It's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, with a bit of Space Odyssey and World of Warcraft thrown in. And now everything has gone wrong and it's up to him to get them all home safely again.

So much so that he finds himself in outer space, with a bunch of kids, who think he's a dad. So much so that he is continuously mistaken for an adult. This is how we meet Liam, a twelve-year old boy who looks much older. This is considered a book for children age 8-12, I think it's more for 10 and up. I'd recommend this one if you're in the mood for a light and sweet read. There are flashbacks within the story but they weren't distracting. I found this to be a quick read, the writing flows and the story is charming and sweet. There's even an appearance by astronaut Alan Bean.I enjoyed Cosmic. I liked Liam's descriptions of being in space. He keeps being told 'You should know better, big lad like you' by adults. Sometimes it's amusing the way adults think he is an adult, how easily they judge him on a first appearance. What's the point in forfeiting your childhood if all you get for it is filling forms?pp.114 CosmicLiam is instantly likable as is his friend Florida. That's why I swapped being a kid for being a dad.

It's supposed to be more fun being a grown-up.

The author captures Liam's voice very well as you see the story through this 12 year olds eyes. When things go awry, he tries to figure out how to get the spaceship back home safely. Liam was selected to be the only Dad on the trip. He is aboard the shuttle with five other children, including his friend Florida and they were supposed to land on Earth hours ago. His dad usually gets him out of trouble, but Liam doubts his father will be showing up in space to rescue him anytime soon. He is recording himself on his cellphone on the spaceship and wondering how he will get out of the mess he is in. But when Liam somehow gets himself and his friend Florida on a spaceship, there's big trouble and he finds himself in outer space with no way home.The story is told by Liam as he floats through outer space. Liam always ends up getting caught in the end and drives his parents nuts. Liam is usually mistaken for Florida's dad and the two of them just go along with the charade. When he goes to a car dealership with his best friend Florida, and gets mistaken for her father, then is nearly allowed to take a test drive, he doesn't bother correcting the salesman. When adults mistake Liam for an adult himself, he tends to not correct anyone.When his principal thinks he's the new teacher on the first day of school, Liam doesn't bother correcting her. This can be interesting for him since he's a curious kid who tends to get himself into trouble. Liam Digby is a 12 year old in the 7th grade who looks like he's a 30 year old adult.

Cosmic by frank cottrell boyce