My initial response when I saw the title was, "Oh, I'm not really interested in aliens,there's no way I want to read this!" But... a teacher made me pick it up, and let me tell you, it has nothing to do with aliens, except being alienated from human life. This book was moving, and it made me rethink the way humans respond to life in general. Three main characters, all very different, but that all tie together in a way I'll never forget. Ginny, Caulder, and Smitty, the boy whose life they were trying to change. Although Smitty was the boy you'd expect to see the most changes in as the book progressed, I found Ginny and Caulder changing in many ways that were important for the human soul. It was a fresh, wonderfully written book, and I find myself to this day waiting for a person like Smitty to enter my life, and help me to realize all over again every human's basic needs.

Filled with a mysterious beauty and sorrow, this book is a wonderful read. The main character is a girl named Ginny whose world was shattered when she left her home and moved, and in her new school, she sees someone, Smitty. She soon finds herself deep into an emotional spiral and the hell that is Smitty's life, and it revolves around her, what she does, and every move she makes. Filled with believable characters and a twisting, compelling plot, this book is humorous, romantic and even a bit sad at the same time. Worth reading.

I first stumbled across a copy of this book by sheer accident. I had been in the high school library searching for a book-- any book-- that cautght my interest. You see, it is mandatory that we read during a specified time in class and I needed a book desperately. I had already been in the library fifteen minutes when my English teacher told me to just pick something and go. As fate would have it, I grabbed The Only Alien on the Planet. The book was a fast read, but I read it over and over again for weeks. I felt connected to Michael-- Smitty-- on a very deep level. Perhaps it was because I'm very much like him (although I do tend to speak more than I should). The book is touching, deep, and frighteningly real. Ms. Randle captures the heart and soul of human emotion, existance, frailty, and hidden strength. I, too, was helped by friends who were desperate to get me out of my shell and wanted to know the truth behind my phantom scars. If Michael were a real person, and to me he is, he would be the closest person to me. A dear friend and companion, even though he is ditant. Ms. Randle-- Bravissimo.