Book review: Harriet Versus the Galaxy

Written by Samantha Baines
Available from Amazon
Ages: 5-14

Reviewed by Cerys (10) who is profoundly deaf and wears cochlear implants.

Cerys

"I was very lucky to receive a signed copy of the fantastic book Harriet Versus the Galaxy from a competition my Dad entered for me on the National Deaf Children’s Society Northern Ireland Facebook page.

Just like me, Harriet is deaf and 10 years old. She wears hearing aids to listen to the sounds of the world around her, though I have cochlear implants.

In the story, Harriet’s hearing aids don’t just hear everyday sounds but also let her translate an alien language when she discovers an alien hiding under her bed. She learns that her granny is part of a secret organisation that is protecting the galaxy from the Muncha Aliens and, with her hearing aids, Harriet’s the only one who can understand them.

The book was easy to read with a great story and lots of cool pictures. It was also great to read about another deaf girl and how she deals with being deaf. I liked how, at the end of every chapter, the book describes all the different planets in the universe. The story was easy to understand and would suit boys or girls from ages 7–11. I would like to read more stories about Harriet’s adventures and how she’s getting on with her new friends."