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Aliens ate my homework.

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Common Sense says

Cartoonish violence in live-action book-based alien tale.

Parents say

Based on 1 review

Based on 5 reviews

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the aliens ate my homework

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A lot or a little.

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Aliens Ate My Homework is a live-action adaptation of the first book in Bruce Coville 's successful series, Rod Allbright and the Galactic Patrol . In this origin story, Rod Allbright (Jayden Greig), a 12-year-old boy, is visited by aliens who are out to save Earth. The miniature beings, more humorous than scary, crash-land in a miniature spaceship in Rod's bedroom. Expect frequent mild action: ray guns, lightning, characters (including small children) frozen in place as hostages and held captive. ( Spoiler alert : The villain is vanquished when he's pelted with muck.) Another sixth-grader bullies the hero and his friend, mashing a large bug into his victim's hair and face. Words like "booger" and "fart" are used to get laughs. Some sad moments relate to Rod's father disappearing three years earlier in a turbulent storm. But overall it should be OK for kids who are comfortable with real vs. pretend violence.

Community Reviews

Absolute garbage..

Report this review, what's the story.

Rod Allbright's dad, dedicated to making science fun for his family, disappears when a strange storm carries him away in ALIENS ATE MY HOMEWORK. But before he is whooshed away, he promises Rod that he'll return. Three years later, Rod (Jayden Greig), now a sixth-grader, still misses his dad terribly but never stops believing that he'll come back. Bullied at school by the ruthless Billy (Ty Consiglio), Rod and his best friend, Mickey (Sean Quan), are simply outmatched. But things are going to change for Rod Allbright. To his utter amazement, a miniature spaceship crash-lands in his bedroom. Four very small (action figure-sized) alien members of "The Galactic Patrol" -- three creatures and a talking plant (voiced by William Shatner ) -- are in desperate need of his help. Their mission is to find B'kr, a ferocious villain guilty of the galaxy's greatest crime: cruelty. Certain B'kr is masquerading as a human, they must stop him before he can execute his plan to destroy the earth. It's all overwhelming at first. Not only does he have to keep the Galaxy Patrol's arrival secret and help them repair their damaged spacecraft, but his annoying cousin Elspeth (Lauren McNamara) has also arrived to stay with his family. And, most bizarre of all, the evil B'kr may be posing as someone Rod knows!

Is It Any Good?

Kids will find some laughs and some characters to like here, but the primitive special effects and general amateurish production make this movie hard to recommend. What's good about the film -- an inventive premise and the emphasis on science -- came from the book. It's clear that having William Shatner on board was a casting coup for the filmmakers, but his performance is more annoying than engaging. A crucial plot element, the disappearance of Rod Allbright's dad, isn't resolved, and the movie's ending indicates that there will be further adventures. On a positive note, Aliens Ate My Homework may inspire some kids to read the popular Coville book series, and that's always a good thing.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the violence in Aliens Ate My Homework. Even though it's a live-action movie, the action is more cartoon-like than real. What is the impact of violence on kids? Does cartoon violence lessen that impact? Why or why not?

How did the arrival of the Galactic Patrol help Rod work out his own issues? With Billy? With Elspeth? In what ways did Rod change over the course of his adventure?

The Drake Equation -- estimating the possibility of other lifeforms in the cosmos -- really exists. Have you ever thought about that possibility? Create your own ideal planet or star. What would the civilization and its inhabitants look like? What kind of world would it be?

Movie Details

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the aliens ate my homework

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the aliens ate my homework

Aliens Ate My Homework (Rod Allbright and the Galactic Patrol) Paperback – Illustrated, May 8, 2007

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About the author, product details.

About the author

Bruce coville.

Bruce Coville was born in Syracuse, New York, in 1950. His family lived in farm territory, about twenty miles north of Syracuse. Bruce grew up around the corner from his grandparents' dairy farm, where he spent a great deal of time as a child, dodging cows and chores to the best of his ability. As a young reader he loved Mary Poppins and Dr. Dolittle, and still has fond memories of rising ahead of the rest of his family so he could huddle in a chair and read THE VOYAGES OF DR. DOLITTLE. He also read lots of things that people consider junk (Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, Tom Swift, and zillions of comic books). His only real regret is the time he spent watching television, when he could have been reading instead. (A mind is a terrible thing to waste!)

His first book, THE FOOLISH GIANT, was published in 1978. It was illustrated by his wife, Katherine, whom he had married in 1969. This was followed in 1979 by SARAH'S UNICORN, also illustrated by Katherine. After a long period of working separately, the Covilles began collaborating again with SPACE BRAT and GOBLINS IN THE CASTLE, both published in 1992.

