Rating: 
Summary: One of the new classic series for children
Review: A truly great series. I first read it was I was probably 11 or 12 (which is the target-audience). I loved them. I have read them probably 5 or 6 times. Coville is an excellent writer, but this will be one of his crowning achievements in the genre of children's literature. Now I am twenty. I pulled out my old dusty copies of these works, and as soon as I finish Hunt for the Autumn Clowns I'm going to take a quick trip down memory lane with this serious (before I tackle the Potter books and R. Jordan). This is a very well-constructed series. The first book is an absolute classic. Although the others are excellent, just like Lion, Witch, Wardrobe this will be the one everyone thinks of when they think of the series. It has classic elements of an alien trying to kidnap people to do experiments and testing on. Save in this (if I remember correctly) you don't know WHY he wants the people, or kids. Then we go to the second, My Teacher Fried My Brains. A very lovable sequel, it is here we get into the mind of Duncan Dougal, the bully in the first book. We find "poots", a Medusa-like alien, and machine that makes you perceive music/TV in yr head and makes you a zillion times smarter (the zillion being a rough estimate, of course ;)). And it seems, perhaps, there is something more to the aliens then at first they thought. Won't give any spoilers away, so don't worry. But there is a nice little surprise at the end. Then we get to the third volume, My Teacher Glows in the Dark. My personal favorite, it's set on the spaceship New Jersey. It introduced all sorts of nice imagery, and concepts I have used in my own writings (The URAT. Surgically installed device, so you can understand the other creatures on board. Though not by device, I have used similar methods to cross over the language barrier when I want to have different species get together in my own stories for any suspended period of time). We get to meet the lovable Hoo-Lan, who is quite the doll. It is set entirely on the ship (with the exception of an instance where they go onto another planet), as state up above, so we get to see fascinating alien environments. Then we get to the fourth, My Teacher Flunked the Planet. It is here the series as a whole climaxes. It is the darkest story of the lot, primarily because of its subject matter is a lot denser and much more real in the sense of tragedy than the other three stories. The others build up to this moment. From a writer's standpoint, this is a most excellent case or instance of carefully crafted and wrought stories for children. It is here Coville ties up the loose ends (and there are quite a few). The ending is a very interesting concept or perception of humanity. Although I am a Christian, and I do not agree with the whole evolution idea, for the sake of the story it worked. It is much more of a sentimental favorite for me, because I grew up reading (and reading and reading and reading) these four volumes. As I said, my personal favorite is the third story. The only problem with this one is it is heavily dependent on the others three books to carry the story. My Teacher is an Alien, which was never intended for a series, is the most stand alone of all the books. It has the most distinct feel of a modern children's classic.* But, unlike The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (for me), this is as good as the rest of them. Then the publishers wanted more because it turned out to be an unexpected hit. So he wrote the second. It is stand alone - to a point. You can tell there is more coming, and the issue is not resolved. Then the third one just exaggerates that feeling. Its like Act I builds and sets the rules. It doesn't need another thing to be complete. It is complete in sense it is self-contained. Act II further complicates Act I, and hints at what is to be in Act III. But to be complete, it needs Act III. Act III comes along. Originally, according to the preface in the Collector's edition, it was supposed to be a trilogy, but the story was too long, so he divided up into two parts. Act III in this instances just builds and intensifies the need for completion. It depends on the two acts before it to build up to it, and then it depends on Act IV to complete it. Act IV is the completion. (Much of what I say here echoes what George Lucas said of Star Wars in the interview released with them when they rereleased the Star Wars original edition. ESB is the best in that series, but, just like Book 2 and 3 in this series, need RoJ to be completed, and is not a stand alone film). * (When I say a classic feel, its just like The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. All the Narnia books are classics and are most excellent [scary, now I'm sounding like Bill and Ted - yike!], but LWW has the most classic feel of them all, and, btw, is my least favorite of the series. It has some classic scenes, especially Tumnus the Faun standing in the wood with parcels and an umbrella. But overall, the Christianity is way too explicit. I like, if you are using fantasy as a vehicle to express Christianity, not to be beat over the head with it, which is what I feel Lewis did with Aslan and the Stone Table. I love Narnia, and LWW is good, but the others are so MUCH better!) Narnia is better than this, however, and most children's fiction for that matter.
