World UFO Day is celebrated by some on June 24th and by others on July 2nd. Usually the celebrations include group sky-watching parties.
I suggest grabbing tinfoil hats, a flashlight & some alien picture books to read while you watch for UFOs. This would make a fun evening with your kid(s) any night of the year.
Alien Picture Book Recommendations
I recently read 38 Alien Picture Books. Here are my top recommendations for you (pictures link to Amazon, downloadable PDF Library List below)-
Your Alien is a story, in second person point of view, about what it would be like if you had your very own alien. The little boy and alien develop a strong friendship. The boy takes the alien everywhere until the alien starts to long for his own family. This is a story of friendship, the love of family and empathy.
Don’t Go There by Jeanne Willis. This story is one of the most fun potty-time books I have ever read. An alien does not know where to go potty on Earth. A little girl works on teaching him, she even has a catchy “Toilet Song.” I definitely would have sang the song to my girls when they were potty-training if I knew it at the time. If you have a kid around potty-training age, I would recommend checking this book out.
Wazdot? by Michael Slack. Super cute alien book, specifically for younger kids. The little alien is on a farm. He uses his little remote to find out what things are. Before objects are uncovered your little ones can take a guess. The book includes fun alien language sounds. Cute and engaging.
The Way Back Home by Oliver Jeffers (author of The Day the Crayons Quit) One little boy is flying an airplane. One little martian is flying a spaceship. They both end up on the moon. A friendship is built, despite their obvious differences. They work to help each other return home. This book made me want to be a kid again.
Life on Mars by Jon Agee. LOVED it. A young astronaut sets out to discover if there is life on mars. He takes a box of cupcakes with him (because why not). An alien appears but the astronaut does not notice. The alien is following him around while he searches. Readers are in on a “secret” that the main character has not discovered. Will the astronaut find any life on Mars?
Even Aliens Need Snacks by Matthew McElligott- Do you have a kid who likes to make up their own food “recipes”? That is precisely what this main character specializes in. He can’t seem to find anyone on earth who likes his food, but the aliens love it! What a fun book!
Your Alien Returns by Tammi Sauer- The adorable alien from Your Alien is BACK! Yay! This is a high quality sequel, where the boy now gets a chance to visit alien’s home. So cute!
Earth to Clunk by Pam Smallcomb- If you are not a fan of the cutsey-lovey picture books, (or you just want a break from them) this is the book for you. In this story the main character begrudgingly has an alien pen-pal. Let’s just say their choice of pen-pal packages are very unique. This is a funny book. I would recommend it for children ages 5-8. Check it out!
Mars Needs Moms by Berkeley Breathed- You have probably already read this book or watched the movie, but I just couldn’t resist putting it on the list. It contains such a true message of what mothers will do for their children. Beautiful book.
Downloadable Alien Picture Book Library List
Full Book List-
Below is the full list of Alien books I read. Let me know if you have a different favorite alien picture book I missed, I would love to check it out!
| Alien Visitor | Andrea Posner-Sanchez |
| Olive the Alien | Kate Saunders |
| Even Aliens Need Snacks | Matthew McElligott |
| Your Alien | Tammi Sauer |
| Olivia & Her Alien Brother | Maggie Testa |
| Your Alien Returns | Tammi Sauer |
| Alien Alert: 3 Exciting Stories for Beginners | Elizabeth Jaffe |
| Hello | Aiko Ikegami |
| ET The Extra-Terrestrial | Melissa Mathison |
| Aliens Get the Sniffles Too | Katy S Duffield |
| Rappy Goes to Mars | Dan Gutman |
| The X-Files: Earth Children Are Weird | Kim Smit |
| Pinkalicious and Planet Pink | Victoria Kaun |
| Wazdot? | Michael Slack |
| Got to Bed Blue | Bonnie Bader |
| When Edgar Met Cecil | Kevin Luthardt |
| Earth to Clunk | Pam Smallcomb |
| Green Wilma: Frog in Space | Tedd Arnold |
| Mrs. Watson Wants Your Teeth | Alison McGhee |
| Baloney | Jon Scieszka |
| Edwurd Fudwupper Fibbed Big | Berke Breathed |
| Minnie & Moo Save the Earth | Dennys Cazet |
| Fly Guy and the Alienzz | Tedd Arnold |
| The Three Little Aliens and the Big Bad Robot | Margaret McNamara |
| The Way Back Home | Oliver Jeffers |
| Company’s Coming | Arthur Yorinks |
| Space Case | Edward Marshall |
| Dragons From Mars | Deborah Arnson |
| Grandmas From Mars | Michelle Robinson |
| The Boy Who Went to Mars | Simon James |
| Life on Mars | Jon Agee |
| Don’t Go There! | Jeanne Willis |
| Mars Needs Moms | Berke Breathed |
| Moo Cow Kaboom! | Thatcher Hurd |
| Planet 51 | Gail Harman |
| Time for Earth School, Dewey Dew | Leslie Staub |
| Best Frints in the Whole Universe | Antoinette Portis |
| Goldilocks and the three Martians | Stu Smith |
Jamie Bills
