Boom! by Mark Haddon

Boom! is a thrilling, action-packed, zany, science fiction adventure.

It all starts out simply enough: Jimbo's horrid older sister Becky tells him she overheard the teachers at school say he was going to be sent to a "special school" with windows on the bars.  Afraid that it might possibly be true, Jimbo and his best friend Charlie come up with a plan (OK, it was really Charlies idea):  they'll put a walkie-talkie in the staff lounge at school, and they'll be able to overhear what the teachers are saying.

When they don't hear anything about Jimbo being sent away, Jimbo starts to feel less worried.  But what the boys hear next launches an adventure that involves blue-eyed aliens, a trip to Scotland, exploding Brussels sprouts, and giant spiders with monkey-faces who speak in disco slang - and that's just for starters!  Along the way, Jimbo finds out maybe Becky isn't so horrid after all.  She's certainly good at bopping things with a stick.

Boom! was the book  most recently discussed by the Rolling Meadows Library Council of Book Readers.  Everyone in the group loved it, and thought it was both exciting and hilarious.