Have you ever wondered what happens to cause a shooting star? Scientists will have us believe that it is a small piece of rock hitting the Earth's atmosphere but what if it is actually a star falling through a tear in the sky made by a demon trying to destroy the world?

Zed has been raised in a family, steeped in demon hunting prowess, where the expectation is that he will follow in the footsteps of his father, the esteemed Hunter tasked with the capture of any demon who dares to enter the world. Zed wants to please his father but his interests and talents fall outside of those expected of him by his family and superiors.

One night, when a demon called Spark falls from the sky, Zed finds him and is shocked to realise that he is just a frightened boy. Over time, he forms a friendship with him and has to help him to find his missing brother. In doing so, Zed makes discoveries that challenge what he has been told throughout his life and he is forced to acknowledge that in order to do what is right, he must go against his father and listen to his heart.

This is a book which uses humour and stardust to sparkle its way into our hearts and sends a message to remind us to find information out for ourselves before passing judgment on others. We loved the concept, the themes of friendship, diversity and self belief, and who can resist a shape shifting demon with a dry wit and a mischievous streak.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's UK for sending us this eBook for review consideration. All opinions are our own.

As I have loved Ben's other MG books I really wanted to read this. It is very different to the real life scenarios of Me, My Dad and the End of the Rainbow and the Secret Sunshine Project. This is a fantasy type Earth, humans are guarded by Hunters who report to the Authority and are there to protect the Earth from Demons which appear from shooting stars.

Zed is the son of the First Hunter, Alistair Smyth. His grandfather was a hunter too, it is his destiny. But Zed is home schooled they have moved around a lot, so his schooling comes second to Dad's hunting. He isn't great at sports either. And worse still the day he goes for an assessment at The Authority he is there at the same time as Aro, daughter of the second hunter, Lilith.

Aro is first in the Chair and the Superior is really pleased when Aro sees the constellation of Eras, The Ancient Hunter in the stars shown. Zed, however, causes confused looks on those around him, including his Dad when he sees nothing but a shooting star and announces a Demon has fallen.

Zed's father is quiet and once home Zed goes outside to his treehouse. He doesn't understand what was wrong with what he saw, and Dad isn't telling him. He isn't like Dad he is sure of it. Dad's team all arrive, followed by a new recruit, Selena Jepson a new tracker. But she's just 16 and was top of her class.
Then all is busy, a star and therefore a Demon breaks free from the sky. Dad instructs Zed to stay inside and all their defences will activate when he leaves. Zed will be safe inside.
But Zed had other ideas - he would catch the Demon then they would all see that he could follow in his Dad's footsteps....
But Zed finds that the Demon isn't what he expects....and their isn't just one....what can he do? And how annoyed is his Dad going to be?

Absolutely brilliant new adventure story, really enjoyed it. Will certainly look to try and get one for school as I feel this will be popular with the children (primary/ks2 but certainly LKS3 too). I hope there will be more as it ends with that possibility.

I really enjoyed this! A gorgeous story of a kid who doesn’t wanna follow in his dad’s footsteps, unlikely friends and standing up for what’s right. Benjamin Dean gets good storytelling and his books always just get me. There’s loads of good in this about identity, accepting people who are different and being yourself. I’d love more from this world!

I absolutely adored Benjamin Dean's other middle grade novels and was so excited to read his latest - especially as it forays into SFF.

I loved Zed as the MC. He went through such a good character arc in learning not to trust everything he'd be taught and to accept friendship from unlikely places. I thought his relationship with his father was so well written as it transferred from admiration and idolisation to a sense of betrayal and anger. The argument between them where Zed points out how if he shouldn't trust people who look different to him then the first person he shouldn't trust would be his dad. That just hit.

Spark was such a great character too, especially as an older brother to Speck. His motivation to save his little brother and his friendship to Zed just made him so easy to root for and love.

I think the lore surrounding the Demons was so well conveyed. I love how they age differently to humans and how beautiful their life in the stars sounds. I love the idea of stardust and a powerful force that allowed shooting stars to rip holes in the sky. I also really, really loved how they call themselves Demons. Like, this is a word that in the reader's world and in this fictional world has negative connotations. It made the reader and Zed have to follow a similar path of facing misconceptions based on ideas this word brings to mind and - after actually meeting Spark, a demon, - it makes the reader have to shift the meaning of 'demon' in their head every time its mentioned. It feels like an incredibly clever way to explore language and prejudice.

The way Selena was built up was so good, there were enough hints that she was an ally for her being a Demon to make perfect sense whilst still being a slight twist (I initially thought maybe she was another human ally).

