Level Up

by Tom Nicoll, illustrated by Anjan Sarkar

Interest age: 9 to 11
Reading age: 8+

Published by Stripes publishing, 2019

  • Adventure
  • Chapter books
  • Funny
  • Science fiction

About this book

Flo’s mum is a brilliant engineer. So brilliant, she has found a way for Flo to play her favourite video games using an avatar which is exactly like her. But Mum’s invention isn’t quite ready yet.

Does Flo take notice of the multiple notes Mum has left forbidding her to try out the device until it’s completely finished? No, she does not and she and her reluctant friend Max find themselves transported inside the Star Smasher game coming face-to-face with armies of Space Soldiers, far too many laser cannons, a cheating hacker and the very real possibility that they may not be able to find a way out!

Overconfident Flo and understandably worried Max are a great character combo for a fun and mildly scary virtual romp through a computer game packed with space paraphernalia and gadgetry.

As in all the best first chapter books, the youngsters often get the better of the adult characters and entertaining black-and-white illustrations add atmosphere and more than a few laughs.

About the illustrator

Anjan Sarkar is a British illustrator from a mixed-race British/Indian background. He has been illustrating professionally since 2010 and is currently working exclusively on children’s picture books and chapter books. He loves to draw expressive characters and try to inject a bit of humour into every image. Although he thinks of himself as British, his Indian heritage has influenced some of the projects he has been commissioned to work on, including Queen of the Hanukkah Dosas (about a mixed Jewish/Hindu family celebrating Hanukkah) and Rum Pum Pum (a story inspired by the Indian landscape, its wildlife and culture). He thinks picture books are a great way to introduce children to ideas, people and places that they wouldn’t normally come into contact with. He lives in Sheffield, Yorkshire.

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