Between Orlando and the Kennedy Space Center, there’s a backwoods Florida town called Greenhorn. It's a curious town of curious people including the most recent transplants from small-town Mars Landing, Nebraska - remarkably named the Nebraska family. Most of the residents see the Nebraskas as just another strange bunch to add to the mix, but some locals immediately spot the truth: that they are indeed from Mars … not the town, but the planet.
Ages 9+
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About the Stories
"Chapter One: The Anomaly in Greenhorn
When the Nebraska family lands in Greenhorn, there’s a lot they don’t know — including the fact that they are Martians sent to Earth as undercover researchers. As they become accustomed to their new town, they study the local culture and even shuttle their youngest son to a podcast camp where he hosts a new show ... and reveals their true identity.
"Chapter Two: My Family Is Strange"
On his podcast, Johnny Boy regales the listeners with tales of an extraordinary ice cream shop, a mayor who utters veiled threats, and the neighbors who explain their Martian origins. Later, sister Suzie Q’s audio diary recounts the ways she is having trouble fitting in due to her spacey family and their out-of-this-world antics.
"Chapter Three: A Survey of Celestials"
It turns out that the town of Greenhorn, Florida is attractive not only to humans and Martians, but to a number of other interplanetary species as well. Who are all of these mysterious beings? Suzie Q observes them in her own special way during a uniquely terrestrial festival: the Fourth of July.
"Chapter Four: X Returns!"
Johnny Boy Nebraska is overjoyed that his beloved companion X has returned from an unexpected adventure — on a furniture truck? As Johnny Boy celebrates this reunion with his pet (robot?), X offers its own reflections on human culture … and raises an important procedural question.
"Chapter Five: Protocol Z, the Reset"
The Nebraska family does not know it, but their memories are at risk of obliteration — by their beloved pet. As they bumble through their days, X observes them carefully, determining the future of family, town, and planet. Are the Nebraskas a risk to the Martian mission? Or are they just a regular part of the local community now?
"Chapter Six: What’s Going On in Greenhorn"
Suzie Q shapes her audio diary into a place to report the curious goings-on in Greenhorn, including the complex feelings she has about friends and neighbors. Johnny Boy seizes the opportunity to recommend his favorite food and give a “hot take” on a hard-to-understand topic that might ruffle some feathers.
"Chapter Seven: Two Histories of Greenhorn"
The history of Greenhorn, Florida can be told from a few different perspectives depending on your parents, your community, or your home planet. Who really has the power in this story? What plans are being laid for the future? And why does TJ Watkins harbor such a grudge against Johnny Boy?
"Chapter Eight: Pause for Effect"
Things are beginning to change in Greenhorn, and that change is coming from the general direction of the Plejaren farm. What is that family up to? Why are they suddenly becoming more social? And most importantly, does Mayor Boogie Watkins need to prepare himself for an electoral race against a seven-foot-tall Celestial from the Pleiades star cluster?
"Chapter Nine: What Brings Us Together"
Everyone has differences, and Greenhorn is no exception — except for the additional difference of planetary origin. How can these divergent factions find a way past their disagreements and into true community? It turns out that Martians offer unique wisdom about the gifts that come from real togetherness.
"Chapter Ten: Context and Cliffhangers"
A crisis that has been brewing in Greenhorn for decades finally comes to a head, setting the stage for an ugly conflict. But at precisely the right moment, help arrives from an unexpected source through an overlooked agent … and brings harmony out of the discord.
"Epilogue: Plants and Transplants"
As the tension in Greenhorn, Florida resolves into harmony, the next chapter of the story unfolds. What new challenges will present themselves to the Nebraska family and all of their Greenhorn companions? Tune in for one more update — and a glimpse into the future!