When Elliot Stone, a nine year-old boy, overhears a grown-up telephone conversation, he takes the information out of context and lets his young imagination run away with him. During his encounter with several minor disasters, Elliot displays maturity, bravery and intelligence while maintaining the innocence and sweetness of a little boy. Parents and children alike will enjoy the suspense and comedy that take Elliot and his friends on this unforgettable mission.

Book Excerpt

     I felt my eyes getting wet again and I could feel a stomachache coming on, so I rested my chin on the back of the couch and arranged a couple of pillows next to me so I could lean on them. I was trying to figure out a way that I could set up the sleepover with Jake and Cassie when the room seemed to dim. I turned my head around to see if Sam was the one who turned the lights out. She does that sometimes to try to scare me. Then I got the chills. I noticed the room was very still, with an eerie quietness, and had a very weird smell. I couldn't describe the scent. It was like nothing I had ever smelled before.
     "Cut it out, Sammy!" I yelled nervously. "Is that you?" No one answered. The hairs on my arms and legs started rising, and I felt a little lightheaded.
     All of a sudden... "What the . . .?" I exclaimed. I got up from the couch and took a step, when I noticed a thick green fog rolling in the room. It almost had a life of its own as it came floating from all corners of the den moving inward. I stood frozen in place as the glowing fog hugged the floor and encircled my feet. For a moment, I was paralyzed. I tried to call out to my mother, but all that would come out was "Mommmmm eeeeeeee." I used all the strength I had just to lift my right leg off the floor and step backward. It took everything I had to continue lifting my feet so I could get back on the couch. The green fog was leaving a glowing residue on my jeans. I tried to wipe it off and then it was on my hands. I panicked and frantically started rubbing my hands all over my shirt and legs then I jumped on the couch. The room was still dark, and now completely filled with this creepy, strange-smelling fog.
     Suddenly, from the doorway, I saw a huge shadow. It seemed to grow as it floated directly toward me on the couch.

This teacher/parent resource guide is the "ultimate" companion to the Elliot Stone and the Mystery of the Alien Mom book. How often do you want your children to do higher level thinking? Would you like them to be doing book-related activities that continuously reinforce just how smart they are in multiple ways? Then this is the resource for you. Elliot, the main character in the children's book, uses a purple notebook to keep track of all of his detective clues. You can use this "purple notebook" to challenge your children/students to "perform to the max." This guide can serve as a stepping stone for ideas to also make other children's literature an enriching experience for your students.