2026 is the National Year Of Reading, and BookTrust have put together a calendar of Monthly Missions to try. To fend off the January blues, this month’s mission is to read a book that makes you laugh, so that is my theme for this week’s recommendations.
For our youngest children, I have chosen Space Pirate Bears by Alastair Chisholm, illustrated by Jez Tuyo
This energetic and imaginative book is a wonderful celebration of storytelling, creativity and the magic that can grow out of an ordinary day at home. Jamie and Abby are bored. Very bored. With Dad attempting to work from his dining table, the children need something to spark their imaginations, and a story seems to be the only possible answer. What follows is a wonderfully inventive tale that transforms a quiet home into the far reaches of outer space.
Dad’s improvised story introduces a looming threat to the universe: something grey, dull and dangerously powerful. With the Star Defenders on the brink of defeat, there is only one hope left. Enter the mightiest heroes in the cosmos, the Space Pirate Bears. As the adventure unfolds, the real fun lies in the way Jamie and Abby shape the story themselves, debating who these mysterious heroes should be and what they are capable of. Their differing ideas fuel the narrative, creating plenty of laugh out loud moments and unexpected twists along the way.
This book is fast-paced, action-packed and filled with playful surprises that will delight young readers. At the same time, it gently highlights the importance of cooperation, creativity and listening to one another. Parents will enjoy the familiar setting and the warm portrayal of family life, while children will be swept up in the excitement of an intergalactic adventure.
An entertaining and exciting reminder that boredom can be the starting point for something extraordinary, especially when imagination takes the lead.
For newly independent readers, I’ve picked the latest release from two time Coventry Inspiration Book Award Winner, Ben Davis – the hilarious Postman Planet, the first book in a brand-new, highly-illustrated series full of cosmic capers that will have you in stitches.
Postman Planet has a secret. A BIG one. He claims to be the greatest postman in the Universe, but the truth is… he’s only nine. And right now, he’s racing to the Planet of Fluffy Unicorns with the most important delivery of his life: an inflatable planet that’s rapidly losing air. With only his irritating new assistant Stamp, a half-robot, half-dog who won’t stop beeping, Postman Planet must save the planet before it goes completely flat.
It is laugh-out-loud funny from start to finish. Ben has captured that frantic, silly energy that kids just adore, and his energy is perfectly matched by Yasmin’s fabulously funny illustrations throughout the book. Beyond the chaos and the giggles, there are some really lovely underlying themes of friendship, sharing, and the importance of teamwork.
I loved how accessible it is, and I know that with its short chapters and pages packed with hilarious illustrations, it’s a dream for reluctant readers or anyone aged 6 and up. I devoured this in one sitting and can’t wait for more from this series!
And finally for our confident readers, I’ve chosen Grimstink by Daniel Peak, a hugely entertaining book that delivers a brilliant blend of science fiction, humour and everyday family life, making it a real treat for readers however old.
The story opens with a delightfully absurd contrast: Alien Grimstink has travelled ninety thousand light years to destroy all life on Earth, while 13-year-old Layla Tenby has ventured half a mile to deliver leaflets advertising affordable fence panels. Fate, however, has other plans, and when the pair unexpectedly swap places, chaos quickly follows.
Grimstink’s grand plans for annihilation are derailed by the very British obstacles of traffic wardens, shopping precincts and the baffling complexities of ordering a Subway sandwich. Meanwhile, Layla finds herself zapped to a distant planet, surrounded by black holes, mining satellites and quantum spaceships, and reluctantly tasked with saving the future of the galaxy. Her determination to get home, rather than become a hero, adds plenty of warmth and humour to the adventure.
Adding another layer of fun is Reece, Layla’s younger brother, whose unlikely friendship with Grimstink raises the stakes even further. Is Reece the key to the galaxy’s survival, or will this peculiar bond spell disaster for everyone involved? From outer space to the middle aisle of Aldi, the story hops joyfully between the cosmic and the familiar.
Packed with laugh-out-loud moments and clever twists, this book explores friendship, responsibility and seeing the world from a different perspective. It is a fast-paced, imaginative read that proves even the biggest adventures can begin in the most ordinary places.
Happy reading!
