That Thing in the Sky by Christopher Francis

Genre: Upper Elementary, Middle Grade, Fantasy
Source: I received a copy from StoryOrigin. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I really enjoyed this book. You have two ten year old children on their way home from school when they see something in the sky. Suddenly there is an explosion and black things dropping from the sky. A neigbor working on his farm is watching as well. They realize there is something in the haystack and go to investigate only to be chased by the strange broken horned, octopus looking alien. Both are kidnapped and place high up in a tree for the night.  Just what do the aliens want with them? Why are Bailey and Margaret so sure it doesn't mean them any harm?  

Christopher Francis has created an alien that on one hand is terrifying, yet you can't help but like. You start out scared, then you feel for the creature and want to help it.  He has left the end of the story nicely concluded, yet set up in case there is another one coming after it. (hint, hint)   I have not found a single one of his books that I didn't love. He does a great job with the setting.  I grew up on a farm in Indiana so I could picture the country setting he described.  When they first see the thing in the sky hovering over the silos and the cows acting strange I was taken to the night we saw a strange, quite hovering disk with lights all around it float over the trees along our driveway and hover over our hogs. The pigs were squealing like crazy. Like these kids I was scared, yet curious.  Then it just disappeared. No harm was done to our pigs. Every book I have read by this author has taken me back to my childhood. I believe that is why I love them so much and why I highly recommend them.