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The Blurb

Schoolgirl Charly Holmes has an out-of-this-world experience!
Charly in Space is an adventure story for young readers involving British schoolgirl, Charlotte Holmes (called ‘Charly’ by her friends). 13-year-old Charly and her friend Jenny must raise money by washing cars if they want to go on a school trip to the European Space Agency in France. With Dad’s help, they hit their fundraising target and embark on the trip of a lifetime that soon becomes the adventure of a lifetime for wannabe detective, Charly. Charly’s inquisitive nature soon gets her into trouble, and leads her to another exciting adventure. But this time it is the ultimate adventure of going into space and visiting the International Space Station. Not only does she go to Space, but she has the opportunity to prove that her theory about alien dogs is true!

Find out how this situation comes about, and what happens to the curious schoolgirl when she is discovered and returns to planet Earth. Experience the expanse of Space and life on the Space Station through the eyes of a schoolgirl and gasp in wonder at the adventure that unravels before her. Charly in Space is a story of imagination and thrilling adventure that treads the border between scientific possibility and sheer fantasy, seen through the sharp eyes of a thirteen-year-old schoolgirl.

This book is suitable reading for children aged 9+ and is the third book in a series, following on from The Adventures of Charly Holmes and Charly & The Superheroes.

My Review
Would-be detective. 13-year-old Charly and her friend Jenny, go on a school trip to the European Space Agency in France. Becoming separated from the others, Charly accidentally manages to take the place of one of the astronauts and soon finds herself on a flight into space.

This is the third book in the Charly Holmes series and the first I’ve read by father and daughter writing team Tim and Cathy Walker (though I’m familiar with Tim’s ‘A Light in the Dark Ages’ series). Although the opening scene is a little slow, the story soon gets going and manages to combine Charly’s adventure with facts about space travel, without becoming too technical. Initially realistic, the plot takes a slightly bizarre turn when Charly encounters alien space dogs, but this is well done and adds to the excitement as Charly is found to be the only person small enough to fix a broken connection on the space station.

A charming tale with an element of fantasy.

Links
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Author Profile – Tim Walker
Tim Walker is an independent author living near Windsor in the UK. He grew up in Liverpool where he began his working life as a trainee reporter on a local newspaper. After studying for a degree in Communication studies he moved to London where he worked in the newspaper publishing industry for ten years before relocating to Zambia where, following a period of voluntary work with VSO, he set up his own marketing and publishing business.

His creative writing journey began in earnest in 2013, as a therapeutic activity whilst undergoing and recovering from cancer treatment. He began writing an historical fiction series, A Light in the Dark Ages, in 2014, inspired by a visit to the near-by site of a former Roman town. The aim of the series is to connect the end of Roman Britain to elements of the Arthurian legend, presenting an imagined history of Britain in the fifth and early sixth centuries.

The last book in the series, Arthur, Rex Brittonum, was published in June 2020. This is a re-imagining of the story of King Arthur and follows on from 2019’s Arthur Dux Bellorum. Both titles are the Coffee Pot Book Club recommended reads. The series starts with Abandoned (second edition, 2018); followed by Ambrosius: Last of the Romans (2017); and book three, Uther’s Destiny (2018). Series book covers are designed by Canadian graphic artist, Cathy Walker. Tim is self-published under his brand name, timwalkerwrites.

Tim has also written three books of short stories, Thames Valley Tales (2015), Postcards from London (2017) and Perverse (2020); a dystopian thriller, Devil Gate Dawn (2016); and three children’s books, co-authored with his daughter, Cathy – The Adventures of Charly Holmes (2017), Charly & the Superheroes (2018) and Charly in Space (2020).

Find out more about the author from his website
Goodreads Author Page
http://Author.to/TimWalkerWrites
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