Dear Earthling: Cosmic Correspondent

Dethbert Jones, an alien from the planet Crank and narrator of Pen Avey's epistolary novel, writes a series of letters to an unidentified Earthling from our own planet. Dethbert is 10.63 years old, and, in his letters, he tells the Earthling he writes to all about his home, friends, and life. He describes Crank as being quite like Earth but more technologically advanced, and readers are exposed to these more advanced aspects through characters like Dethbert's father who is a scientist/inventor, as well as Dethbert's involvement in the Space Cadets, Crank's version of Scouts. Dethbert's best friend and fellow Space Cadet is a robot named Andi, and the boys' instructor in the program is also a robot named Sergeant Megatron 5000. These two characters also showcase how Crank is much different from Earth.

Dethbert is writing to the Earthling to earn a badge for Cadets, and in his letters he tells the Earthling and readers all about the crazy things he gets up to and the people he meets, such as a classmate named Stabwell Phillips who hates Dethbert because he took Stabwell's spot in Space Cadets, and a girl named Killian who adores animals called Fluppies. He also finds a hair growth serum in his father's lab and tries to grow himself and Andi moustaches. The climax of Dethbert's adventures though is a Cadet trip to a planet called Blarch, home to a creature called the Many-Clawed Beastie. Dethbert and Andi end up crash landing on the planet without the rest of the Cadets and meet the Many-Clawed Beastie who turns out to be a vegetarian creature named Albert. Albert helps Dethbert and Andi survive until they are found by Sergeant Megatron 5000. Upon finding the boys and returning home, they find out that Albert is actually the long lost prince from another planet. The boys are rewarded for helping Albert get home and are famous when they get back to Crank. Killian, who was previously standoffish to Dethbert gives him a hug. Dethbert ends his last letter by asking to continue writing to the Earthling.

Avey's novel is wild fun to read and has an easygoing plot that is engaging despite not having a main antagonist. The creativity used in making the world of Crank is always entertaining with little things that are like life on Earth but with hilarious twists. Dethbert's letters to the Earthling are fun to read, and his mischievous character is charming to encounter. The novel also features illustrations along with the text that help readers to see what Dethbert, Andi, Albert, and Crank all look like, as well as serving to enhance the comedy of the novel by showing you all the things Dethbert gets himself into.