Duncan Dougal, the class bully, finds a hand in the school dumpster while hiding after pulling a fire alarm. Knowing this means another teacher is really from outer space he sets out to find out who it is. Along the way he becomes involved in a science experiment that makes him smarter, which might be just what he needs to discover who the imposter is before his classmates are whisked off the planet.

Bruce Coville was born in 1950 in Syracuse, New York. He first decided he might like being a writer when he was in the sixth grade and over the years of his writing career has written dozens of books for young people. He now lives back in his home town with his wife Kathy and their many pets.

JOHN PIERARD is best known for his illustrations for ISAAC ASIMOV'S SCIENCE FICTION MAGAZINE, DISTANT STARS, and several books in the TIME MACHINE series. He has also illustrated the MY BABYSITTER IS A VAMPIRE series by Ann Hodgman. He lives in Manhattan.