Rebecca Bagley Books

Sunil’s parents are nervous about leaving him with Alex, their somewhat unconventional neighbour, due to the presence of, the even more eccentric, Mr Shaykes in her front garden. Sunil knows to wait for the bump from next door to herald Alex’s return and can’t wait to return to his babysitter for another adventure. The question isn’t where that adventure will take them, but when…

The text is easy to access while also being witty and charming. Just the right side of ridiculous and peppered with facts – from famous scientists, to earthworms, to James Bond, to the original name for Uranus – who knew?

The larger font size and relatively short story mean that the book will appeal instantly to a younger audience, but in my opinion would brilliantly come into its own for older reluctant readers or children in older years for whom reading can be harder to access due to additional needs. The content and style are really attractive for an older child while remaining accessible for everyone. Sometimes even the most able reader enjoys a story they can read in one sitting. Add into that some glorious illustrations and you are in for a super fun treat for KS2.