Galaxy Zack – Science Fair Disaster!

Ray O'Ryan's Galaxy Zack Science Fair Disaster is a space school story for 5 year olds about a boy who needs a winning science project, and fast.

What happens

Zack Nelson moved from Earth to the planet Nebulon with his family. Now his school, Sprockets Academy, has been picked to host the Intergalactic Science Fair. It only comes round every four years and kids from all over the galaxy take part.

Everyone on the school bus already has a brilliant idea. A robot that turns into a hover cruiser! A machine that shrinks atoms! Zack has nothing.

Who hasn't felt that little wobble of panic about a school project?

So he tries a volcano. Water, vinegar, red food colouring, washing-up liquid and baking soda. It gives a tiny fizz and a dribble over the edge. His friend Seth is not impressed.

Then, on a trip to the Hall of Science, Zack slips on something he can't even see. That evening his dog Luna finds a blob of green goo stuck to his shoe. It's bouncy, it's sticky, and it copies the shape of whatever it's next to.

Zack decides it's the perfect project. He calls it the Anything!

The fair itself is great fun. There's a five-eyed friend with a gadget that means you never need a shower, a boy whose bubble gum floats him out of the window, and Zack's twin sisters playing loud music to a plant. As the title warns you, things don't go quite to plan on the big day.

Everyone on Nebulon has their own words for things, which younger readers tend to love. Something great is "grape". The family robot, Ira, calls him "Master Just Zack" and it's very sweet.

It's super gentle underneath all the gadgets. The worries are ordinary ones (a project deadline, wanting your friends to be impressed) and Zack's friends all pitch in when it matters.

It's Galaxy Zack book number thirteen, but it makes perfect sense on its own. Zack's friends and family get a quick introduction as they pop up.

What to read next

If this one goes down well, go back to where it all started with Hello, Nebulon! It's the day Zack's family leaves Earth, and he watches his home shrink to a tiny blue dot out of the space cruiser window.