"The Boy From Mars" by Simon James (Walker Books)

Simon James' books are always quirky, original but always have a heartfelt message tucked away inside...
"The Boy from Mars" is no different, despite at first seeming like a fairly simple tale of childhood imagination.

Stanley is upset that mum has to work away from home for a while. So upset that Stanley climbs into his intergalatic space shuttle (a cardboard box), and blasts off to the planet mars.

When the shuttle returns, someone crawls out of it - but it's not Stanley, it's...THE BOY FROM MARS.

The wee martian boy (who DOES look a lot like Stanley to be fair) has his own quirky ways.

He doesn't wash or brush his teeth, because Martians do neither of those things.

He does not eat disgusting earth food - but Martians, it seems, are definitely partial to ice cream.

But what happens when Mum comes back home? Will the family ever see Stanley again? See if you can guess what happens at the end of the story (or better still, pick up this quirky and utterly lovely little book instead and find out for yourself!)

C's best bit: Martian diets definitely got the thumbs up.

Daddy's fave bit: I love Stanley's superb cardboard rocketship. A perfect depiction of childhood imagination and also a rather touchingly written ode to what happens when something jams a spanner in the works at home. Wonderful book this.

(Kindly supplied for review)

"The Boy From Mars" by Simon James is out now, published by Walker Books.