Stanley in Space

The author of Flat Stanley moves away from his more fantasy-styled stories to craft an old-fashioned scifi space adventure in this latest Stanley book. The story opens with Stanley receiving an unusual call - from the president of the United States. Apparently, the president has been so impressed with some of Stanley's past ventures that he needs Stanley to step up to a new mission: being the representative of planet Earth. Apparently, the United States and England have had secret communications with the distant planet of Tyrra. Stanley and his family are to board the super secret spaceship the Star Scout and reconnoiter with these aliens. Of course, the Lambchops are happy to do their duty.

When they arrive on the strange new planet, show more they discover that the Tyrrans lured them out under false pretenses. However, after clearing up some initial confusion (and realizing that the tiny Tyrrans don't pose much of a threat, after all, in their diminutive sizes), Stanley and his family realize that the Tyrrans are only acting out of desperation. The citizens of Tyrra have managed to poison their food supply, and although the ecological disaster is reversible, it can't be fixed quick enough to prevent the Tyrrans from all starving. The Lambchops decide to help the Tyrrans out of their predicament, despite their poor reception, and must quickly devise a clever plan that is good enough to save an entire planet.

I have found all of the Stanley books to be a bit ridiculous, but this one wins the title of most outrageous. In fantastical stories, the author needs to help the reader suspend belief, and I don't think that happens here. That is my opinion as an adult reader; I do remind myself that these stories originated as bedtime tales for the author's children, and in stories like that, the more insane and attention-grabbing, the better. I read this book to my young girls and they enjoyed it. So I think some of the flaws that immediately jump out at me - why in the world would the president ask Stanley and his family to do this job, what did the Tyrrans hope to accomplish by luring Earthlings out to them, is inviting a whole planet of aliens to live on Earth really going to go over that well with the rest of the planet, and many other provoking questions - aren't as relevant for the intended audience. The short format and quickly-paced plot are good for early readers, and the space adventure is likely to engage their attention. This is not the best-written kid's book, and not even the best-written book in the more limited genre of beginning chapter books, but it is entertaining for children, and will certainly appeal to readers who are fans of the other Flat Stanley stories. show less

When a message is received from the distant planet Tyrra, the President of the United States selects Stanley Lambchop and his family to travel to the planet on board the top-secret spaceship “Star Scout.” What will Stanley and his family find when they reach the planet? And why were the Tyrrans eager to have visitors?

“Stanley in Space” is the third book in the Flat Stanley series. This chapter book, written for children in grades two through four, takes young readers on the madcap adventures they have come to expect from a Flat Stanley story. Fluent readers at the late third grade level should have no problem reading this guided reading level P book independently.

Recommended.

The Lambchop family saves the day in this outer space adventure - of course kindness overcomes fear and aggression.

This Is a really cute book, I read it to my daughter who laughed the whole time. It was great to see her smile!

Early Chapter Book: Realistic Fiction
Age Appropriateness: Intermediate
Media: Pencil
Review: This book is about Flat Stanley and his family, and how they get to go to the moon. In the previous book in the series Flat Stanley goes flat when a bulletin board lands on him. When the President of the United States finds this information out he calls Flat Stanley and his family and asks them to come to Washington to see him in his private plan. When they get to Washington the President asks Flat Stanley and his family if they would go to space and interact with aliens called Tyranns. In the end Flat Stanley and his family agree to go to space and when they get to the Tyranns planet the Tyranns try to kidnap them so that they can convince show more Earth to send back food and water for them until their planet comes back to life. However, Flat Stanley comes up with a plan to have the whole town of Tyranns go back to Earth with them and live in their own TyrannaVillage Two until their planet comes back to life.
Critique: This is a good early chapter realistic fiction book because not only does it have chapters but Flat Stanley and his family get to meet the president, go to space, and interact with space aliens. This is realistic fiction because in the book when Flat Stanley and his family meet the Tyranns (the alien people) one of the Tyranns tries to paralyze Arthur, Stanley's brother, by using a machine kind of like gun type thing. This type of thing can not happen in real life however, people do go to the moon. This is also realistic fiction because all of Flat Stanley's family could not go to space in a really tiny space ship, and they would not talk to space aliens. However, you can go to the moon so that is what makes the story realistic. show less

When the residents of a far-distant planet send a message to Earth asking for someone to meet with them, the President of the United States asks Stanley Lambchop, an all-American boy, to be his ambassador.

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