‘So hilarious! Patricia Forde is definitely the high queen of Irish comedy.’ – Eoin Colfer

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‘In Bumpfizzle the Best, the eponymous alien warrior has taken the form of a 10-year-old earthling boy and insinuated himself the fabric of one family’s life, causing all sorts of trouble. Told in the form of letters to the Great Master Hornswoggle on his home planet of Plonk, Bumpfizzle narrates his daily struggles against the Mother, the Father, and, worst of all, the Baby, who seems determined to usurp any power or privilege that Bumpfizzle manages to earn. Bumpfizzle is, of course, no ordinary alien. Indeed, he is the alter-ego of Daniel, a real 10-year-old boy with lots of 10-year-old problems. The book is rich with contemporary reference and comedy, as Forde uses the alien perspective to offer the reader an alternative view of familiar family conflicts and academic challenges. Elina Braslina’s illustrations, meanwhile, bring life to Forde’s characters with an expressive clarity that effectively undermines the details of Bumpfizzle’s letters and points readers towards his dissembling. But that’s aliens for you: they just cannot be trusted.’ – The Irish Times

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‘The narration moves at lightning speed, greatly helped by Elina Braslina’s delightful and impish illustrations, as Bumpfizzle grumbles from disaster to disaster and comes under increasing pressure from the Great Master… The real triumph, and there are many, is that the narration does not let up at all. Forde is enjoying herself immensely and her enjoyment and energy is infectious. Bumpfizzle, sorry Daniel, becomes a lovable character and, despite the fact that his claims as being the Great Champion Warrior are rather exaggerated, he endears himself to the reader’s heart as every 10-year-old freckled boy does. Bumpfizzle The Best On Planet Earth is a great joy to read, a wonderful achievement and a much needed refreshing read in a world full of trumpery.’ – Des Kenny, The Galway Advertiser

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‘The book was funny. It was very funny. There weren’t jokes, but it just made me laugh… People who like books with cartoons, and who read Roald Dahl would probably like this book. If I had to describe it in three words, I would say: “aliens”, “funny”, “funky” … and “surprising”. I’d recommend it to my friend Brooke. You don’t know her.’ – 11-year-old Sienna for the Dublin Inquirer

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‘This hilarious tale… readers will adore’
– InTouch, the magazine of the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation. Chosen as their November 2018 Children’s Book of the Month.

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‘With hilariously disgusting illustrations form Elina Braslina, Bumpfizzle is the story of a disgruntled alien that readers will adore.’
– Inis Reading Guide, Children’s Books Ireland