Nerds VS Aliens

By Barry Jonsberg

Reviewed by Lauren Spencer

Originally from Liverpool, England, Barry Jonsberg is an award-winning Australian author of children’s and young adult fiction. One of his most notable works, My Life as an Alphabet (2013), was adapted into the 2020 film, H is for Happiness. Jonsberg’s style uses quirky humour to address serious topics. In his latest book, Nerds vs Aliens, Jonsberg takes the reader on a metafictional journey that will have you laughing out loud while questioning humanity.

Harrison Harrison (A.K.A Aitch) and his best mates, Ally and Mo, are part of the self-proclaimed ‘Nerd Club.’ The trio of eleven-year-old misfits live on the Gold Coast, Australia, where nothing overly exciting happens, until Mo starts to receive intergalactic messages through his fridge magnets. Like the good supportive friends they are, Ally and Aitch indulge Mo in his obsession with the extra-terrestrial and invite his alien friends to visit. Now this isn’t your typical interplanetary invasion story; these aliens are less abrasive, avoiding the stereotypical alien tactics of beaming lights and probing, they’re hardcore Swifties, who’d rather partake in the ‘emotional depth’ of the daytime television show, ‘Home and Away.’

The novel is separated into two parts: ‘Part One: Broccoli’ and ‘Part Two: Chocolate Mud Cake (with a possible dollop of ice cream),’ because you can’t have dessert until you’ve eaten all your veggies! The narrative adopts a metafictional approach, breaking the fourth wall to address the reader directly and connect them to the character. In the lead-up to the main event, Aitch gives lessons on how to write a story and impress your teacher and parents with words like ‘Omniscient,’ making the text fun and engaging for most readers.

Aimed at middle-grade readers, Nerds vs Aliens delights in Pop culture references like Bluey and Kmart, adding to its Aussie appeal without the cringe. Although there is some crude toilet humour that might leave some parents squirming. Despite all the quirky comedic relief, Nerds vs Aliens delves into more serious themes surrounding our planet and its treatment, and the effect on future generations. Jonsberg’s is conscious of being didactic and instead applies a clever and thoughtful response to these matters, resolving with an empowering message and wholesome twist.

Nerds vs Aliens is paradoxically packed full of hilarious wit and rhetoric that’ll have you laughing out loud one minute and contemplating your existence the next.

Teaching resources

A & U Children 2026

Barry Jonsberg StoryLinks interview