Marshmallows for Martians

Having loaded up his newly constructed rocket with all manner of tempting confectionary including his own favourite marshmallows, George sets out on a space mission: to discover ‘what sweets Martians like best’. However, things do not quite go to plan. Seeing no signs of life on Mars, George follows a loud noise to its source, coming face to face with its perpetrators, not the Martians he’d hoped to see but  “Yodlers from Yodel” and hungry ones at that. Feeding them tasty treats proves a mistake as nausea ensues and George takes cover in a crater. Soon his ears are assaulted again; this time it’s the Bangbots from Waabangatoo (with cymbals attached to their bums). Gobstoppers and toffees soon shut them up and off goes a now despairing George once more. Suddenly though, he hears a gentler sound: it’s the Martians at last; they’d been taking cover from the alien musicians. Fortunately for all, George still has the supply of his own favourites left and … marshmallows make perfect earplugs.

Like those marshmallows George loves, this story is a treat for the tongue: told in jaunty rhyme, it reads aloud beautifully. Lee Wildish’s exuberant illustrations, like George’s bag, are chock-full of interesting items; the picture of the newly constructed rocket is littered with labels and all manner of tools for instance.

Space creatures and sweets – surely a winning combination for foundation stage audiences.