Rating:
Summary: A Most Excellent Series
Review: A truly great series. I first read it was I was probably 11 or 12 (which is the target-audience). I loved them. I have read them probably 5 or 6 times. Coville is an excellent writer; this is one of his crowning achievements in children's literature. Now I am twenty. I pulled out my old dusty copies of these works, and as soon as I finish Hunt for the Autumn Clowns I'm going to take a quick trip down memory lane with this serious (before I tackle the Potter books and R. Jordan). This is a very well-constructed series. The first book is an absolute classic. Although the others are excellent, just like Lion, Witch, Wardrobe this will be the one everyone thinks of when they think of the series. It has classic elements of an alien trying to kidnap people to do experiments and testing on. Save in this (if I remember correctly) you don't know WHY he wants the people, or kids. Then we go to the second, My Teacher Fried My Brains. A very lovable sequel, it is here we get into the mind of Duncan Dougal, the bully in the first book. We find "poots", a Medusa-like alien, and machine that makes you perceive music/TV in yr head and makes you a zillion times smarter (the zillion being a rough estimate, of course ;)). And it seems, perhaps, there is something more to the aliens then at first they thought. Won't give any spoilers away, so don't worry. But there is a nice little surprise at the end. Then we get to the third volume, My Teacher Glows in the Dark. My personal favorite, it's set on the spaceship New Jersey. It introduced all sorts of nice imagery, and concepts I have used in my own writings (The URAT. Surgically installed device, so you can understand the other creatures on board. Though not by device, I have used similar methods to cross over the language barrier when I want to have different species get together in my own stories for any suspended period of time). We get to meet the lovable Hoo-Lan, who is quite the doll. It is set entirely on the ship (with the exception of an instance where they go onto another planet), as state up above, so we get to see fascinating alien environments. Then we get to the fourth, My Teacher Flunked the Planet. It is here the series as a whole climaxes. It is the darkest story of the lot, primarily because of its subject matter is a lot denser and much more real in the sense of tragedy than the other three stories. The others build up to this moment. From a writer's standpoint, this is a most excellent case or instance of carefully crafted and wrought stories for children. It is here Coville ties up the loose ends (and there are quite a few). The ending is a very interesting concept or perception of humanity. Although I am a Christian, and I do not agree with the whole evolution idea, for the sake of the story it worked. It is much more of a sentimental favorite for me, because I grew up reading (and reading and reading and reading) these four volumes. As I said, my personal favorite is the third story. The only problem with this one is it is heavily dependent on the others three books to carry the story. My Teacher is an Alien, which was never intended for a series, is the most stand alone of all the books. It has the most distinct feel of a modern children's classic.* But, unlike The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (for me), this is as good as the rest of them. Then the publishers wanted more because it turned out to be an unexpected hit. So he wrote the second. It is stand alone - to a point. You can tell there is more coming, and the issue is not resolved. Then the third one just exaggerates that feeling. Its like Act I builds and sets the rules. It doesn't need another thing to be complete. It is complete in sense it is self-contained. Act II further complicates Act I, and hints at what is to be in Act III. But to be complete, it needs Act III. Act III comes along. Originally, according to the preface in the Collector's edition, it was supposed to be a trilogy, but the story was too long, so he divided up into two parts. Act III in this instances just builds and intensifies the need for completion. It depends on the two acts before it to build up to it, and then it depends on Act IV to complete it. Act IV is the completion. (Much of what I say here echoes what George Lucas said of Star Wars in the interview released with them when they rereleased the Star Wars original edition. ESB is the best in that series, but, just like Book 2 and 3 in this series, need RoJ to be completed, and is not a stand alone film). * (When I say a classic feel, its just like The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. All the Narnia books are classics and are most excellent [scary, now I'm sounding like Bill and Ted - yike!], but LWW has the most classic feel of them all, and, btw, is my least favorite of the series. It has some classic scenes, especially Tumnus the Faun standing in the wood with parcels and an umbrella. But overall, the Christianity is way too explicit. I like, if you are using fantasy as a vehicle to express Christianity, not to be beat over the head with it, which is what I feel Lewis did with Aslan and the Stone Table. I love Narnia, and LWW is good, but the others are so MUCH better!) Narnia is better than this, and most children's fiction for that matter.
