Rocket Boy

This small hardback book is part of the new Little Tiger readers, designed to support children moving from picture books to their first chapter books. The book itself is sumptuous - a lovely textured cover, small enough to fit comfortably in little hands with an engaging picture front and back. These books will take pride of place on any bookshelf and will be regularly picked up for a quick read.

The story of Rocket Boy is simple; a young boy who is obsessed with space is gifted a large cardboard box by his busy mum on a grey and boring day. His imagination, a few household items and his ginger cat help him turn it into a rocket and his adventures begin. Will what he meets on Mars be friendly, though...?

The story is engaging and will appeal to more reluctant readers. The author has skilfully woven many interesting space facts throughout the story, without making it *too* educational and the designers have broken the text up enough with gorgeous illustrations, so that a developing reader won't feel overwhelmed. Some of the vocabulary is challenging, but encouraging readers to check or ask about any words they're not sure of will fix this.  The fact the language is thought-provoking just enhances the quality of this book - there is nothing 'reading scheme-y' about these.

Perfect for a 'just because' treat for your 7, 8 or 9 year old or a great addition to school libraries or classrooms.

96 pages / Reviewed by Wendy Kelly, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 7+