Book Review: The Intergalactic Omniglot - Jenni Fleetwood (1988)

Turns out, you can just relive your childhood for £2.99 on eBay!

I was exactly the right age when this book came out, and I was the perfect target audience. A boy in a sleepy suburb finds a mysterious device which allows him to understand every language. Could it be… Aliens?!?!?!

It's all biking to the woods, arguing with siblings, navigating growing up, and living in a diverse community. Oh, and aliens, obviously.

The book is slim - 130 small pages - and easy to finish in an hour. Although I think I probably read it a chapter per night until the library wanted it back. The plot is uncomplicated - boy finds omniglot and hijinks ensue. It's beautifully told with just the right amount of mild peril, perfectly observed domestic life, and an undercurrent of geopolitics.

At its heart is a plea for international co-operation and mutual tolerance. It's heavy stuff for a kids book; Nation shall speak peace unto Nation. There's no B-Plot and no subtext that you'll only pick up as an adult.

The illustrations by David Parkins are charming and well placed throughout.

I remember the fire this book lit in me. Being able to understand the world would be a marvellous thing.

More than just a trip down memory lane, this is an excellent, exciting, and important book.