Also, there's so many parts that just make me want a sequel so bad. I want to know more about the unique symbol Zed saw when he was being evaluated by the Superior - does it relate to his actions in the story allying with Spark? Is it a hint at his future role in creating a better relationship between Demons and humans? I want to know more about the history, about why the Authority is hunting an imprisoning innocent Demons - what is their end goal? (I'd guess some form of exploitation given the scientists around when Spark & Speck were in the pods and given the power of stardust). Also are Selena, Zed & co. going to free the other Demons in the 'underworld'??

Just, Benjamin Dean has crafted a very compelling world and i would wholeheartedly recommend this book (and love to read more).

In an alternative reality where star beings fall through tears in the sky and are hunted on Earth as Demons, a young boy befriends one and defies his Hunter father to try to save his new friend from capture and rescue his imprisoned brother.
The basic premise of the story is based more on a fantasy view of stars and starlight (don't expect anything vaguely scientific!) but it works reasonably well in this context and provides an engaging adventure with likeable characters and an underlying dry humour. The very strong themes of friendship and accepting difference without judgement or prejudice do threaten to intrude at times but provide a very positive EDI vibe.
The writing and characterisation is a little forced at times but I generally enjoyed this book : it is set for a sequel...

This book follows Zed, a young boy who lives in a world where demons fall from the sky and are hunted and captured by a series of Hunters. All his life his dad has worked as a hunter and Zed hopes to one day follow in his footsteps. But when Zed befriends a demon, he discovers the lies he's been told all his life, as this demon is just a young, scared boy, no older than Zed himself. Zed's forced into a dilemma, to tell his dad about the demon or to help the demon get back home.

I loved this book. It was a touching, beautiful, well-written story. I loved the futuristic tone of the story, and thought that Zed was a very relatable MC and the issues he faces in life will definitely hit home for some of the younger readers of this story. Overall a great story, I love everything Benjamin Dean writes, he truly is a great storyteller.

I received an arc from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVED this book. It follows the character Zed, who has grown up believing that demons are terrifying creatures wanting to kill humans, and that Hunters like his dad are heroes. Along the way, he meets a demon called Spark and this changes everything he thought he knew about the demons and how they think and feel. I couldn’t stop reading it and I thought it was very well paced, and the plot twists along the way were gripping and kept me on the edge of my seat. I would definitely recommend this to any fantasy lovers (of any age), as like Benjamin Dean’s other books, this was beautifully written and the characters were compelling. I’m very grateful to have been given the chance to read this as I really enjoyed it and think others will too!

Zed lives with his father who is the First Hunter in the Authority, the organisation who track down the Demons (known to be dangerous) that fall from the sky. Being a Hunter is a prestigious job and one that carries status by those the Hunters protect. Zed has always felt the weight of expectation on him to follow in his father's footsteps and become a Hunter, but when he and his father are summoned to meet the Superior, things don't go well and it is clear that his father is disappointed in him. Sent to his room when they get home, Zed can overhear his dad's team in discussions, and then hears a shooting star, which signals that a Demon is falling to Earth. With his father and his team quick to act, Zed is left alone. However, what Zed doesn't expect is to encounter one of the aliens; nor does he expect anything that happens afterwards.
It's no secret that I love Benjamin Dean's books, both Middle Grade and YA, so when They Boy Who Fell From The Sky popped up on NetGalley, the temptation to dive straight in was too great!

Zed is a character I loved from the very beginning: making jokes when he's nervous; listening in to adult conversations when he's not supposed to; sneaking around when he thinks nobody notices ... readers will definitely warm to him. But one thing is clear: Zed is lonely. He and his father have spent so long travelling around for his father's job, that he's never had the chance to make any real friends. Coupled with the fact that everything Zed has ever been taught about Demons dictates that they are vicious and should be feared, it's not surprising the way he reacts when he first meets Spark. What unfolds is a truly heart-warming story about finding friendship; knowing when to do the right thing and following your heart.

One of the things that I felt really shone from the book were the messages woven into the plot about being yourself. Lines such as 'Rejecting who you are and forcing yourself to become some you're not, is painful' were powerful and ones that children need to hear (Can I just say that I think Spark's grandma is a very wise alien and one whose messages need spreading further).

Publishing on the 18th January, The Boy Who Fell From The Sky is a sci-fi that is guaranteed to warm your heart, make you smile and banish the January blues.

Zed lives in a world where not only do dangerous Demons fall from the sky, they must be hunted down before they can hurt the inhabitants of his planet. To this end, Zed's father - along with his other team members - is tasked with hunting down and disposing of the Demons, as quickly as possible.

As the First Hunter, Zed's father holds a prominent position, working under the Authority that rules their society. So there are obvious expectations that Zed will follow in his foot steps.

Unfortunately, his assessment does not go well, partly as a result of his nervousness. But whatever the cause, the outcome is the same. Zed has disappointed his father and family.

When his father's team comes over to discuss their plans that evening, Zed hears the distinctive sound from the sky that usually presages the arrival of a Demon.

