Harriet Versus the Galaxy

When 10-year-old Harriet is rummaging under her bed hunting for her hearing aid, the last thing she expects to find instead is an alien. It’s a sock-munching alien from planet Janet. But what is it doing under her bed? And could it be that this isn’t the only intergalactic visitor? Perhaps Harriet’s mild-mannered, tea-supping, sock-knitting gran knows more about the alien invasion than she is letting on.

It’s not long before Harriet finds herself working alongside her gran to defend the human race from an array of extra-terrestrial characters, intent on stealing more than just socks.

This is a highly accessible story, laced with lively black-and-white illustrations and lots of laughs. A rare and welcome example a female protagonist who just happens to be hearing impaired without this being the focus (although her hearing aid proves useful not just for amplifying sound – it turns out it can tune into the wavelengths of many languages, too!).

Particularly endearing are Harriet’s various budding friendships, including that with her larger-than-life grandma (with whom she is now living while her long-distance lorry driver dad is away). Different family structures (there is no reference to Harriet’s mum) and gender identities (Harriet’s new friend Robin is non-binary) are also incidentally included.

A quirky, fast-moving adventure, rich with humour and heart.