Nobody knows that Nathan and his family are extraterrestrials, part of a select group taking part in an experiment meant to determine whether their people, the Kast, can live safely on Earth. Unlike his parents, brown-skinned Nathan was born in New York City and has never visited the Kast mothership (“the Wagon”). When he unexpectedly grows a sentient tail, though, Nathan is summoned to appear at the Wagon—a worrisome development, as several other Kast kids, including Nathan’s friend, Izzy, have been called there and have never returned. What Nathan learns on the Wagon (disguised as a storage facility) upends everything he’s ever known. Hester, the Kast leader, is thrilled with Nathan’s tail and instructs him and his family to return home. Before he does, though, Nathan stumbles upon Izzy, now an imprisoned laborer on the Wagon, who believes they’ve all been deceived: She and Nathan are not Kast, but human. It will be up to Nathan (and his tail) to rescue not only Izzy and the others, but the actual Kast themselves—who are not what Nathan has been led to believe—from Hester. Fast-paced and exciting, this sci-fi novel is full of surprises as it unfolds. It’s easy to root for Nathan, an affable protagonist who loves his friends and carries the weight of his family’s secret identity with fortitude.

"Many twists await in this fast-moving and optimistic story by one of today’s most inventive writers for readers ages 8-12." --The Wall Street Journal

From the Newbery Medalist and national-bestselling author Rebecca Stead, here is a bold story that will appeal to fans of A Wrinkle in Time and The First State of Being.

Nathan wants to help his people, but first he has to figure out who they are...

Nathan never understood what was "fun" about secrets, probably because he’s always had to keep a very big one.

Although he appears to be a typical sixth-grader (with parents, homework and a best friend, Victor), Nathan learned at an early age that his family is from another planet. Now, their time on Earth may be coming to an end.

Nathan, his parents and nine other families are part of an experiment that suddenly seems to be going wrong. Some of the experimenters, including Nathan's first crush, Izzy, are disappearing without a word. After his family is called back to the mothership, Nathan begins to question everything he’s been taught to believe about who he is and why he's on Earth.

The Experiment is a fast-paced coming-of-age novel that asks universal questions about how we figure out who we want to be, and whether it’s ever too late to change.