Rating:
Summary: Suspenseful and shocking from page to page!
Review: At the beginning of this great book, a girl named Susan who has a friend named Peter followed Mr.Smith, the teacher, home and finds out that Mr. Smith is an ALIEN. You'll love this book and it gets very interesting and exciting at the end.
Rating: 
Summary: Great beginning to a great quadrilogy(? )
Review: Bruce Coville is undoubtedly one of my top children's book authors, and this book is almost unanimously regarded as his classic. The story is simple and yet intriguing, and the use of Susan Simmons as the main character is neat in opposition to the male-oriented viewpoint of Duncan and Peter that is shown in the next three books in the series. Don't let the hokey title or cover throw you off-- this book may seem simplistic, and the plot is little different than that of other generic "alien invasion!" novels, but the next three books, particularly the third and ESPECIALLY the fourth, have a rather bleak and depressing overall tone (the fourth, in particular, I can't believe that Coville released to a sixth-grade reading audience-- I'm surprised that half of them didn't end up committing suicide). This novel's sort of the "calm before the storm," and a darn fine one at that.
Rating:
Summary: This Book is Soo Cool!
Review: Coville's books have a unique charm that makes people wish to read them for years after they've passed the suggested age limit. The title makes it sound like a fifties B movie, but My Teacher is an Alien is far from that. This story, which starts off the quadrilogy (in which ordinary, typical middle school children find themselves trying to save the earth) contains believeable characters, vivid imagery, and a fresh perspective on young reactions to alien invaders.
Rating:
Summary: An old favorite!
Review: Coville's books have a unique charm that makes people wish to read them for years after they've passed the suggested age limit. The title makes it sound like a fifties B movie, but My Teacher is an Alien is far from that. This story, which starts off the quadrilogy (in which ordinary, typical middle school children find themselves trying to save the earth) contains believeable characters, vivid imagery, and a fresh perspective on young reactions to alien invaders.
Rating:
Summary: An Awesome Alien Adventure!
Review: Do you like mystery, adventure, or both, and are you in grades 4-6? If so, you will love "My Teacher is An Alien"! I liked this book because it really drew me in to read it. It is about these two sixth graders who find out that their teacher is an alien. They sneak into his house to prrove that he is an alien. They have to un-mask him or they will be taking a little trip to space. Will the kids stay or go? Read to find out...
Rating:
Summary: ONE OF THE BEST SCI-FI BOOKS EVER WRITTEN!
Review: I have to admit, i'm a big bruce coville fan. but this is the book that made me one. i read it for the first time in 3rd grade, and quite simply, its stayed one of my most favorite book even after all these years! It has a absolutely awesome mix of sarcastic,sassy yet real humor, wonderful characters-(susan and peter are believable) and the plot is fast and suspenseful, it never lets go. it's also not too farfetched, so you don't have to be a star trek fan or something to like it.LOOOOOOVE THIS NOVEL! i recommend EVERYONE, no matter how old you are, to read it!
Rating:
Summary: I couldn't put the book down, great book.
Review: I like the book, My Teacher Is An Alien because I like books about aliens and of suspence. I like the characters. Susan's personality is that of a real fearless explorer. But Smith/Broxholm scares me. He acts weird. He might try and take any one of the kids to his home planet. It keeps the readers reading on.
Rating:
Summary: I like this book because it is a great fiction book.
Review: I like this book because it keeps you in suspence and it is full of surprises.I like all the characters.They are described well and you get to know them, especially Susan.Although I can't really imagine this happening, I did enjoy the novel.
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