Nathan never understood what was ‘fun’ about secrets, probably because he’s always had to keep a very big one, even from his best friend, Victor. Although he appears to be a typical grade-six kid, Nathan learned at an early age that his family is from another planet, and he’s part of an experiment to work out how to behave like a human and blend in. But the experiment suddenly seems to be going wrong. Some of the other experimenters, including Nathan’s first crush, Izzy, are disappearing without a word.

After his family is called back to the mothership, Nathan begins to question everything he’s been taught to believe about who he is and why he’s on Earth. Can he, Victor and Izzy uncover the truth?

The Experiment is a fast-paced adventure—with aliens—that asks universal questions about how we figure out who we want to be, whether it’s ever too late to change, and the importance of friendship.

Rebecca Stead is the author of When You Reach Me, Liar & Spy, First Light, Goodbye Stranger and The List of Things that Will Not Change, and Bob and The Lost Library with Wendy Mass. Her books have been awarded the Newbery Medal, the Boston Globe/Horn Book Award for Fiction and the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize. Rebecca lives in New York.

‘A page-turner with striking characters and a satisfying puzzle at its heart.’ Kirkus on The Lost Library

‘This is a delightful read about the importance of books, libraries and how they can heal and bring people together, sometimes in the most unexpected ways.’ CBCA Reading Time on The Lost Library