(This page is under construction! Check back very soon for the finished product! The discussin guide will be available March 12th)

For a printable ALIENS ARE COMING! discussion guide, click on the card to the left––HTML version. For the guide in PDF format, click here! Be sure to check out the Fun Stuff for Kids section for great arts and crafts projects!

The Panic Broadcast: Portrait of an Event by Howard Koch

Koch was the playwright of the 1938 broadcast. In his own words, he talks about his reaction to the broadcast, his process in making it, and he illustrates for the reader a trip he took back to Grovers Mill some 40 years later.

This book is out of print but can be found on Ebay or certain online used bookstores.

The War of the Worlds: Mars' Invasion of Earth, Inciting Panic and Inspiring Terror from H.G. Wells to Orson Welles and Beyond, Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks, 2001

This book has it all. A biography of H.G Wells, a biography of Orson Welles, the 1938 War of the Worlds broadcast in its entirety, the H.G Wells classic in its entirety, information about other hoaxes, and more!

The Invasion from Mars: A Study in the Psychology of Panic by Hadley Cantril

There are a lot of statistics in this book. Cantril analyzes every reaction down to its finest detail. A lot of this information is going to be over kids' heads but there are pages and pages of first hand accounts in here and for that reason alone, the book is worth purchasing.

This book is out of print but I got a copy on Ebay.

Science Fiction of the 20th Century, An Illustrated History by Frank M. Robinson

This book contains 256 full color, glossy pages illustrating some of the best science fiction pulp art from the 20s to today. This is a Barnes & Noble publication and I bought it for 9.99. It's a real bargain! Unfortunately, B&N bargain books come and go quickly, but if you can still find a copy I suggest getting it.

The Night America Panicked - A made for TV movie created in 1975

This film is a great recreation of the event. It starts out by following Welles and his team of writers and actors preparing for the show. Meanwhile, unsuspecting Americans are sitting down to dinner, not knowing that their evening will be less than normal. After the start of the CBS program, the panic begins. This film shows us what happened from beginning to end. The man shooting at the water tower is even included!

This video, obviously, is a bit hard to find. However, if you google the name you can find some online sellers and will be able to purchase a used copy. I got mine that way and it was delivered quickly.

The War of the Worlds directed by Byron Haskin, produced by George Pal

This1952 adaptation H.G Wells's classic won an Oscor for Best Special Effects. Today, the film has a campy feel but that makes it all the more enjoyable. You can watch Spielberg's version or you can step back in time and take a look at what started it all!