The Late Crew

The Late Crew Synopsis

An endearing middle-grade sci-fi novel centred on young carers. Tyler cares for his mother with M.E. and his autistic brother Levi. When Tyler and other young carers are kept back in detention for being late, a spaceship crashes into the school! They meet a fourlegged lizard-like alien who needs help looking after his egg. The only problem is a creature called The Slime has taken over their headteacher, and he wants the egg too…

'The Late Crew is an exciting sci-fi adventure that runs at the speed of light and has enough heart to fill the universe. It's a story that will keep young readers gripped to each page and show them what it means to be a true hero - whether you're fighting aliens, or just trying to help the ones you love. Being neurodiverse myself, it was particularly wonderful to read a story that demonstrates not only the struggles we face, but - more importantly - the immense value we bring too. So thank you, Rab, for letting Tyler and Levi shine even brighter than a glowing green space egg!'

- Hana Tooke, no. 1 bestselling author of The Unadoptables

'I thought it was charming! I loved the characters - Tyler and Levi, of course, but all of the Late Crew were nicely done, with clear characters but not stereotypes (and even Ms Penn!) . And I loved the idea of a group of children who understood what it is to be young carers, and how cleverly Rab has tied it to the story. I hope they have many more adventures!'

- Alastair Chisholm, author of Orion Lost and Adam-2

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