Science fiction isn't my favorite genre, but the author did a good job of building suspense that kept me reading the book. ( )

Sleator, William, 1996. The night the heads came. Dutton Children’s Books.
Lost time and alien capture surround this tale of Leo, a teen struggling to find his best friend, Tim. Against the wishes of their parents, they set out on a quest to show Tim’s art but are captured by aliens. Leo is sent home but finds himself accused of wrongdoing and the plot thickens. His next contact with the aliens provides a mission and he moves through an old television-like set of adventures with vivid images conjured and edge-of-the-seat scenes. Young teen readers will related and admire Leo’s courage through the rest of the story – a classic, albeit somewhat predictable, good versus evil sci-fi tale, so popular with young readers growing and questioning their image and ability to fit in. Sleator (pronounced Slay-tir) is the author of close to 30 works for children and teens. Interstellar Pig may be his most popular work and the author believes it is his funniest. His newer popular tale, The Boy who Couldn’t Die, moves from sci-fi to horror with excellent reviews from his readers. ( )