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One thing that surprised me with this book was its setting both in time and place. Most of David Walliams’ books are set in present time and in England whereas this book was set in 1960’s USA. I loved getting to read about the space race and have a different kind of supporting cast such as the sheriff and the President of the United States. Like James and the Giant Peach, this heroine has also lost her parents tragically and been sent to awful relatives (here a Dahl-eqsue Aunt Dorothy - think George's awful Grandma). Ruth loves climbing trees, making a mess and throwing stones. But the thing she loves most is space. The girl is obsessed. She spends her days reading comics about alien invasions, doodling UFOs, watching B-movies about Earth being invaded by creatures from Mars… and gazing at the stars through her old, battered telescope.
The night sky is the only pleasure Ruth gets since she was left as an orphan on her evil aunt's steps. Aunt Dorothy makes Ruth work from dawn till dusk on her failing Ostrich farm, and also makes her share the minimal food she does get with her only friend - her dog Yuri. Space Boy is a non-stop fun-fest, with tons and tons of action, a courageous heroine, a funny furry friend at her side, and an alien with a very, very big secret. to go up into space, and Ruth even named her three legged dog after him. It's the 1960's and space is a hot topic as the USA tries to copy their Russian rivals in the space race. Spaceboy is written on a snippet of history that changed our world and allowed us to dream of bigger things. It introduces us to a daredevil girl who is a science nerd and not afraid to stand up for herself or her friends. David Walliams brings his signature writing style and pushes Ruth to break stereotypes. He also jabs a punch of humour on the state of society, government and politics which makes you double over with laughter. It's not about the length of time it takes a child to finish a book, it's about consistency, and if a child reads frequently, daily, for about 10 minutes, that's all the difference it makes between developing reasoning skills, confidence, a great vocab and the hunger to learn more, to know more.Because Ruth is obsessed with space. As is the rest of the world, as it's 1960s America and the Space Race is in full swing.
The villains are properly villainous, a president is really familiar (but I can't quite put my finger on it - smirk) and a stereotypical military Major can hardly stand up with the weight of his medals and his strong chin. An alien on earth is news and the Spaceboy even makes it to The White House to meet a rotund President with an orange face who may or may not seem familiar to many readers. In the end the book is all about what makes news in power hungry nations and how children need loving families to help them realise their dreams. Walliams also points out that women and girls definitely have a role to play in the space race – something that was undreamt of in the ‘60’s. Adam Stower is the new illustrator for Walliams’s books and this is my second one by him after The World’s Worst Pets. He brings a frenzy to the adventure in his scenes, blowing the wind through your hair. Some of the scenes are drawn like a children’s comic book and I especially loved his illustration for Spaceboy with his metal head and flowing cape.One night she spots a flying saucer blazing across the sky… before crash-landing in a field. When the spaceship opens and reveals a mysterious alien, all Ruth’s dreams come true. But does this visitor from another planet have a giant secret? I honestly don’t have a bad word to say about this book. I loved the writing, the story, the characters, and the illustrations and that is why I can easily see this book becoming a fast favourite with young readers. Mom, I am finished. What a different take on space, and I learnt a couple of new words, you know!" DEFIANT was one of them, hopefully it will not be tested any time soon👀
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