My Teacher Is an Alien

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My Teacher is an Alien is a four-book science fiction children's book series by Bruce Coville. The titles include:

• My Teacher is an Alien (1989)
• My Teacher Fried my Brains (1991)
• My Teacher Glows in the Dark (1991)
• My Teacher Flunked the Planet (1992)

[edit] Plot summary

The plot is about three American children, Peter Thompson, who is considered to be a nerd, Susan Simmons and Duncan Dougal the bully. Susan discovers that their unfriendly teacher, Mr. Smith, is actually an undercover alien, an orange-eyed green humanoid called Broxholm, who seems to be planning a world invasion. He calls upon Peter for help, and later for Duncan. Later, they find out that Broxholm's intentions are much more complex about the fate of Earth, and that many other aliens lurk behind.

The children publicly reveal Mr. Smith to be Broxholm, the alien; he is forced to escape Earth. Peter, who is sick of life on Earth (especially due to his indifferent father), decides to help him in his runaway in order to go with him. (My Teacher is An Alien). Broxholm agrees and takes him on his spaceship, which brings both of them to a huge space station called the New Jersey (named after the American state by an alien fond of Earth, due to its being approximately the same size as New Jersey). Peter meets several colorful aliens, such as Dr. Kritzklumpf (nicknamed "Croc Doc" by Peter) the red crocodile-like surgeon, and Hoo-Lan the phosphorescent blue-skinned dwarf who becomes Peter's mentor. Peter finds out, after meeting a great interplanetary council, that aliens from all over the universe are worrying about the danger posed by planet Earth, where humans act very uncivilized towards each other, causing world hunger, dictatorships, natural devastation and war. Fearing humans may one day invent interstellar travel and break the galaxy-wide peace, the extraterrestrials try to make a decision about the fate of Earth, debating whether they should leave it alone to develop, to invade it, blockade it, or destroy it. (My Teacher Glows in the Dark).

Meanwhile, back on Earth, Duncan Dougal finds out that another undercover alien is amongst his teachers. Being a notorious bully, he has trouble to get people to trust him. He later finds that his favorite teacher, young cooking instructor Miss Karpou, is actually Kreeblim, a green-skinned tentacle-haired female alien who has a pet "poot" (A small, yellowish-white alien slug creature). Kreeblim was working with Broxholm when he was forced to escape without her. In order to call for help, she uses a cerebral machine on Duncan which stimulates his brain functions. Aside from making him a genius (and a generally nicer person to be around), this allows her to use his brain as a signal receptor to contact the other aliens for help. (My Teacher Fried My Brains).

Peter, Susan and Duncan end up together again with Kreeblim and Broxholm as they decide to join their forces to defend Earth in front of the interplanetary council. In order to do this, they explore Earth to find a proof that humanity is worth saving. (My Teacher Flunked the Planet.)

[edit] Computer game

A computer game based on the series was produced by 7th Level and Byron Preiss Multimedia Company.^[1] Players can take the perspective of the three main children in the series, Peter Thompson, Duncan Dougal or Susan Simmons.

[edit] References