’s used to encountering other life forms. Body language and tone of voice help her grasp emotions but she doesn’t understand why some people hate others because of skin color.

The chapters alternate between Pineda and Luisa as they share contrasting points of view. Pineda’s protective side kicks in as he makes it his responsibility to keep Luisas safe. He can identify with Luisa feeling different from white people and his chapters include subtle, and some blatant, insults he hears from other citizens. Luisa’s chapters share her confusion and fear as she tries to make sense of the world. Some moments are highlighted by single letters like B is for barn, H is for headache, or C is for confused. The author changes the chapter pattern late in the book as she features several other characters. This variation shows how the town finally begins to work together although the community fair at the end demonstrates they still have a way to go.

What didn’t work as well:

Luisa’s chapters are told as though readers are in her mind but the narrative is written in perfect English. It’s confusing when her mind says she doesn’t understand what’s happening or what is said yet the narrative clearly explains those very ideas. One chapter about her is very short and basic and it better displays how her mind might be working.

The final verdict:

This seems to be a simple, innocent story of an alien on Earth but readers will discover it has heart. Pineda and his friends are determined to help Luisa even though she’s different and only wants to go home with her parents. Young readers will enjoy the innocent alien and the pranks unleashed to help her escape. I recommend you give this book a shot.