Bumpfizzle the Best on Planet Earth

Bumpfizzle the Best, a snout-nosed, four-legged alien explorer hailing from Planet Plonk, records his Earthly observations while posing as white 10-year-old human Daniel in Forde’s (The Last Lie) humorous illustrated fictional diary. After altering the memories of his white host family—which includes 11-year-old William, Mother, Father, and house cat Sooty—Bumpfizzle surveys Earth culture while navigating the group’s shifting dynamics when baby Sam is born. Bumpfizzle’s antics—including his perplexing encounters with Earthen cuisine such as cat food, and his crush on an athletic girl at school—highlight his comedic missteps. He grapples with his growing fondness for the family and his loyalty to Planet Plonk, especially after discovering what the aliens have planned for Earth. “Annoying Baby Trait” vignettes (“The baby talks utter rubbish... the hoover has a better line in conversation”) are interspersed throughout, providing further insight into the family’s relationships. Braslina’s (Early One Morning) sketch-like b&w illustrations handily depict comical situations, including Bumpfizzle attempting to fight an unsuspecting cow. While it’s unclear whether Bumpfizzle is actually an alien invader or a human child’s inventive coping mechanism for new siblinghood, his purportedly extraterrestrial perspective and bombastic voice propel this tongue-in-cheek misadventure. Ages 7–10. (May)