The First Boy in Space: Skipping School Amongst The Stars

by Paul M wHITE

The year is 2050. The climate is in chaos, Barnsley is a broken town, and the Lightnings are eating from food banks.

Lucy lost her hairdressing job to a robot, and her 12-year-old son is being bullied at school.



So when science geek, Alfie, gets the chance to join an LA-based space mission, it doesn't take Lucy long to agree to join him.



This is a fast-paced, comedy-adventure, that is both down-to-earth and literally out of this world!



Embarrassing incidents, mind-blowing science, teenage love, crime, and a terrifying alien adventure, The First Boy in Space makes social media look like your grandmother's meeting!



WARNING: Contains a sweary mother, a sweary grandad in a string vest, and an alien that gets his head blown off. 13+

327 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 18, 2024

Reviews

[Josh Rice - Author]

I've spoken with Paul a handful of times on social media and he's always seemed like a lovely guy. Reading (or listening) to something by an author you know, even a little bit, adds a new dynamic because you want to enjoy the story even more.

Luckily for me, The First Boy In Space is brilliant! The characters are deeply layered which is impressive considering there's quite a few, the story is scarily believable and the humor always lands. Alfie as a main character has plenty of northern grit but also a childlike innocence that makes him impossible to hate.

Also, great work on the "science" side too, Paul! I have no doubt you had to stretch it at times but it's obvious how much work went into the planning for this novel, you smashed it!

[Ethan Mighall]

Got this because the author commented on a tik-tok of mine and said he reckons he’s the modern day H.G Wells (I respect the hyperbolic marketing because it worked)

Probably should have just been a younger teen book and have the swearing taken out. Feels like it’s trying to be a ‘get the kids into science through a fun story’ book and also a slightly edgy ‘woah this book has a kid that says fuck’.

Easy read of course as it’s directed towards younger people, I truly believe this author should just fully lean into writing educational fun stories for kids and leave out the edgy humour and profanity. Also don’t make 75% of the humour and dialogue incredibly specific to Yorkshire slang and dialect bro I get that the author is clearly from there but that narrows down the relatability and the audience so much

[Reading Gems]

This is funny! I found the characters relatable and funny, especially Lucy and Alfie, who are fantastic, especially considering Alfie’s Yorkshire roots. I really enjoyed the believable and relatable bond between the group of characters that go together on their space journey.

As a young adult read, I can see many teenagers loving it. It tackles important themes like puberty, mental health, public speaking, and even includes little science facts; thanks to Alfie’s love for the subject.

However, I found some aspects a bit convenient. For instance, when they arrive on the new planet and Alfie doesn’t understand them, they resort to brain surgery and implant a language chip. I have questions: how did they obtain these chips? They’ve never had aliens visit Earth before, so why did they need this chip?

It’s a minor issue, and I think if you weren’t prone to overthinking, you’d likely accept it and move on.

The book also looks at climate change, which is the main theme of the book, government leadership, and emphasises the crucial importance of caring for our planet, as it’s the only one we possess. The book is set in the future, a realistic future, with a slight nod to AI and robots and their potential impact on humanity—financial concerns and job losses. I absolutely love the futuristic atmosphere; it felt very authentic.

Overall, it’s a fun and light-hearted read that I highly recommend. It felt incredibly relevant to current events.

[Martina]

I threw on the audiobook in the car on the way out to walk my dog, and ended up listening to the whole thing in one sitting (or one very long dog walk and then lots and lots of housework!). This book is extremely entertaining. I felt for the characters right from the beginning, and couldn’t help rooting for them. The story surprised me constantly, had me laughing out loud many times, and picturing the whole thing like a brilliant, vivid movie. Alfie, our protagonist, goes from rags to riches, zero to hero, and lots of other classic wish-fulfilment or totally unexpected metamorphoses, the most endearing of which being his excruciating puberty cooped up in a spacecraft. Lots of elements were heavily borrowed (though extremely tongue-in-cheek) from our world, like President Grump, mega space entrepreneur Tusk, and a very Tom Cruisesque astronaut, to name a few, but the narrative did not follow the usual structure of a hero space story. It was original in the best way, so full of charm, and brilliantly written. The narrator, Edward Gist, did a phenomenal job bringing Paul White’s fantastic writing to life – I could so easily picture all the characters, the voices and accents were all superb, and there was a thrilling theatricality to his delivery that matched White’s lively and compelling story. Brilliant stuff!

