SEVENTEEN-year-old Joss is a wild girl who can play the harmonica. Very well in fact.

She is also about to start a course in time travel at university and when Mavkel -- the first alien to be allowed to attend a course at the university -- selects Joss to be his study partner, well, life changes completely.

Singing the Dogstar Blues is a mystery/thriller story and also a family drama.

It is often told in an hilarious style which takes the reader right into the future but, and this is an important but, there is none of the uncomfortable lumps of sci-fi lingo, so this is a book for everyone.

£5.99 Collins Children's Books.