Nathan never understood what was ‘fun’ about secrets, probably because he’s always had to keep a very big one, even from his best friend, Victor. Although he appears to be a typical grade-six kid, Nathan learned at an early age that his family is from another planet, and he’s part of an experiment to work out how to behave like a human and blend in. But the experiment suddenly seems to be going wrong. Some of the other experimenters, including Nathan’s first crush, Izzy, are disappearing without a word.
After his family is called back to the mothership, Nathan begins to question everything he’s been taught to believe about who he is and why he’s on Earth. Can he, Victor and Izzy uncover the truth?
The Experiment is a fast-paced adventure—with aliens—that asks universal questions about how we figure out who we want to be, whether it’s ever too late to change, and the importance of friendship.
INTERVIEWS and REVIEWS
Booklist
Wall Street Journal
‘Ms. Stead has a gift for mixing middle-school emotional realities with science fiction… Many twists await in this fast-moving and optimistic story by one of today’s most inventive writers.’
‘A grounded but at times thrilling story…fun, light alien fare.’
‘A fast-paced sci-fi adventure wrapped in a coming-of-age mystery…handled with warmth, humour, and a genuine emotional core.‘
‘I devoured this… a wonderful new coming-of-age story, with an alien twist.’
‘An exciting and moving coming of age novel, sometimes scary and creepy, often funny, at all times engrossing…’
‘The Lost Library was probably one of the best books I’ve ever read…It was amazing and I didn’t want it to end.’