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  • Sputnik's Guide to Life on Earth by Frank Cottrell Boyce
  • April Spisak
Cottrell Boyce, Frank Sputnik's Guide to Life on Earth. Walden Pond/HarperCollins, 2017 [336p]
Trade ed. ISBN 978-0-06-264362-9 $16.99
E-book ed. ISBN 978-0-06-264364-3 $9.99
Reviewed from galleys         R Gr. 4-6

In this new entry from British writer Cottrell Boyce (Millions, BCCB 7/04, etc.), the destruction of Earth might be avoided if an orphan, Prez, and his new alien friend, Sputnik (who just looks like a dog to most people), can convince Planetary Clearance to spare it. Prez is usually a quiet kid, choosing to observe rather than participate in his temporary home (his granddad is no longer able to care for him), so this is a lot of pressure for him. What's particularly touching here is Prez's loyalty to and love for his grandfather; as with the author's The Astounding Broccoli Boy (BCCB 11/15), the sci-fi aspects of the book are the hook but not the heart, which is about family and finding love where you can, and keeping love even through changes. Cottrell Boyce hits the right balance of humor and poignancy, and fans of the author won't be surprised a bit by the oddities or the memorability.

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