Robbie Packford—Alien Monster

Elizabeth Levin is chair of the Psychology Department at Laurentian
University.

Aliens, monsters, robots gone mad, mythological creatures, space
travel—what more could a young sci-fi fan want in a novel? This
science-fiction adventure is sure to hold the attention of its young
readers.

Robbie Packford is a nerdy sixth-grader who is primarily interested in
NHL stats and the law of probability when Jamie, an even geekier
newcomer to his school, befriends him. Jamie gives Robbie an
invincibility formula to drink, and Robbie turns into an alien reptile.
Jamie and his scientist friend Dr. Freedelhum need Robbie’s help in
saving the planet Kerbosky from its robots. The robots, which are
supposed to obey the “Master Ordinance” to be nice, have taken
control of Kerbosky. The rest of the story describes how Robbie, who has
been turned into the mythological creature known as “Campy,” saves
the planet and is safely returned to Earth.

This fantasy novel, which comprises 15 short chapters, is well written
and includes just a few pen-and-ink illustrations to break up the text.
My only quibble is with the use of the terms “socials,” which must
be a regionalism for social studies, and “sentient” (as in
“sentient beings”), a concept that is probably well beyond the
understanding of the average youngster and should be explained. All in
all, though, the book is a fun read and will be enjoyed by children in
Grades 3 to 6. Highly recommended.