The Nerdy Dozen #2: Close Encounters of the Nerd Kind

In this exciting sequel to The Nerdy Dozen, Neil Andertol and his gang of dorky gamers are once again called on to fly a top-secret mission—one that is literally out of this world. This time, rescuing mankind means heading into outer space. A top-secret spacecraft has been stolen, and NASA needs the best pilots in the universe to get it back—the Nerdy Dozen. It's a race against time to stop an earth-shattering disaster. Can the twelve geeks save the day again—or will it be game over?

• Kids Save the World: An earth-shattering disaster is imminent, and only Neil Andertol and his eleven gamer friends have the skills to pilot a top-secret mission for NASA.
• Action-Packed Adventure: From an underwater training facility to the surface of Mars, the Nerdy Dozen face down polar bears, hijackers, and one very grumpy chimpanzee astronaut.
• Teamwork and Friendship: When the mission goes sideways, the team has to rely on trust, loyalty, and some seriously creative problem-solving to avoid a "Game Over" for the entire planet.
• Perfect for Gamers: A hilarious, high-stakes thrill ride that reads like a video game, perfect for middle grade readers who love science fiction, humor, and seeing geeks become heroes.

Out of this world!

Neil Andertol never thought playing video games would make him a real-life hero. But then his favorite game, Chameleon, turned out to be the training simulator for an actual fighter jet, and Neil and the eleven other high scorers of the game were recruited to fly a top-secret rescue mission for the United States Air Force.

Now it's been four months since Neil and his friends saved the planet, and the thirteen-year-old supernerd is back to playing video games . . . except that after piloting the real thing, he finds that even Chameleon has lost its spark. So when NASA begs for Neil's help, he says yes in a nanosecond.

This time, rescuing humankind means heading into outer space. A supersecret spacecraft has been stolen, and NASA needs the best pilots in the universe to get it back—the Nerdy Dozen. It's a race against time to stop an earth-shattering disaster. Can the twelve geeks save the day again—or will it be game over?

Video game–like action sequences give the fast-moving plot unexpected (and often funny) twists. Neil is a wry, relatable narrator whose gaming obsession will resonate with like-minded readers. The premise of Miller’s debut novel is over-the-top, and that’s the point—it’s an entertaining dreams-do-come-true sort of novel for kids who, like Neil, find empowerment easier online than in real life. - Publishers Weekly on The Nerdy Dozen #1