Feelings of difference and alienation are common in novels about teenagers. In Anaya, Petra, and Seth’s case, they actually are part alien. Their stories are science fiction versions of what many teenagers experience—the fear of not fitting in. Each protagonist’s character arc represents a transition from alienation to belonging, demonstrating for readers how being different can be a good thing.

Anaya feels alienated because of her allergies, which she believes make her ugly and fragile. She avoids her peers and is unable to participate in many normal activities. As the effects of the cryptogenic plants improve her health, strength, and complexion, Anaya’s sense of alienation diminishes, only to return when she begins growing thick body hair and claw-like toenails. These physical transformations symbolize the normal biological changes of puberty, which can make adolescents’ bodies feel foreign. Eventually, they reveal the intrinsic power of maturation. Anaya’s newfound strength makes her feel capable of taking on whatever challenges come, creating a sense that her future belongs to her. She learns to become comfortable with these changes, and they actually serve to understand the alien invasion and help save the world.

Anaya’s realization that her dad is not her biological father makes her feel alienated from her family.