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You’ve seen the commercials for the new Dreamwork’s HOME movie. Now, find out about the author behind the books that inspired that movie!
Adam Rex is the New York Times best-selling author and illustrator of Frankenstein Makes A Sandwich. His other books include Pssst!, Moonday, The True Meaning of Smekday, Fat Vampire, and Cold Cereal. He also illustrated the Brixton Brothers series, Billy Twitters and his Blue Whale Problem, and Chloe and the Lion, all by Mac Barnett and Chu’s Day by Neil Gaiman. He lives in Tucson, Arizona. Visit him at adamrex.com.
Photo Credit: DreamWorks Home (c) 2015 DreamWorks Animation L.L.C.
ABOUT THE TRUE MEANING OF SMEKDAY – The book that inspired the HOME Movie!
It all starts with a school essay.
When twelve-year-old Gratuity (“Tip”) Tucci is assigned to write five pages on “The True Meaning of Smekday” for the National Time Capsule contest, she’s not sure where to begin. When her mom started telling everyone about the messages aliens were sending through a mole on the back of her neck? Maybe on Christmas Eve, when huge, bizarre spaceships descended on the Earth and the aliens—called Boov—abducted her mother? Or when the Boov declared Earth a colony, renamed it “Smekland” (in honor of glorious Captain Smek), and forced all Americans to relocate to Florida via rocketpod?
In any case, Gratuity’s story is much, much bigger than the assignment. It involves her unlikely friendship with a renegade Boov mechanic named J.Lo.; a futile journey south to find Gratuity’s mother at the Happy Mouse Kingdom; a cross-country road trip in a hovercar called Slushious; and an outrageous plan to save the Earth from yet another alien invasion.
Fully illustrated with “photos,” drawings, newspaper clippings, and comics sequences, this is a hilarious, perceptive, genre-bending novel from best-selling author Adam Rex.
ABOUT SMEK FOR PRESIDENT
In this much-anticipated sequel to The True Meaning of Smekday, Tip and J.Lo are back for another hilarious intergalactic adventure. And this time (and last time, and maybe next time), they want to make things right with the Boov.
After Tip and J.Lo banished the Gorg from Earth in a scheme involving the cloning of many, many cats, the pair is notorious—but not for their heroics. Instead, human Dan Landry has taken credit for conquering the Gorg, and the Boov blame J.Lo for ruining their colonization of the planet. Determined to clear his name, J.Lo, and Tip pack into Slushious, a Chevy that J.Lo has engineered into a fairly operational spaceship, and head to New Boovworld, the aliens’ new home on one of Saturn’s moons.
But their welcome isn’t quite as warm as Tip and J.Lo would have liked. J.Lo is dubbed Public Enemy Number One, and Captain Smek knows that capturing the alien is the only way he’ll stand a chance in the Boovs’ first-ever presidential election.
With the help of a friendly flying billboard named Bill, a journey through various garbage chutes, a bit of time travel, and a slew of hilarious Boovish accents, Tip and J.Lo must fight to set the record straight—and return home in one piece.
Stay Connected: #Smekday #HOME
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- Follow Adam Rex on Twitter
Activity Pages:
- and watch the movie trailer!
I think it’s fun for kids to be interested enough in a movie to want to read the book. I’m reading The Longest Ride.
The books and the movie look very interesting. Thanks for the great giveaway!
This book and film both look so charming. The author is so clever,
My kids want to see this movie. It looks so colorful and the characters look so cute.
I love to read these books. I would really love to see this movie.
We have not read the books or seen the movie but the family would love to all together.
I haven’t seen the movie yet but the promos are great. Jim Parsons is terrific and very talented. It’s nice to see good movies for kids being made. Ones that the whole family can watch without the adults cringing because of inappropriate content.
My kids are avid readers. I would love to give them the books because they really don’t get much of a chance to go to the movies.
We have not read the books or seen the movie yet. My granddaughter would love the books she loves to read
I haven’t seen the movie yet but I’ve heard it’s cute. I didn’t realize it was based on a book.
This movie and book look so cute. I didn’t know it was based on a book. I like Jim Parsons on BBT and Rihanna acts well from what I’ve seen so far in the ads.
I haven’t seen this movie yet, but my kids saw it with their dad. They absolutely loved it. They would be thrilled to own a copy of their own.
The books sounds cute and so does the movie. We haven’t seen it or read the books yet but look forward to it.
The movie looks really cute and I can’t wait to see it! I like to see family friendly movies.
The movie and books would be great reading.
I know the grand daughters would love them!
A clean interesting movie.
thank you
I’m thinking this movie will be cute and funny. I think my nephews would love both the books and movies.
This looks very cute. I will take my niece to see it.
I think the movie looks really fun and imaginative. Both my husband and I really enjoy the animated movies.
This really looks like a cute movie for the whole family to watch. I love that it has Jim Parsons in it.
I have never seen the movie. It sounds like a great family movie to watch with my grandchildren.
I think this looks like a good family movie. I am always looking for a movie with a non-princess-y female protagonist.
I have never read the books or seen the movie. I do think that I would love the movie because I love Jim Parsons and believe that this movie looks so cute from the movie trailers that have been advertised.
i am looking forward to taking my nieces to see this.
I would love to have the movie and books for us and the grandkids to watch and read. It looks like a good one.
I loved this book and am very excited to see the movie. I know my two girls will really like it.
These books sound great! My niece would absolutely love them. She’s coming to visit next week for her spring break and we’re going to see HOME in the theater. I can’t wait!
The movie looks cute for kids that are a little older. I don’t think toddlers would understand the concept of a new world and aliens taking over. They might laugh at the funny creatures and things they do, but I think it’s more for kids in the 3rd to 6th grade range and older 🙂
My grandson wants to see this movie. He has been telling me so, since they started previews of it on TV. He is 6 and picks only a rare few movies to be his favorites. He has chosen this one. Thanks for this. 🙂
My daughter is so anxious to see this movie everytime a commercial for it comes on she is glued. She is a huge lover of books as well, I am positive she would love this! thanks so much for the chance!
We have not read the books or seen the movie yet. All three of my kids wants to see the movie.
Oh! My kids are anxious to see this movie! It is a movie for the whole family that is wholesome!
We saw this the movie yesterday. It was so sweet! I would love to have these books so we can continue the fun!
Finally a family friendly movie comes out! My kids might be encouraged to read the books.
This looks like a great movie for the whole family! I would love to take my little grandson to see it.
I havent seen the movie yet, but i saw the short before another movie and liked it. The books look very cool as well and I’d love to check them out.
I think this is a great movie for kids.. It teaches them about road trips. and with books they can stop and look at all the pictures and ask any questions they have.