Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches from Outer Space! is part zany sci-fi adventure, part heartfelt coming-of-age story, and part sharp commentary on youth, education, and social change. It follows Violet—a strong-willed, smart, and slightly overburdened teen—who just wants to start a school newspaper and save the world from ignorance. Instead, she ends up hiking through the forest with her best friend, two chaotic little brothers, and eventually discovering what appears to be a literal alien spaceship with a sandwich in it. You can’t make this stuff up—except, of course, I.S. Noah did, and did it with charm, sass, and a lot of insight tucked under the goofiness.

I adored Violet. She’s the kind of teen I wish I had the guts to be when I was that age—smart, mad as hell about the world’s problems, and totally driven to do something about it. Her internal monologue had me nodding and laughing in equal measure. Like in Chapter 1, when she vents about classmates calling facts “fake news” and quoting Asimov? Chef’s kiss. Relatable, sharp, and kind of heartbreaking. Also, the banter between the kids feels so real. Brad, her pain-in-the-neck brother, is hilarious in that “I want to throttle you but you’re also kind of brilliant” way.

What surprised me most, though, was how layered this book is under all the humor. Sure, there are fart jokes and banana slugs and a glowing alien disc, but there’s also real commentary on truth, science, journalism, and what it means to grow up in a world flooded with noise and nonsense. Violet’s drive to bring back the school newspaper is more than just a school project—it’s her way of fighting for reason in a world full of opinions. And then you get a twist like the sandwich from space—I won’t spoil it, but let’s just say it’s both hilarious and bizarrely thought-provoking. Who knew intergalactic peanut butter could stir up so many questions?

If you’re into stories that mash up teenage drama, sci-fi nonsense, heartfelt moments, and a healthy dose of “what the heck just happened?”—this book is for you. Teachers, nerdy teens, exasperated older siblings, and anyone who’s ever rolled their eyes at misinformation or dreamed of aliens—y’all will love this. It’s smart. It’s weird. It’s got heart. And somehow, it makes space sandwiches feel profound.

Pages: 256 | ISBN : 9798887316918