The First Boy in Space: Skipping School Amongst The Stars

I've spoken with Paul a handful of times on social media and he's always seemed like a lovely guy. Reading (or listening) to something by an author you know, even a little bit, adds a new dynamic because you want to enjoy the story even more.Luckily for me, The First Boy In Space is brilliant! The characters are deeply layered which is impressive considering there's quite a few, the story is scarily believable and the humor always lands. Alfie as a main character has plenty of northern grit but

Got this because the author commented on a tik-tok of mine and said he reckons he’s the modern day H.G Wells (I respect the hyperbolic marketing because it worked) Probably should have just been a younger teen book and have the swearing taken out. Feels like it’s trying to be a ‘get the kids into science through a fun story’ book and also a slightly edgy ‘woah this book has a kid that says fuck’. Easy read of course as it’s directed towards younger people, I truly believe this author should just

This is funny! I found the characters relatable and funny, especially Lucy and Alfie, who are fantastic, especially considering Alfie’s Yorkshire roots. I really enjoyed the believable and relatable bond between the group of characters that go together on their space journey.As a young adult read, I can see many teenagers loving it. It tackles important themes like puberty, mental health, public speaking, and even includes little science facts; thanks to Alfie’s love for the subject.However, I f