The Way Back Home
Sale price
$1994
Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 2008 · Est. 4 min read-aloud

The Way Back Home

Written and illustrated by Oliver Jeffers

Part of the The Boy series

A boy and a Martian stranded on the moon must find friendship in the dark.

5.5/7 Bookroo expert·4.1/5 Goodreads · 4,159 ratings
32 pages· 416 words· Est. 4 min read-aloud
$20.99Save 5%

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Bookroo's summary

A boy's adventure to outer space takes a turn when his plane runs out of fuel, leaving him stranded on the moon. Meanwhile, a young Martian faces the same plight on the other side. In the vast, lonely darkness, they must overcome fear and differences to find friendship. Can they work together to return home, or will the moon's mysteries keep them apart? Discover how two unlikely allies learn that what unites them is far more powerful than what sets them apart.

From the publisher

From the illustrator of the #1 smash hit The Day the Crayons Quit comes an imaginative tale of friendship in a world where what makes us different isn’t nearly as important as what makes us the same.

When a boy discovers a single-propeller airplane in his closet, he does what any young adventurer would do: He flies it into outer space! Millions of miles from Earth, the plane begins to sputter and quake, its fuel tank on empty. The boy executes a daring landing on the moon . . . but there’s no telling what kind of slimy, slithering, tentacled, fangtoothed monsters lurk in the darkness! (Plus, it’s dark and lonely out there.) Coincidentally, engine trouble has stranded a young Martian on the other side of the moon, and he’s just as frightened and alone. Martian, Earthling—it’s all the same when you’re in need of a friend.

At a glance
Format
Pages
32
Words
416
Reading age
4–8
Audience
Picture
Lexile
AD590L
Themes & topics
Books about making friendsBooks about diversityBooks about starsBooks about aliens and extraterrestrial beingsBooks about friendship
Inside the book

A peek between the covers

What readers & critics say

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The author & illustrator

More from Oliver Jeffers

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Here We Are
Series
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Here We Are

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The Day the Crayons Quit

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An Alphabet

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The Heart and the Bottle

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The series

The The Boy series

See the whole series

How to Catch a Star

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Lost and Found

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Up and Down

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Where to Hide a Star

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The fine print

Book details

Reading levels
ATOS
3.1
F&P level
~O
AR points
0.5
AR interest level
LG
AR quiz
121880
Publication
Published
January 1, 2008
First published
April 10, 2008
Edition
Language
English
Type
Picture Book
Identifiers
ISBN
9780399250743

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