Neoteny

In biological terms, "neoteny" means "the retention of juvenile features in the adult animal."^[6] This definition applies to species, including humans. William Alexander notes that "empathy" and "curiosity" are among those neotenous traits.^[5]

In the text, the Envoy explains to Gabe why he was chosen as Ambassador, saying that "ambassadors should be young...or at least neotenous" (page 36).^[3] According to Alexander, unexpected animal friendships can be explained by this concept.^[5] In the book, the friendship between Gabe's pets, Zora, Garuda, and Sir Toby, display the atypical friendships of which he speaks.

William Alexander expressed his reasoning as to why he created Gabe's character as an ambassador, saying "Kids haven’t fixed the boundaries of their social world yet, so galactic ambassadors between different planets should always be kids."^[5]

Alien identity

The text addresses the notion of being "alien" in the context of Gabe's family's immigrant status. This theme is most explicitly addressed when Gabe discovers that his mother, father, and sister are undocumented immigrants. Gabe is informed by his mother that she and his father have been detained at the ICE detention center; Gabe's father fills in the details later, clarifying that they were detained after a police officer pulled him over for not making a complete stop at a stop sign. Gabe learns about his sister's immigration status when he presses her to explain why she went from being a straight-A student, to academically struggling. Although, Lupe resists telling Gabe the truth, she eventually discloses that her academic counselor, Mr. Arpaio, discourages her from pursuing higher education. Lupe says, "he's helping citizens get in by making sure aliens with perfect grades can't" (page 102)^[3] Later in their dialogue, she goes on to call herself "illegal". In the process of discovering his family's undocumented status, Gabe grapples with what it means to "talk to aliens thousands of light years away"^[3] (page 84), while processing his family's alien identity back home.^[3]

Immigration

In the text, the immigration story of Gabe's parents, Isabelle and Octavio, is revealed. Both of Gabe's parents are "tapatíos", or people who come from Guadalajara, Mexico (page 16). Gabe goes on to describe some of the cultural practices with which his family engages, which retains elements of their Mexican culture. He goes to grab a Coca-Cola from the fridge, but makes certain to distinguish it as a "Mexican Coke", going on to express his dislike for the American version of the drink (page 18). Further, he describes the happenings at his dinner table, noting that his family spoke to one another in "Spanish, English, and Spanglish" (page 21). ^[3]

As Gabe is getting newly acquainted with his impending tasks as Ambassador, he encounters the United States immigration authorities. He learns that ICE, stands for the "Immigration and Customs Enforcement", and he puns the acronym describing his car ride to the ICE facilities as going to an "icy place in a pocket of icy silence" (page 78). He describes carrying his birth certificate with him to the center to have proof of his nationality and citizenship status if needed (page 79). As he speaks with his father, Gabe gains some understanding about the legal intricacies of the immigration system. He hears the legal terminology surrounding his mother's release from the center, as she is being released "on recognizance" (page 81). He also learns that his father, due to being deported once before cannot apply for reentry into the United States for another ten years (page 82). Gabe, as narrator, voices the experiences, much like these, of his immigrant family throughout the book.^[3]

Accolades

• Eleanor Cameron Award Winner
• Junior Library Guild Selection
• International Latino Book Award Finalist
• Minnesota Book Award Finalist

^[2]

Critical reception

Hector Tobar of The New York Times deems the book "an engaging and smart allegory about the hurt and strangeness of the modern immigrant condition." In the review, Tobar highlights the notion of being “alien” in the context of American immigration politics and the ways in which Ambassador intervenes in this narrative through science fiction. He calls attention to the connection between The Envoy as “alien” to Earth and Gabe’s family as “alien” to the United States. Further, he asserts that although the arrival of the Envoy into Gabe’s life was curious and unanticipated, that the unexpected immigration concerns of his family was far more upending. In both cases, aliens are being hidden and shielded from others.^[7]

Sarah Hunter of Booklist applauds Ambassador for "[injecting] meaningful depth into an exciting sci-fi adventure, perceptively exploring what it means to be alien while avoiding a heavy-handed message." Hunter highlights the technical aspects of the work which make it characteristic of the sci-fi genre, alongside the politically significant messaging which intervenes in a palatable way into American politics.^[8]