Marty

In this book by two previous collaborators (Finn’s Feather), Marty is a short, green humanoid creature with a toothy smile. He’s a Martian, a term he prefers to alien, and a fan of “watching, learning, and laughing.” In voiceover-style narration, Marty explains that he has to disguise himself on Earth, and a vignette pictures the prospect of his discovery, which involves coffee shop customers fleeing in horror. Abbott conjures up the details of Marty’s undercover life: his home in and around a tree (“Look at his wardrobe of costumes”) and his job hunt (“Marty can fool anyone”). Yet despite manifold efforts to blend in, the Martian is lonely, and when he dresses up one night as a rock musician and performs onstage, “Marty did not blend in. This made him STAND OUT!” Happily, when people track him down after the event, a loyal friend offers a safe new home. Abbott delivers lots of the punch lines visually, including Marty in tighty-whities, frustrated that he can’t find the right costume. Underneath the Martian theme, this bubbly fable by Noble embraces being oneself as, far from frightening others, Marty finds out that he doesn’t have to hide. Ages 3–7. Author’s agent: Essie White, Storm Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Erica Rand Silverman, Stimola Literary. [em](July) [/em]