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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Space Race-era tale with the usual plucky kids, awful adults, and Walliams humour.
A new illustrator with a slightly different style, but any reader will still recognise Walliams' famed characters and writing style.
Like James and the Giant Peach, this heroine has also lost her parents tragically and been sent to awful relatives (here a Dahl-eqsue Aunt Dorothy - think George's awful Grandma).
Ruth is worked hard by her aunt on her ostrich farm, she isn't allowed to go to school. Her only friend is a stray dog she's been allowed to adopt as her aunt likes kicking him around. Ruth has named the pooch Yuri, after her space hero, Yuri Gagarin.
Because Ruth is obsessed with space. As is the rest of the world, as it's 1960s America and the Space Race is in full swing.
One night, using the telescope she's scavenged to watch the stars, Ruth is astounded to see an ACTUAL UFO crashing near the farm. With an alien inside it!! She's GOT to get there before her aunt finds out!
And so begins yet another madcap adventure with over-the-top villains, over-long chases, disgusting lists, hidden topical references, brave and resourceful children, and lots of short chapters to keep children page-turning at a tremendous rate.
I was glad to see the historical context of the book, a bit of history there for readers, and Walliams actually reins in some of the usual silliness with no Raj or disgusting lunch menus. At times I felt like I was reading Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, but Walliams definitely has his own signature on his work and Dahl, while clearly a strong influence, is not channelled.
Lots of fun, it has a bit of a bonkers ending, but for goodness sake - it's a piece of fiction. I hope this gets children excited about space.
One for ages 7-12.
A new illustrator with a slightly different style, but any reader will still recognise Walliams' famed characters and writing style.
Like James and the Giant Peach, this heroine has also lost her parents tragically and been sent to awful relatives (here a Dahl-eqsue Aunt Dorothy - think George's awful Grandma).
Ruth is worked hard by her aunt on her ostrich farm, she isn't allowed to go to school. Her only friend is a stray dog she's been allowed to adopt as her aunt likes kicking him around. Ruth has named the pooch Yuri, after her space hero, Yuri Gagarin.
Because Ruth is obsessed with space. As is the rest of the world, as it's 1960s America and the Space Race is in full swing.
One night, using the telescope she's scavenged to watch the stars, Ruth is astounded to see an ACTUAL UFO crashing near the farm. With an alien inside it!! She's GOT to get there before her aunt finds out!
And so begins yet another madcap adventure with over-the-top villains, over-long chases, disgusting lists, hidden topical references, brave and resourceful children, and lots of short chapters to keep children page-turning at a tremendous rate.
I was glad to see the historical context of the book, a bit of history there for readers, and Walliams actually reins in some of the usual silliness with no Raj or disgusting lunch menus. At times I felt like I was reading Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, but Walliams definitely has his own signature on his work and Dahl, while clearly a strong influence, is not channelled.
Lots of fun, it has a bit of a bonkers ending, but for goodness sake - it's a piece of fiction. I hope this gets children excited about space.
One for ages 7-12.
Read for review
Have never read a David Walliams book before, I enjoyed it. This one was all action and adventure, good characters and a twist on the space race between America and Russia.
Have never read a David Walliams book before, I enjoyed it. This one was all action and adventure, good characters and a twist on the space race between America and Russia.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Spaceboy is a fun adventure story for new readers by comedian / actor David Walliams (Think Little Britain). It seems that Walliams has become quite a prolific author of children's novels.
Spaceboy features orphan Ruth, her 3-legged dog Yuri (named after famed Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin). Ruth lost her parents when she was young and she now has to live Aunt Dorothy. Ruth wants to go to outer space. Yuri found a broken telescope and Ruth fixed it and now spends her evenings watching the stars.
One night a flying saucer crash lands on Dorothy's property. And this begins a wild adventure as Ruth, Yuri (btw, Ruth fashioned a 4th leg out of an old egg whisk for Yuri) and Spaceboy try to escape, Dorothy, the local donut eating sheriff and scads of radiation suited soldiers. They will be captured, brought to the White House and then to NASA with a Dr. Strangelove like scientist.
It's a very fun adventure, with great drawings by Adam Stower. It has a bit of a feel of Roald Dahl to it. Ruth is a wonderful girl, strong, imaginative and spunky. Yuri is so cute and her faithful friend. And Spaceboy... well, look for a surprise. All in all, a great story for young folks beginning to explore the world of books. They'll love it. (4.0 stars)
Spaceboy features orphan Ruth, her 3-legged dog Yuri (named after famed Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin). Ruth lost her parents when she was young and she now has to live Aunt Dorothy. Ruth wants to go to outer space. Yuri found a broken telescope and Ruth fixed it and now spends her evenings watching the stars.
One night a flying saucer crash lands on Dorothy's property. And this begins a wild adventure as Ruth, Yuri (btw, Ruth fashioned a 4th leg out of an old egg whisk for Yuri) and Spaceboy try to escape, Dorothy, the local donut eating sheriff and scads of radiation suited soldiers. They will be captured, brought to the White House and then to NASA with a Dr. Strangelove like scientist.
It's a very fun adventure, with great drawings by Adam Stower. It has a bit of a feel of Roald Dahl to it. Ruth is a wonderful girl, strong, imaginative and spunky. Yuri is so cute and her faithful friend. And Spaceboy... well, look for a surprise. All in all, a great story for young folks beginning to explore the world of books. They'll love it. (4.0 stars)
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Are the characters diverse? Well one is an alien so I'm going to say yes. I enjoyed this story of the little girl who loves everything space and just wants away from her abusive aunt. Her dream comes true when she meets an 'alien' and they end up at area 51. This story was of friendship and was just really cute.