Walliams said Pinocchio was one of his favourite stories growing up, and that he wanted to create his own version with a robot police dog who yearned to be a real dog. “It is a comedy adventure story with a group of supervillains, but I hope my readers will find a positive message in there about being whoever you want to be,” he said. In his hilarious chapter books for older children, David Walliams has introduced us to unforgettable characters such as Gangsta Granny, The Billionaire Boy, Spaceboy and of course Raj the corner shop owner. With stories that young readers can’t wait to get their hands on, Walliams’ books are a must-have for children’s bookshelves. This is clearly one of the more thrilling adventures I wish I had been a part of. Space travel has never looked this exciting!

Ruth's terrible life is never to be the same as she struggles to hide the alien from her aunt, the sheriff, the FBI, the CIA, the scientific boffins and even the President of America. Thrown into a bouncing, flying, racing, falling, but fabulously fun adventure, Ruth does everything she can to keep her first real friend (besides Yuri) safe. One thing that surprised me with this book was its setting both in time and place. Most of David Walliams’ books are set in present time and in England whereas this book was set in 1960’s USA. I loved getting to read about the space race and have a different kind of supporting cast such as the sheriff and the President of the United States. 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. 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. to go up into space, and Ruth even named her three legged dog after him. It's the 1960's and space is a hot topic as the USA tries to copy their Russian rivals in the space race.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! Cally Poplak, executive publisher, said: “Hot off the heels of securing the bestselling children’s book of 2022 we couldn’t be more excited to publish David Walliams’ next adventure. David’s books bring joy and laughter to children and parents around the globe." There's a new kid in town, Kevin, from SPACEBOY 🚀. If your young one loved Greg from THE WIMPY KID series, Kevin will be their new best friend. I had to look up other books by David Wallace, and next on our bookshelves is GANGSTA GRANNY and CODE NAME BANANAS.

Now a wonderful part of our Christmas, not only do we get a new book to fall in love with each year, but the BBC have been adapting David’s books for Christmas TV specials since 2013, bringing even more of David’s magic into our homes. One night looking up, Ruth spots something blazing across the sky. It's getting closer, and closer, and.... CRASH!!! She knows she must go and see what it is. A plane? A meteor or what she's really hoping for. A flying saucer! Mom, I am finished. What a different take on space, and I learnt a couple of new words, you know!" DEFIANT was one of them, hopefully it will not be tested any time soon👀 The characters from The World of Walliams have escaped their books and are running riot across games and puzzles. Board games, card games, jigsaw puzzles and more have been invaded by the likes of Mr Stink and Gangsta Granny. Can you help Grandpa escape the clutches of the evil Miss Swine? Perfect for getting every Walliams fan in the house together for games night!

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Spaceboy is written on a snippet of history that changed our world and allowed us to dream of bigger things. It introduces us to a daredevil girl who is a science nerd and not afraid to stand up for herself or her friends. David Walliams brings his signature writing style and pushes Ruth to break stereotypes. He also jabs a punch of humour on the state of society, government and politics which makes you double over with laughter. One night she spots a flying saucer blazing across the sky… before crash-landing in a field. When the spaceship opens and reveals a mysterious alien, all Ruth’s dreams come true. But does this visitor from another planet have a giant secret? Adam Stower is the new illustrator for Walliams’s books and this is my second one by him after The World’s Worst Pets. He brings a frenzy to the adventure in his scenes, blowing the wind through your hair. Some of the scenes are drawn like a children’s comic book and I especially loved his illustration for Spaceboy with his metal head and flowing cape. Drawing on the golden age of comic books as well as classic children’s literature, and infused with David’s love of cinema, this is a non-stop, laugh-out-loud comic adventure that, like all of David’s novels, is also full of heart. Gloriously illustrated by the versatile Adam Stower, who brings his own deep love of film and comics to the world of Bedlam, it will be the perfect tonic for families everywhere this Easter and beyond,” he said. I am a massive fan of David Walliams’ books so I went into this book with high hopes. Thankfully it not only lived up to my high expectations it well and truly surpassed them.

Space Boy is a non-stop fun-fest, with tons and tons of action, a courageous heroine, a funny furry friend at her side, and an alien with a very, very big secret. I honestly don’t have a bad word to say about this book. I loved the writing, the story, the characters, and the illustrations and that is why I can easily see this book becoming a fast favourite with young readers. 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. David Walliams and Tony Ross have become the dream team for heart-warming picture books that little ones and their parents love to read again and again. From a slightly annoying elephant, to Boogie Bear, to Geronimo the baby penguin; Walliams and Ross have sparked little ones’ love of books with vibrant and fun characters. Adding to David Walliams’ wonderful story were captivating illustrations by Adam Stower. Not only did Adam Stower’s illustrations perfectly complimented the story they helped to elevate this book to a whole new level.Writing about unique and empowering characters such as Dennis - a 12 year old football fan who wears a dress to school – and Mr Stink – a homeless man who is befriended by 12 year old Chloe - David has captured our kids’ imaginations in entirely new ways. Creating tender moments alongside laugh-out-loud comedy, David has allowed younger readers to explore completely original stories and meet characters unusual to children’s fiction. The villains are properly villainous, a president is really familiar (but I can't quite put my finger on it - smirk) and a stereotypical military Major can hardly stand up with the weight of his medals and his strong chin.

It's not about the length of time it takes a child to finish a book, it's about consistency, and if a child reads frequently, daily, for about 10 minutes, that's all the difference it makes between developing reasoning skills, confidence, a great vocab and the hunger to learn more, to know more. One night she spots a flying saucer blazing across the sky… before crash-landing in a field. When the spaceship opens and reveals a mysterious alien, all of Ruth’s dreams come true. 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).The night sky is the only pleasure Ruth gets since she was left as an orphan on her evil aunt's steps. Aunt Dorothy makes Ruth work from dawn till dusk on her failing Ostrich farm, and also makes her share the minimal food she does get with her only friend - her dog Yuri. An alien on earth is news and the Spaceboy even makes it to The White House to meet a rotund President with an orange face who may or may not seem familiar to many readers. In the end the book is all about what makes news in power hungry nations and how children need loving families to help them realise their dreams. Walliams also points out that women and girls definitely have a role to play in the space race – something that was undreamt of in the ‘60’s.