I wanted to like this book, I really did, but it's a mess. It's science fiction, trying to be dystopic, while at the same time trying to be contemporary fiction with nice little morals tucked in. The characterization is very one dimensional, and the historical references are so heavy handed that they seem laughable. I'm not sure that even a child would be able to take this book seriously. ( )

OK--this wasn't an amazing book but it was better than some.
I LOVED the idea of alternative people in another earth. Elvis being arrested for "gross uniqueness" and being rehabilitated to the point of where he goes around singing "Tea for Two" was hysterical.

But the author never really goes beyond this flashes of brilliance. I wanted to know more about how Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr. were working together....I wanted to know a bit more about Grandma Moses and I especially didn't like the throwaways of Babe Ruth and Laura Ingalls Wilder as being killed during a war before they could do anything.
It could have been so much better! ( )

When Meggie and David arrived on Earth with their mother and grandfather, they tried to blend in as much as possible. Lately, though, strange things have provoked their neighbors into believing they are aliens. Which is their cue to get in their spaceship and head for a new planet. The planet they land on is very similar to earth, except oddly different - Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr are both alive and fighting for personal freedoms, Elvis is confined to jail after singing in public, and Meggie and David must once again alter their perceptions of human beings. How can they hope to survive on this new Earth without giving themsevles away? More importantly, do they wan to stay?

This book totally surprised me. I loved the dystopian world that was set up...it reminded me a little of Hunger Games, though it wasn't as gripping. Definitely not a typical aliens invading kind of book. ( )

I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book from the Amazon Vine program in exchange for an honest review.

You'll Like It Here (Everybody Does) by Ruth White

From the back of the book:

"Meggie Blue seems like an average kid with a regular family -- a mother, a brother, a grandfather. But after the Blues' neighbors come in the night to terrorize them and they flee in an unusual way, it becomes clear that all is not as it seems.

After escaping their attackers, the Blues arrive in a place called Fashion City. Fashion City is clean and safe, happy and peaceful. "You'll like it here. Everybody does," the Blues are told over and over again. But when they are befriended by another Fashion City family, they begin to learn some frightening truths about this supposedly utopian spot. The city is controlled by the Father. Everyone must dress in drab colors. Those who disobey the rules are arrested for being grossly unique.

Then Gramps is taken for the crime of growing old and whisked away for "Vacation 65." Will the Blues be able to rescue Gramps and escape Fashion City before it's too late?"
This is an excellent sci-fi dystopian for middle grade students, a good read for those not quite ready for The Hunger Games. It is rather different from White's previous works. There is a touch of political commentary regarding corporate greed, but it's not overtly stated until very near the end.

What I liked about the book: The characters are well thought out with good depth. The relationships (siblings, friendships, etc) seem realistic. Though this is a sci-fi - alternate reality story, much of the story feels like a mix between historical and contemporary fiction. I enjoyed the appearance of some recognizable characters: Mr. Lincoln, Mr. King, Elvis and perhaps my favorite: L. Frank Baum. I really like that White geared her story toward younger readers. Many of my elementary students are eager to read the hot titles (Hunger Games, Maze Runner, etc) that their older siblings are reading. This is a nice introduction to dystopian fiction. It's a clean read (for parents who might be concerned about content), a little creepy, but not too scary and no violence.

What I didn't like about the book: The first chapter or two were a little confusing, but that quickly worked itself out as the story progressed.

Recommended for Grades 4 and up.

Mrs. Archer's rating 4 of 5. ( )

Although Meggie Blue seems to be an average sixth-grader she is abnormally frightened when residents of her small, North Carolina town become fixated on aliens, and soon she and her family are forced to flee, making it clear that all is not as it seems.