title: January Joker (Calendar Mysteries, No. 1)
author:  Ron Roy 
description: RON ROY has been writing books for children since 1974. He is the author of dozens of books, including the popular A to Z Mysteries, Capital Mysteries, and Calendar Mysteries. When not working on a new book in his Connecticut home, Ron likes to teach tricks to his dog Pal, play poker with friends, travel, and read thrilling mystery books. Visit him online at RonRoy.com.<br /><br />JOHN STEVEN GURNEY has illustrated many books for children, including the entire A to Z Mysteries series and Scholastics popular Bailey School Kids series. He lives in Brattleboro, Vermont.
zlib_text: January Joker
  A strange yellow light �lled the backyard. The snow and the barn
  had turned yellow.
  “See, I told you!” Bradley said. He stepped out onto the porch.
  Brian, Nate, and Lucy followed him.
  Next to the barn, two small creatures hopped around in the
  middle of a big circle in the snow. They looked like broccoli spears.
  They had large heads, short arms, and tiny legs.
  “Aliens!” said Bradley.
  
  To my niece, Desiree Roy
  —R.R.
  To Rhys, Issac, and Connor
  —J.S.G.
  
  This is a work of �ction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the
  product of the author’s imagination or are used �ctitiously. Any resemblance to
  actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
  Text copyright © 2009 by Ron Roy
  Illustrations and map copyright © 2009 by John Steven Gurney
  All rights reserved.
  Published in the United States by Random House Children’s Books, a division of
  Random House, Inc., New York.
  Random House and the colophon are registered trademarks and A Steppin