Book Reviews and More: Invasion of the Nose Pickers - Gordon Korman

Invasion of the Nose Pickers

Nose Pickers from Outer Space Book 4

L.A.F. Books

Gordon Korman

Bictor Vaccaro (Illustrator)

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

ISBN 9780786814473

ISBN 0786814470

Invasion of the Nose Pickers - Gordon Korman - Nose Pickers from Outer Space Book 4

This book was originally published in 2001, with five different editions publishing that year under a variety of imprints. It is the final in a series of 4 and there is a box set edition available called “The Ultimate Nose Pickers Collection”. My introduction to Korman’s works was the 39 Clues back in 2009. Since then I have read over 100 of his books including this volume, a few of them more than once. I set the goal of reading all his books about 2020. I am now most of the way thorough his canon, I have completed all the stand alone books and am now just working my way through the remaining series. I have read at least 1 from every series. Not counting omnibus editions I believe that as of the summer of 2025 Korman has published 109 books. With each that I read I am entertained and often challenged. And I can state I am enjoying this series way more than I expected. My son, who is 17 often, reads these books to me or with me, and he still loves them.

The description of this volume states:

“While on a fourth-grade trip to New York City, Devin helps his friend Stan Mflxnys, a 147-year-old alien from the planet Pan, and other E.T.s try to locate the Humongan who is stealing the Pants' power supply, thereby disabling the microcomputer in Stan's nose. While on a fourth-grade trip to New York City, Devin helps his friend, Stan Mflxnys, a 147-year-old alien from planet Pan, try to locate the Humongan who is stealing the Pants' power supply.”

The back cover of the edition I read states:

“Nose Pickers in the Big Apple!

Devin and his alien exchange student, Stan, are headed to go camp out with their class. Their plans go awry, however, when Stan finds out that there is a mischievous alien on the loose in New York City who is depleting the main power source of his home planet. Pan. Stan uses his special nose computer to change the class's destination and soon the class is camping out in Central Park! Then it's up to Devin and Stan to find the culprit before an invasion fleet from outer space literally turns Earth "inside out" looking for him.”

About the author we are informed:

“Gordon Korman children, including the three other books in the hilarious Nose Pickers series; No More Dead Dogs; and The 6th Grade Nickname Game^ which

was selected as one of the New York Public Library's Best Books of 1998.

He lives with his family on Long Island, New York.”

About the illustrator:

“Victor Vaccaro's artwork has appeared in all of the Nose Pickers fbooks. He also lives with his family on Long Island.”

I highlighted a few passages that were particularly funny, some of them are:

“Pants—that’s what people from Pan are called. Trust me, it gets weirder. Their president is the Grand Pant. His assistants are the Under- Pants. Their top thinkers are the Smarty-Pants. Their planet is in the constellation of the Big Zip- per. No lie.”

“I thought she was more like Darth Vader with a touch of Lord Voldemort.”

““Stone Cold Steve Austin?” 1 repeated. “From the WWF? He’s an alien?”

Stan chuckled. “You didn’t think a mere Earth- ling could wrestle like that, did you?”

I’ll never get used to finding out how many famous people are actually Pants posing as Earth- lings. When you think about it, it makes perfect sense. They have nose computers, so whatever they do, they’re bound to be better at it than us humans. So, sure, they get famous. Shakespeare, Jerry Springer, even Michael Jordan all Pants. And now Stone Cold Steve Austin.”

“On the screen, 1 watched myself flash a mischievous grin. ''Invasion of the Nose Pickers,''”

That final quote is the last works of the book and the series. I hope those quotes give you a feel for the humour in this series. The chapters in this volume are:

You Snooze, You Lose

A Giant Flying Saucer

Coming Apart at the Seams

Crease Pirates

Lower East Hoola Moola

The Difference Between a Gorge and New York City

Camping in Central Park

The United Nations

General Put-On

Inside Out

The Great Galactic Lederhosen

Batteries Not Included

Face-to-Face with an Alien

The Cheesy Way Galaxy

The Times Square JumboTron

The Ice Cream Floats

IT Save Our Seams

Thanks for Nothing

Destination: Downtown

A King-size Nasal Processor

Take Me to the Henhouse

Cutter, Cutter, Peanut Butter

A Not-So-Little Brat

Oops!

Special Effects

I am still surprised by the number of famous people whose success was attributed to their being alien travellers. Stone Cole named above, Spielberg, are a few named in this volume but many across the whole series. Once again it is up to Stan and Devin to save the planet. This time from an infamously nasty Grumpypants General, whose main tactic is to turn planets literally inside out. So the duo has 48 hours to save earth, as we know it. So Stan’s super powerful nose computer switches a camping trip to a trip to New York City. And oh the adventures they have they. But all the while the computer is losing power as it is being drained. Can the 2 find the source, and stop the drain before zero hour? To find out read this fun conclusion of this great series.

I will be honest the title of this book and series had almost no appeal to me, but after the first one I know I was in for a really fun series! Each book in this volume got funnier. One of the illustrations has the Two Towers, and one is used to punish … that might be giving too much away. I laughed out loud, I was surprised by so many twists. I was amused and had a smile throughout the reading of this book. A great read in a terribly fun series.

A great pity this one is out of print!

Books by Gordon Korman:

MacDonald Hall Series:

This Can't Be Happening at Macdonald Hall (1978)

Go Jump in the Pool (1979)

Beware the Fish! (1980)

The Wizzle War (1982)

(formerly The War With Mr. Wizzle)

The Zucchini Warriors (1988)

Light’s Camera, Disaster (1991)

(aka Macdonald Hall Goes Hollywood)

The Jokes on Us (1995)