These are joined by a slightly more serious commentary as Liam tries to do the ‘Dadly’ thing (with a bit of comic help from in his own dad’s copy of the book ‘ Talk to Your Teen’). Liam goes on to explain how they ended up lost in space and the laugh-out-loud moments continue. Liam’s first-person voice is immediately appealing and very VERY funny. Obviously, I’m more sort of thirteen-ish. He lied about this age: “I sort of gave the impression I was about thirty. He lied to his parents about where he was going: “ I’m not exactly in the Lake District”. The story begins with Liam admitting he lied. The biggest thrill ride turns out to be a real space rocket and Liam and three other children find themselves tumbling out of orbit. What could possibly go wrong? Well, quite a lot. He will simply have to become ‘the dad’ and persuade Florida to pose as his daughter.

Thus, when Liam wins a once-in-a-lifetime chance to ride the biggest thrill ride in the world and his dad refuses to go, the answer is obvious.

Or the time he visited the car showroom with his friend, Florida, and the salesman suggested he take a Porsche on a test drive. Like his first day at secondary school when the Headteacher assumed he was the new Media Studies teacher. So tall, in fact, that people often think he’s an adult. Ordinary in every way apart from the fact he’s unusually tall. A stupendous, laugh-out-loud, yet moving middle-grade adventure.

Cosmic frank boyce