An Alien in the Jam Factory: questions to ask and activities to try
Scooter has cerebral palsy and a brain full of brilliant ideas, and now an alien sidekick. An Alien in the Jam Factory is a funny, inventive adventure.
What age is it for? An Alien in the Jam Factory is best for ages 7–9. Good for: A young inventor with cerebral palsy and an alien sidekick.
An Alien in the Jam Factory (Chrissie Sains and Jenny Taylor)
- Age
- 7-9
- Best for
- A young inventor with cerebral palsy and an alien sidekick
Read a chapter at a time. Talk about how Scooter's ideas make him an amazing inventor.
What it helps with
- Cerebral palsy and disability
- Creativity and invention
- Friendship
- Chapter books
Comprehension and discussion questions
Pick two or three, not all of them. “I don’t know” is a fine answer, and you can always come back to it another day.
- “Who is Scooter?”
- “How does cerebral palsy affect him?”
- “What does he invent?”
- “Who arrived at the factory?”
- “How did they work together?”
- “What would you invent?”
5-minute activities to try together
Jam recipe
Invent a wild jam flavour and design its label.
Invention plan
Draw a machine to make a boring job fun.
Free printables: An Alien in the Jam Factory worksheet and activity pack
This book’s one-page worksheet with the questions and activities above, plus our activity pack: printable scenario cards, three 5-minute activities and a “What could I try?” page for practising everyday skills together. Enter your email and download them straight away.
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If your child liked this, try
Izzy Gizmo (Pip Jones and Sara Ogilvie)
- Best for
- Inventions that go wrong, and not giving up
- Age
- 3-7
Listen: How Evelyn Glennie, a Deaf Girl, Changed Percussion (Shannon Stocker and Devon Holzwarth)
- Best for
- Deafness, determination and finding your own way
- Age
- 4-8
Boot: Small Robot, Big Adventure (Shane Hegarty and Ben Mantle)
- Best for
- A small robot searching for home
- Age
- 7-10
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By the Growing Wise team · Last reviewed: 10 October 2026
Growing Wise offers educational ideas for parents and carers. It is not a substitute for professional medical, developmental or mental-health advice. As an Amazon Associate, Growing Wise earns from qualifying purchases.