About the author
Andy Marchant
Andy Marchant is a writer who believes the best stories don’t just en- tertain-they show us how to be brave, kind, and true to ourselves. He creates emotionally rich adventures where the real magic lies within. His books explore belonging, confidence, and quiet courage, written for children who may feel out of place, yet never out of wonder.
With a background in marketing and a lifelong love of storytelling, Ruben & The Curious Cosmonaut marks his debut in fiction.
ruben & the
curious cosmonaut
Ruben isn’t the loudest boy in his class.
He isn’t the bravest on the playground either.
But when a battered old helmet in his grandfather’s costume shop shimmers with strange light, Ruben is pulled into a junkyard sky where stars can fade and be saved…
Testimonials
what readers are saying
★★★★★
I've been teaching for fourteen years and I know within the first few pages whether a book will hold a class’s atention. This one held them. We used the reading pack across three weeks and it gave us so much to work with inference questions, vocabulary work, a brilliant debate prompt about trust and identity. The children who usually drift were asking to read ahead. That doesn't happen often.
I've been teaching for fourteen years and I know within the first few pages whether a book will hold a class’s atention. This one held them. We used the reading pack across three weeks and it gave us so much to work with inference questions, vocabulary work, a brilliant debate prompt about trust and identity. The children who usually drift were asking to read ahead. That doesn't happen often.
ClaireYear 5 teacher
★★★★★
My son is nine and a committed non-reader. He finished this in four days. Four days. He then explained the whole plot at breakfast, in significant detail, for about 15 minutes. I haven't seen him care about a book like this before. We can’t wait for the next one.
My son is nine and a committed non-reader. He finished this in four days. Four days. He then explained the whole plot at breakfast, in significant detail, for about 15 minutes. I haven't seen him care about a book like this before. We can’t wait for the next one.
Rachelparent
★★★★★
My daughter insisted I read the first chapter to her at bedtime. I ended up reading three chapters. I'm not going to pretend I wasn't curious about what happened next. It's a good story. The kind where you care about the kid.
My daughter insisted I read the first chapter to her at bedtime. I ended up reading three chapters. I'm not going to pretend I wasn't curious about what happened next. It's a good story. The kind where you care about the kid.
Markdad of two
★★★★★
What got me, and I wasn't expecting this from a children's adventure book, is how lonely Ruben feels at the start. Not in a sad way. Just in a real way. Like he's carrying something he can't quite explain yet. My daughter read it and said 'he just wants someone to understand him.' She's eight. She got it immediately. That's the thing about this book. Underneath all the disguises, it's about a kid trying to figure out who he actually is. That’s true to life, and not just for kids
What got me, and I wasn't expecting this from a children's adventure book, is how lonely Ruben feels at the start. Not in a sad way. Just in a real way. Like he's carrying something he can't quite explain yet. My daughter read it and said 'he just wants someone to understand him.' She's eight. She got it immediately. That's the thing about this book. Underneath all the disguises, it's about a kid trying to figure out who he actually is. That’s true to life, and not just for kids
Anna Mparent