Usually...I'm a huge sci-fi freak...AND with this being a classic...I was motivated to read it! Yet, after finishing it...I feel that if I had of read this 10 years ago I probably would have loved it. Unfortunately, it just reminded me a little to much of Jumanji...and that I watched/read YEARS ago! I did love the character description of this little kid who vexed these aliens with questions...and ended up being smarter than the other Universe's inhabitants. It was a fun little read to kill a couple hours, but completely worth forgetting later. As part of the early pioneers, I would definitely encourage it as a read...but a worthwhile sci-fi classic?! That's debatable. BUT. I would take this over Hitchhiker's Guide ANY. DAY>