Two years ago, Dr. Davami received an unusual request. Could he answer questions about how an alien 3D-printer might function? He enthusiastically agreed to help, and his ideas helped shape a new book for kids and teens that blends a science fiction story with information about real, cutting-edge science and technology.
Get ready for The UFO Files by Kathryn Hulick, coming out August 5, 2025 with Quarto. Preorder now and get free activity sheets plus a chance to win exclusive prizes.
What’s the book about?
The year is 2033, and Earth’s first contact with an alien spacecraft has just taken place. Told through the recently declassified notes of an investigator known only as Polaris, The UFO Files is a dramatic, illustrated narrative exploring the ship’s arrival, its advanced technology, and humanity’s reactions to such an unexpected visitor.
As Polaris unravels this interstellar mystery, readers explore topics including:
- Materials engineering and 3D printing
- Nuclear fusion and clean energy
- Using AI to decode alien languages
- Exoplanets, stars, and the search for life
- The Fermi paradox, astronomy, and deep-space travel
- Earth’s own alien-like life: glowing squid, flying insects, and photosynthetic sea slugs
Through torn-out headlines, stunning illustrations by Weston Wei, and engaging sidebars that explain real STEM concepts, The UFO Files becomes more than a sci-fi story—it’s a celebration of scientific curiosity, imagination, and tolerance.
Release date: August 5, 2025
Ages: 8+, ideal for 9–12 (Grades 4–7)
Preorder & Contest Info: https://www.quarto.com/campaign/TheUFOFiles
If you are interested in more work by Kathryn, check out the 2021 book Welcome to the Future: Robot Friends, Fusion Energy, Pet Dinosaurs & More as well! Subscribe to her Substack Wow! Tech & Nature to follow her writing.