Before getting published Bruce earned his living as a toymaker, a gravedigger, a cookware salesman, an assembly line worker, and finally as an elementary school teacher (second and fourth grades). He left teaching in 1981 to devote himself to becoming a full time writer - though it took another five years to achieve that goal!)

Bruce has published over 100 books, which have appeared in over a dozen countries around the world and sold more than sixteen million copies. Among his most popular titles are MY TEACHER IS AN ALIEN, INTO THE LAND OF THE UNICORNS, and THE MONSTER'S RING. In 2001 he founded Full Cast Audio, an audiobook company dedicated to creating unabridged, full cast recordings of the best in children's and young adult literature.

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the aliens ate my homework

Goodreads Celebrates Women's History Month

Alien Adventures #1

Aliens ate my homework, bruce coville , william dufris  ( narrator ).

IT'S THE WEIRDEST ALIEN

INVASION EVER!

"I cannot tell a lie," says Rod Allbright. And it's the truth. Ask him a question and he's bound to give you an honest answer. Which is why, when his teacher asks what happened to last night's math assignment, Rod has to give the only answer he can: "Aliens ate my homework, Miss Maloney!"

Of course, no one believes Rod this time, so they don't bother to ask him why the aliens are here. It's just as well, since he is sworn to silence about their secret mission and the fact that he has been drafted to help them!

192 pages, Audio CD

First published October 1, 1993

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Bruce Coville

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IMAGES

  1. Aliens Ate My Homework

    the aliens ate my homework

  2. Aliens Ate My Homework

    the aliens ate my homework

  3. Aliens Ate My Homework Collection

    the aliens ate my homework

  4. Dog Ate Homework

    the aliens ate my homework

  5. Aliens ate my homework (1993 edition)

    the aliens ate my homework

  6. Sci-Fi Back to School Movie Pick: 'Aliens Ate My Homework' on Netflix! • Geek Insider

    the aliens ate my homework

VIDEO

  1. Is that an Alien😱

  2. What is that?🧑‍💻 #alien #shorts

  3. I became an alien

  4. Which alien are you choosing...? 🤯 #shorts

  5. Would you meet the aliens? #shorts

  6. Find The Alien..#shorts

COMMENTS

  1. Aliens Ate My Homework

    Aliens Ate My Homework is a film adaptation, directed by Sean McNamara. This film stars an ensemble cast, led by Jayden Greig, William Shatner, Dan Payne and Alex Zahara. The film premiered on Netflix on March 6, 2018, in the United States . Other books in the series [ edit] I Left My Sneakers in Dimension X

  2. Aliens Ate My Homework (2018 film)

    Aliens Ate My Homework is a 2018 American science fiction comedy film directed by Sean McNamara and based on Bruce Coville's novel of the same name. [1] This film stars an ensemble cast, led by Jayden Greig, William Shatner, Dan Payne and Alex Zahara. [2] The film premiered on Netflix on March 6, 2018, in the United States.

  3. Aliens Ate My Homework (The Adventures of Ubergirl)

    Reviewed By K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite Aliens Ate My Homework is a work of science fiction and fantasy fun penned for children by author Matthew S. Cox. In this second novel in The Adventures of Ubergirl series, we return to Kelly Donovan and her Earth-saving ways for another delightful installment.

  4. Aliens Ate My Homework Movie Review

    Parents need to know that Aliens Ate My Homework is a live-action adaptation of the first book in Bruce Coville 's successful series, Rod Allbright and the Galactic Patrol. In this origin story, Rod Allbright (Jayden Greig), a 12-year-old boy, is visited by aliens who are out to save Earth.

  5. Aliens Ate My Homework (Rod Allbright and the Galactic Patrol)

    Aliens Ate My Homework (Rod Allbright and the Galactic Patrol) Paperback – Illustrated, May 8, 2007 by Bruce Coville (Author), Katherine Coville (Illustrator) 119 ratings Book 1 of 4: Rod Allbright and the Galactic Patrol Kindle $7.99 Read with Our Free App Library Binding $18.80 1 Used from $9.93 1 New from $18.80 Paperback

  6. Aliens Ate My Homework

    Aliens Ate My Homework Bruce Coville, William Dufris (Narrator) 3.87 1,832 ratings86 reviews IT'S THE WEIRDEST ALIEN INVASION EVER! "I cannot tell a lie," says Rod Allbright. And it's the truth. Ask him a question and he's bound to give you an honest answer.