THE ALIENS ARE COMING!

In this lighthearted riff on both Beatlemania and Orson Welles’s “War of the Worlds” broadcast, Peggy—cast in Thiesing’s high-energy cartoon illustrations as a pig with a period wardrobe headlined by a pink poodle skirt—becomes increasingly alarmed at media reports that “Aliens” are taking over the world. New readers can follow the invasion’s progress on background maps and globes, as Europe falls, followed by Japan, California, and the rest of the US in succession. Eventually, Peggy’s upstate New York town is next, and her terror knows no bounds—until the music starts, and she opens her eyes to see a quintet of canine musicians up on the stage. You guessed it. In no time, she’s joined the dance, exclaiming, “They’re out of this world!” Rock on. (Easy reader. 6-8)