Sweet Valley Kids #29: Andy and the Alien

Andy is kind of a nerd. He likes science and all the type of stuff that will make him one of Elizabeth's best friends in junior high or high school. All the kids make fun of him, especially when he starts talking about how he believes in aliens. The twins and all their friends are just way too smart and too sophisticated to believe in aliens.

The twins can't wait for their class trip to the lake for Field Day. The other kids all make fun of Andy for bringing a camera and science stuff with him. Charlie steals his lunch, Jerry trips him during the bag race, and they generally make his life hell. When he gets the chance, he decides to sneak away from the group and check things out on his own because there were recent reports of alien sightings in the area. Charlie, Todd, Jessica, Liz, and Lila all follow him.

After making fun of his some more, they come across a large clearing with some weird metal tools and large white boxes. The girls get a little freaked out, and the guys get freaked out too when Andy says one of the tools is an alien probe. They all want to run away but aren't sure where to go. A figure in a creepy white outfit comes out of the woods, which sends the kids running off in tears.

Andy stays behind, and when they sneak back, they see him interacting with the figure. They finally work up the courage to go back. The figure reaches up, takes off its head, and reveals that he's just a normal guy. Actually, he's one of the park rangers. The white boxes are beehives, and the metal tools are smoke guns. He gives them a short lesson on how he keeps his bees before giving them directions back to the lake.

The kids finally decide that Andy isn't so bad and run back. They get back just in time for the three legged race. Since this is a Sweet Valley book, the twins naturally win. They then giggle and talk about their upcoming Grand Canyon trip. Sadly, I've never read that book, nor do I own a copy.

*Jessica and Elizabeth bring their lunch and sweaters in a backpack. Jess lets Liz carry it early in the day so she can do it later when it's lighter, so I guess she's always been “that way.”

*Supposedly, the third graders get to do a survival course with rope walks, climbing areas, and all that stuff. That seems a little advanced for eight and nine year olds!

*Andy is such a dork that even Winston makes fun of him. That's pretty bad in the grand scheme of things.