The boy from Earth by Darrell Pitt

The Text Publishing Company, 2018. ISBN 9781925603392
(Age: 8-12) Recommended. Bobby Baxter is the first boy from Earth to be accepted into the Galactic Space Academy. Sounds great, but Bobby has so many fears he has counted them, 689 to be exact. Leaving his dad and venturing into the unknown is terrifying for Bobby, not to mention meeting other students from alien worlds.
Everything is overwhelming and exhausting at first but there are fantastic devices that help, such as contact lenses that enable the wearer to understand all intergalactic languages.
Bobby befriends the other students in his squad and they discover that all is not right at the school. In fact, someone is trying to kill Bobby and the Gold Squad go on a quest to discover the hidden politics of the academy.
Bobby becomes braver as the story evolves. He survives life-threatening situations and persists with his training but the reason he alone was selected from Earth remains a mystery.
Darrell Pitt has written a fast-paced and funny novel. The alien students are diverse and have their own interesting skills and habits. Identity cards of all the Gold Squad members at the front of the novel, help in remembering each character.
Pitt was short listed in the 2017 CBCA Book Week Awards with his novel for older students, A toaster on Mars.
James Hart has also designed an appealing and exciting looking cover, showing Bobby running away from his alien adventures.
The chapters are around 10 pages long and have an easy to read font, making this novel appealing to primary aged students.
I recommend this book for 8-12 year olds.
Jane Moore