The Experiment - Hardcover

by Rebecca Stead (Author)

"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.

Author Biography

Rebecca Stead is a New York Times best-selling author of middle-grade novels, including When You Reach Me, Liar & Spy, The List of Things That Will Not Change, Bob, and The Lost Library. In 2025, her debut picture book, Anything, was published for younger readers. Rebecca's books have been awarded the Newbery Medal, the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Fiction, and the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize. She lives in New York City, where she's always on the lookout for her next story idea.