Agent Z and the Penguin from Mars
Mark Haddon
Published by Red Fox
0-09-940931-3, £2.99 pbk
A real hoot of a story, wildly imagined, with episodes that seem impossible to avoid reading aloud. Mr Sidebottom, Ben's new neighbour, tries to take on Agent Z - Ben, Barney and Jenks - but he shouldn't have. His fascination with UFOs is his downfall as the three boys conjure up a visit from outer space with the help of a penguin and some Bacofoil. In a series of climaxes, which get funnier and funnier, Mr Sidebottom turns out to have a shady past. Silent reading is likely to suffer but the laughter will undoubtedly hook even more readers.
Reviewed in BfK No. 93 (July 1995) by Adrian Jackson (AJ)
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