My Life Among Humans - by Jed McGowan (Hardcover)

About the Book

A nameless alien data compiler comes to Earth to study humans, setting up shop on the outskirts of a small desert community in North America. Working under forced labor, it must watch humans in complete secrecy while sending regular reports to its manager back home. Using spore-like technology to read the minds of his hosts, the alien quickly takes a special interest in Will, one of his early subjects. That interest proves to be a problem when the alien is accidentally revealed to Will's family and it takes desperate measures to save its own life. In doing so, it discovers a forbidden ability...it can control human minds. Now, the alien struggles to keep this secret from its manager, deal with a growing number of suspicious humans, and come to terms with its ethically questionable decisions.

Book Synopsis

A 2024 YALSA Great Graphic Novel for Teens

My Life Among Humans is an evocative, melancholy, and ultimately hopeful story of a solitary alien's misguided search for connection among its human subjects.

A nameless alien data compiler comes to Earth to study humans, setting up shop on the outskirts of a small desert community in North America. Working under forced labor, it must watch humans in complete secrecy while sending regular reports to its manager back home. Using spore-like technology to read the minds of his hosts, the alien quickly takes a special interest in Will, one of his early subjects. That interest proves to be a problem when the alien is accidentally revealed to Will's family and it takes desperate measures to save its own life.

In doing so, it discovers a forbidden ability...it can control human minds. Now, the alien struggles to keep this secret from its manager, deal with a growing number of suspicious humans, and come to terms with its ethically questionable decisions. My Life Among Humans is a beautifully painted, evocative first graphic novel from illustrator and cartoonist Jed McGowan.

Review Quotes

"Life from outer space has landed in the desert and is slowly taking over the small-town residents. Is this a sinister plan to destroy humanity by replacing them one person at a time? Nope. It's the fumbling of a terrified alien underling, whose mistakes are rapidly growing out of their control. The story soon becomes a race against time, as the humans begin to suspect that something is amiss. McGowan's (Gonzalo) art is engaging, sometimes reminiscent of Bob's Burgers in character design, with a hint of The Muppets in facial expressions. The almost 3D animation style complements the storyline as one of the captive humans is designing a video game and discusses Non-Player Characters (NPCs). This is a little meta, as the alien proves that just about anyone they are around can become a player character. VERDICT Recommended for all who have felt like an outsider looking in."-- "Library Journal"

About the Author

Jed McGowan writes and draws in Los Angeles, California. His previous comics include Gonzalo (nominated for an Ignatz Award), Uninhabitable (included in Best American Comics 2019), and Lone Pine (published with a grant from the Xeric Foundation). He's also designed backgrounds for animation and created illustrations for the New York Times, Vice, and other publications