As his father and the other members of the group rush out to deal with it, Zed also ventures out, hoping to make amends for his earlier failure.

But what he finds leaves him deeply disturbed. The Demon is another young boy, just as scared, worried about his family, and desperate to get home, as Zed would be under the same circumstances.

Now Zed faces a dilemma. Not only about what he should do - when he knows that his father's expectation would be that he immediately report the Demon's location - but also how to square the reality of what he sees before him to the warnings he has been given about the danger from Demons.

This is a beautiful story, touching and well written. Despite the futuristic tone to the tale, Zed is a highly relatable MC and the problem he faces - the basic emotional and ethical issues at play - will not be entirely unfamiliar to other young people his age. This is a book well worth reading.

What an absolute triumph from Benjamin Dean. The Boy Who Fell From the Sky is a change in direction from the previous books I have read by Benjamin and it's a risk that has paid off! This is a story of cosmic friendship set in a futurish/parallel world where Demons fall to Earth from space and are hunted mercilessly. The story presents multi-layered versions of the truth and there are multiple opportunities for discussion about the motives of and relationships between many of the characters. Sci-fi themed it may be but this is really a book about questioning the world and truth we live in as well understanding the meaning of friendship and accepting others for who they are. I loved it and will certainly be using this book in my classroom. I don't want to give the ending away but I really hope there is more of this story! The possibilities for exploring so many of the character and their stories are endless.

I do love a science fiction read and having read lots of fantasy adventures and spooky titles of late, when I saw this had been added to the virtual shelves of Net Galley felt dutybound to request it. Having enjoyed the author’s other middle grade reads – Me, My Dad and the End of the Rainbow and The Secret Sunshine Project (you can read my reviews here and here) – both of which I enjoyed enormously, I wondered what this would be like as it sounded very different from those reads.

While his first books are both what could be described as real-life stories, all three titles have a similar feelgood buzz to them. All of them feature characters going above and beyond to try to help others and while the character in need of help here is an alien boy stranded on Earth, it will still warm the coldest of hearts and bring joy in spades to those picking it up to read.

Many children will be familiar with trying to live up to the expectations of their families but Zed has the added pressure of trying to meet those of the Authority – the organisation for which his father works as First Hunter, tracking down and capturing Demons – vicious aliens who fall to earth intent on harming its inhabitants. Having been away with his dad while he was training some apprentices, Zed and his father have been summoned to meet with the Superior, his father’s boss, so that Zed can undertake his assessment.

This does not go well, when despite being told not to a nervous Zed starts to make jokes and following the meeting it is clear that his father is disappointed in his behaviour as they drive home. Later that evening, his dad’s work team arrive at Zed’s house to discuss their plans for work and retreating to his bedroom to read a book, Zed hears the rumbling of a shooting star overhead – the signal that a Demon is about to fall to Earth.

Anticipating the appearance of the Demon, Zed’s father and his team head out to intercept it but things go wrong and when his dad is demoted as a consequence, it is clear to Zed that he is being blamed for what has happened. When soon after this, he meets Demon Spark, it is obvious that the alien is not a threat and everything Zed has been taught is untrue. With Spark desperate to return home, can Zed come up with a plan to help him do so before he is captured and faces the full might of the Authority?

I think many children will confirm that a respected adult telling you how disappointed they are in you is a deeply unpleasant experience and here, no matter what he seems to do, Zed cannot help but feel he is letting his dad down – something that his father makes no attempt to hide from him. Having spent his short life travelling about and being schooled by his father, he has no friends to support him and until he meets Spark has had no reason to query the veracity of everything he has been told or taught up until that point. When he discovers that in almost every respect Spark is the same as he is, Zed feels a whole range of emotions but most of all he wants to save his new friend from sharing the fate of those who have arrived before him.

This desire to help and Spark’s perilous position make this a real page-turner, as things do not always go the way that either the characters want or the reader expects. What is clear at the end though is that although the book has concluded, there is more story to be told and I really hope that there will be a sequel to tie up the loose ends that have been left. Perfect for confident readers in Year 4 upwards, this will make a great introduction to science fiction for those who possibly would not normally choose to read that genre but it will also appeal to those who have already enjoyed titles such as Space Oddity by Christopher Edge or How to be Human and its sequel How to Hide an Alien by Karen McCombie.

As always, my enormous thanks go to publisher Simon & Schuster and Net Galley for my virtual advance read. The Boy Who Fell From The Sky publishes 18th January.

Such an imaginative book that I finished it in 2 sittings and I'm really hoping there will be another one!
Zed is a clumsy, shy 12 year old, son of the leading demon Hunter. Demons fall through the Earth when a shooting star tears through.
One night, desperate to make his dad proud, Zed goes to hunt a demon himself and meets Spark, who is not quite the demon Zed had imagined.
A great adventure to save Spark and his brother and the message that we are all different and acceptance is truly important.
A great read.