My enormous thanks to Strauss House and the team at StonehillSalt PR for a surprise copy of children’s book Jasper: Space Dog by Hilary Robinson, illustrated by Lewis James. I so loved Peace Lily by Hilary Robinson, reviewed here, that it was one of my top three books in 2018, so I was delighted when Jasper; Space Dog was waiting for me in my bookpost on my return from a recent holiday.

Jasper: Space Dog was published on 4th April 2019 and is a 50th moon landing anniversary book available for purchase here.

Jasper: Space Dog

Jasper: Space Dog is the first in a series of hilarious stories about the ambitions of Charlie Tanner and his dog, Jasper.

Released to mark the 50th anniversary of the moon landings, the story cleverly weaves facts about space missions with hilarious ideas about space.

In their quest, Jasper and Charlie consult space experts to see if Jasper might make history too.

Several considerations regarding the design and layout of Jasper Space Dog have been made including the use of dyslexie font and cream paper stock to assist those who may find some aspects of reading challenging.

My Review of Jasper: Space Dog

Jasper, Charlie Tanner’s dog, has ambitions!

What a brilliant children’s book. Never mind children, it took me right back to the moon landings when I was the same age as 8 year old Charlie Tanner and I think adults of around my age would love this story just as much as the children at whom it is aimed. So many memories were rekindled by reading Jasper: Space Dog that I now feel incredibly nostalgic.

Jasper: Space Dog is perfectly plotted for independent or shared reading. There’s a clear font with an excellent balance of text to illustration and the email structure gives natural and frequent breaks to those children who struggle with reading. The illustrations deserve praise in their own right because, whilst they are professional and fitting for the text, they have a level of naivety that is perfect for the age range aimed at.

I loved the humour in Jasper: Space Dog and think children will too. However, the best part of the book for me was the manner in which facts, science and history are interwoven so that children are learning without realising because they are simply enjoying a smashing story. This is such skilful writing for children and I can see the book shared at home or at school very successfully.

It’s obvious that a considerable amount of time and effort has gone in to creating an accessible, entertaining and educational story in Jasper: Space Dog that is wonderful for children of all ages! I really recommend it.

About Hilary Robinson

Hilary Robinson is an author, radio producer, broadcaster and feature writer. She was born in Devon and brought up in Nigeria and England. The author of over forty books for children she is best known for Mixed Up Fairy Tales. Her books have been translated into a number of languages and are sold across the world. She lives and works in London and Yorkshire.

You can follow Hilary on Twitter @HilsRobinson and visit her website for more information.