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Way Off Base by Julie Buxbaum

Way Off Base

Julie Buxbaum

Random House Children's Books · Hardcover · July 8, 2025

Is Area 51’s cover blown?!

Funny StoriesAlien ContactMysteries & Detective Storiesscience
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mystery
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Who it’s for
A missing UFO and a media whistleblower put Area 51’s secrets at risk.
Themes
UFO mystery, Protecting secrets
Pacing
Fast

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For older readers: Area 51, Imminent, Atlas of Unidentified Flying Objects

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About this book

Is Area 51’s cover blown?! Sky and her otherworldly friends scramble to protect its secrets when a UFO goes missing in the fourth installment of this laugh-out-loud, Edgar Award-nominated series for young readers. For the first time since Sky got to Area 51, things seem to be under control. No bunker hideouts. No incoming space toilets. No kidnappings of beloved relatives. In fact, everyone is in a celebratory mood because a special government visitor is coming to Area 51!

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But on the morning of the visit, a UFO goes missing from the science lab. And then a mysterious whistleblower goes to the media saying they have evidence of a UFO landing! Did someone steal the UFO in order to reveal it to the whole wide world? Sky and her friends have less than a week to solve the mystery of the missing UFO, or all of Area 51’s secrets will be at risk. Guess things aren’t so calm after all!

Area 51 Secrets

A missing UFO and a media whistleblower put Area 51’s secrets at risk.

Come here for

  • A missing UFO in Area 51’s science lab
  • A whistleblower claiming evidence of a UFO landing

Expect

  • Sky and friends have less than a week to solve the mystery
  • The fourth installment in the Area 51 series

Where it sits

Alien Contact74%
Funny Stories64%
Mysteries & Detective Stories61%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Funny Stories
  • Mysteries & Detective Stories
  • Alien Contact
Authors
Julie Buxbaum
Publisher
Random House Children's Books
Published
July 8, 2025
Format
Hardcover
Theme
UFO mystery · Protecting secrets
Reading lane
Funny Stories