Timid, Norwegian sixth-grader Markus Simonsen writes outlandish let ters to celebrities, pretending to be someone else in hopes of adding to his autograph collection. He writes to the beautiful actress Diana Mortensen, claiming to be a thirty-six-year-old, mountain-climbing millionaire. They exchange letters, and she decides to come to Norway to meet him. With the help of his intelligent and fearless sidekick friend Sigmund, he works up a scheme for the encounter. Scenes are hilarious, charming, and creative in this story, which was first published in 1997 and is part of a popular series written by the Norwegian author. 2007 USBBY Outstanding International Books List. mjw

Originally published as Markus og Diana: Lyset fra Sirius in Norwegian by Aschehoug Norway, in 1994. Translated by Tara Chace.