The Starman and Me

Twelve-year-old Kofi discovers Rorty Thrutch, a prehistoric human, on a supermarket roundabout. Rorty has no idea how he ended up in Kofi’s village, but his strange abilities – being able to copy, paste and delete objects using only the power of his mind – causes him to be the subject of some pretty unwelcome attention from scientists. They will do anything to get hold of Rorty and exploit his abilities for all they’re worth. Therefore, Kofi and best friend Janie must protect Rorty from the villainous adults, as well as finding his missing girlfriend, Pogsy Blue.

Themes of bullying and friendship run alongside those of science and the possibilities of DNA in this clever debut novel for upper primary or Year 7/8 readers. The characters are well drawn, and the adventure barrels on at a good pace throughout, as well as being a clever and thoughtful consideration of moral issues in scientific disciplines, the implications of genetics and the similarities and differences we have to others – even prehistoric humans. Perfect for fans of Christopher Edge.