Encounter at Owl Rock

In this exhilarating alien sci-fi adventure perfect for fans of Jordan Peele's Nope, Lamar Giles and Kwame Mbalia, twin brothers must stop aliens from taking over their Atlanta suburb.

There's something weird going on in South Bank...and the Young brothers are at the center of it.

Cypress and Oakley Young are polar opposites and if it weren't for being identical twins, no one would ever guess they were related. Cy is a budding film director and this summer, he's filming his latest movie at the abandoned theme park with Oak and their best friend Jaz as his actors. He loves directing, because being the director means calling the shots, being in absolute control of how the story turns out. Except Oak's wild imagination can't be contained. Tired of hearing about his brother's dreams and alien conspiracy theories, Cy snaps at him. But before he can patch things up, Oak vanishes into Owl Rock, this huge otherworldly granite formation at the center of the park, leaving only his skateboard behind.

When Orion Industries, the company that's been excavating beneath Owl Rock and snapping up property all around town, start searching for Oak with a little too much interest, it's up to Cy and Jaz to find Oak first and uncover the true secrets of Owl Rock. This heartening whirlwind adventure is ready to thrill as two brothers discover we're not alone in the universe.

Author: Rucker Moses
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Published: 06/03/2025
Pages: 288
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.80lbs
Size: 8.30h x 5.70w x 1.20d
ISBN: 9780593696385
Audience: Ages 9-12


Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 03/24/2025
Kirkus Reviews 04/15/2025
Booklist 06/01/2025 pg. 108

About the Author
RUCKER MOSES is the pen name of writing team Craig S. Phillips, Harold Hayes, Jr., and Theo Gangi. Together, they write far-out adventures that happen right next door. Harold and Craig both hail from Atlanta and teamed up to tell stories at the University of Georgia. As a writing duo, they've been nominated for three Emmys for writing in a children's program and have written for TV shows based on books by R. L. Stine and Christopher Pike. They also make virtual reality experiences and own a production company named SunnyBoy Entertainment. Theo, a novelist and writing teacher, has authored several acclaimed novels and stories, and has worked on shows for Netflix and Disney+. He directs the MFA program in creative writing at St. Francis College in downtown Brooklyn. When not telling stories together, they spend time chasing their kids from one adventure to the next.