Bob's Film Fiasco (Bob and Barry's Lunar Adventures) by Simon Bartram (Templar Books)

We've been quite interested to see what the Bob / Man on the Moon Early Readers Chapter Books are like - we love the Picture Book versions very much. Templar kindly sent us one to take a look at and this time Bob (The Man on the Moon) is coasting on the crest of moon-tube video fame. Movie moguls decide to make a movie all about his life and work, filling Bob with much excitement and anticipation as a movie advisor.

Bob doesn't realise how the big wheels of Hollywood work, and how massive a certain Mr Vegas' ego is (is it just me or does he look a lot like Peter Serafinowicz?)

The film soon takes a turn for the worst and when Bob tries to intervene, he's hurried off-set - which is just the start of the movie madness with far worse yet to come.

As Charlotte moves into early chapter readers, books like this are fantastic because Simon Bartam's characters are good enough to stand on their own two feet in a predominantly text-based book (which still has brilliant black and white illustrations dotted throughout).

We managed to get through the story fairly quickly but it was very well written and now has us thinking about checking out the rest (there are 5 in the "Bob and Barry's Lunar Adventure" series, as well as all the fantastic picture books available too!)

An engaging book, a brilliant baddie, lots of hilarity and who could possibly resist a trip to the moon! Fab stuff, can't wait for more!

Charlotte's best bit: The brilliant end, which we can't reveal of course!

Daddy's favourite bit: Bob's constant denial that aliens exist (which of course means Charlotte absolutely LOVES spotting them all throughout the Bob books!)

(Kindly sent to us for review by Templar Books)