When Angus Met Alvin

Angus is a peace loving, somewhat unusual alien who likes nothing better than to be in his quiet garden, so when an uninvited guest comes crash landing ruining his flower beds, Angus is not amused. Before he can protest, the brash, cocky alien Alvin, is boasting about his exploits and challenging Angus to compete with him. It is not until Angus manages to trick the unwelcome visitor into popping his inflated self and becoming tiny, that Angus gets the better of Alvin. He makes him promise to behave, which he does, and then the two have a lovely tea together cementing their new-found friendship.

This is a funny and original book in both story and pictures. Witty and spunky, there’s a good use of page and aggressively zippy illustrations to gallop alongside the taut, combative storyline. For every quiet person whose life has been invaded by an exciting stranger who devastates lives, this is the book. It’s not unlike the introduction of an unruly puppy or energetic child who needs to be calmed before they cause trouble, and like them it is a fun as well as disruptive experience.