Name this children's book

September 21, 2009 8:44 AM

Name that book filter: guess this children's SF book from minimal clues.

All I remember about this book is the central character was a cub or boy scout, who went on some camping trips. At some point he finds a small red box with a mysterious symbol on the front which has, I think, several sets of earplugs in it, and he contacts aliens through it. I think the aliens are fighting a war of some kind and he helps them?

It's set in the UK, and I must've read it some time between 1988 and 1998. Any guesses?

posted by penguinliz to writing & language (1 comment total)

This might not be quite right, but what about The Gismo from Outer Space by Keo Lazarus? There's a boy with a radio who finds a "gismo" that lets him talk to aliens; not sure about UK setting/alien wars.
posted by maryrussell at 11:20 AM on September 21