[Lucy Brighton]

The First Boy in Space
Being from Barnsley and a fellow Barnsley writer, I was really excited to read this so when it popped up on Kindle Unlimited, I gave it a go. I am not a teenager, but I have taught English to teens for almost two decades and think it totally hits the mark for that age group.
First Boy in Space by PM White is a heartwarming and thrilling debut that blends sci-fi adventure with real-world issues like climate change and resource scarcity. Twelve-year-old Alfie, an ordinary boy from Barnsley, joins a space mission with his mum, and what follows is a fast-paced, imaginative journey packed with humour, regional charm, and emotional depth. Alfie’s wit, loyalty, and the vivid characters stay with you long after reading. Though it contains some strong language, older kids and teens will find it both entertaining and thought-provoking. A refreshing, down-to-earth space tale that’s truly out of this world!

[Mel]

📚The First Boy in Space
✍️PM White
3⭐️

The First Boy in Space follows Alfie and his mum after he wins a competition to accompany a team of astronauts to a planet over 2 years away to try and find solutions for the global warming that is ravaging earth. Aimed at young adults, this was a really clever, funny and engaging way of introducing the environmental issues of our world and an interest in space. Reading this as an adult, I would have liked a little more information on how the situation on earth had deteriorated, but I think it was pitched perfectly for younger readers. Occasionally the dialogue felt very clunky, as if the author was trying too hard to be funny but I loved the Yorkshire-isms and the dialogue being written with a Yorkshire accent. All the different plot elements came together nicely at the end, with a really clever, subtle ending.

[Wyatt Creed Reads]

A perfect family YA Sci-fi that is a whimsical fun read with a nice message and satisfying conclusion. I had a great time with this one, a pallete cleanser that I was actually a little sad didn't actually expand a lot more into certain aspects of the story especially the Alian planet.

I do however believe it does exactly what it intended to do, portray an authors desire to write a story his teenage self would have loved to read. I highly recommend it if you want an easy, quick and satisfying read. Bare in mind this is a YA novel targeted at a younger audience and you will have a great time.

Thoroughly enjoyable read.

[Karen Jones]

A Cosmic Adventure

I just finished reading it, and I'm still reeling from the experience! This book is a wildly entertaining ride that's out of this world!

What I Loved:

1. Alfie's witty banter, cleverness, and loyalty to his mum made me instantly love him.

2. The regional accents and slang added a layer of realism that made the characters feel like friends.

3. Exploring Myronium, an Earth-like planet, was both thrilling and educational.

Perfect for teens and young adults who enjoy sci-fi, adventure, and humor.

[Lexa K]

A coming of age story about one boy's attempts to help save the planet.

This book was a hoot! As well as tackling serious issues like climate change, this book teaches us about found family, fitting in, and what it's like to be 12 with thoughts and feelings that we may not always understand.

A lot of facts and information adorn the pages of this book, making this not only a fun tale about a young boy in space but also educational for the reader.

Perfect for teen readers, and even as a 37 year old adult, I still had a great time reading this book.

[Lois Till]

What an adventure. This truly is a fabulous read. It’s got everything from funny moments to current affairs with a touch of romance and plenty of fabulous relatable characters. A book to take you on a rollercoaster ride through imaginary spaces in familiar places. An enjoyable read from an author with a talented mind. Buy this book I can’t recommend it enough if you want to relax into a world where Alfie is everyone’s hero.

[Gail Waterhouse]

Well-written, funny and genuinely entertaining, this is a book that should appeal to readers of all ages, not just teenagers. Full of fun, curiosity and imaginative glimpses of the future, it made me chuckle more than once, especially with its brilliant Northern humour woven throughout the story. The narration by Edward Gist added even more charm, bringing energy, warmth and personality to the experience. An enjoyable listen that leaves you smiling and looking forward to what happens next.

[Laura’s Literary Life]

This book was more than just about a 12yo going into space. With real life issues such as global warming and the effects it has on the planet, you can see this was clearly well researched.

The book is also extremely funny, a bit like a sitcom, and I really enjoyed the relationships between Alfie and his mom and all of their travelling companions.

[Adrian Romagnano]

A very interesting read. Great for the YA audience. Friendly to younger audiences with well thought out ways of bringing adult ideas to younger minds in a very non invasive way.

[Bob Yoerin]

Cute story with a message

The story is nice without a ton of violence in it. The whole thing is improbable but ends well with everyone of the characters happy. I liked it.

[Sally Mander]

Good.