All About Middle Grade [Blog Tour] Review: Sputnik's Guide to Life on Earth

I am thrilled to be talking about Frank Cottrell Boyce's upcoming release Sputnik's Guide to Life on Earth. This book was incredible, especially in the way the author wrote about the ties that bind family together.

About the Author

Frank Cottrell Boyce is the author of Sputnik's Guide to Life on Earth, The Astounding Broccoli Boy, Cosmic, Framed, and Millions, the last of which was a New York Times bestseller and was made into a movie by Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle. His books have won or been nominated for numerous awards, including the Carnegie Medal, the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, and the Whitbread Children's Book Award. Frank is also a screenwriter, having penned the scripts for a number of feature films as well as the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics. He lives in Liverpool with his family.

Sputnik's Guide to Life on Earth by Frank Cottrell Boyce, June 20, 2017. 336 pages. Published by Walden Pond Press. Source: publisher.

Award-winning author Frank Cottrell Boyce returns with another one-of-a-kind story of heart, humor, and finding one’s place in the universe.
Prez knows that the best way to keep track of things is to make a list. That's important when you have a grandfather who is constantly forgetting. And it's even more important when your grandfather can't care for you anymore and you have to go live with a foster family out in the country.

Prez is still learning to fit in at his new home when he answers the door to meet Sputnik—a kid who is more than a little strange. First, he can hear what Prez is thinking. Second, he looks like a dog to everyone except Prez. Third, he can manipulate the laws of space and time. Sputnik, it turns out is an alien, and he's got a mission that requires Prez's help: the Earth has been marked for destruction, and the only way they can stop it is to come up with ten reasons why the planet should be saved.

First Sentence

Before you start anything, make a list.

I cannot even begin to tell you how much I enjoyed Sputnik's Guide to Life on Earth. It was such a great read and even though it had its sad points, it brought a smile to my face.

• Where does one even start when it comes to talking about what made this such a wonderful read. Well, I guess that would be the beginning. Like the story of why Prez is no longer able to live with his grandfather as well as the arrival of one Sputnik. There's just so much to talk about with this one!!

• One of the things I really enjoyed was how the story unfolded. Most especially the way it took Prez coming to terms with the decline of his grandfather's memory. I cannot even find the words to describe why it was such a needed and well written, aspect of the book. The author did a great job of illustrating that ties that bind the family together; and the things one would do to keep them safe. MY HEART!! Just read it!! Because there are no suitable words to sum up my thoughts on this part of the book are just not happening. 

• One can not talk about Sputnik's Guide to Life on Earth without mentioning Sputnik himself. At first, he annoyed me as trouble always ensued when he was around. Yet, the more mayhem he caused, because let's be honest he turned a toy light saber into one that functioned and gave it to a small child, and the crazier things got, the more he intrigued me. I enjoyed the fact that he pushed Prez out of his comfort zone. 

• Writing-wise: I don't say this lightly, but I really enjoyed Frank Cottrell Boyce's writing. From the setting and the circumstances surrounding both Sputnik and Prez, this book had so many things going for it. Yet as much as I loved the premise, it was the way Mr. Boyce brought the story to life that really made it worth reading. I also loved the connections between Sputnik's knowledge of earth and Prez's family. While you'll have to read the book to find out how everything connects together,  

Final Verdict: Sputnik's Guide to Life on Earth- Unfortunately, there is no instruction manual for dealing with an alien trying to save the earth... Luckily for you, you can read about one who causes all sorts of mayhem in the process and the boy, Prez, who is trying to help him save our planet and find his grandfather in the process. From family to saving the earth, this book was a blast to read.

Sputnik's Guide to Life on Earth earns

An advanced copy of this book was received in consideration for review from the publisher. All thoughts are my own.