Henry Hobbs's home planet, Omicron, is so boring that no one has contacted it in years. So the visit of a foreign space ship is a HUGE event. For Henry, it's also the perfect chance to escape from his fearsome older brother, Rolo . . .

It's only when he stows away on board that Henry discovers the crew's mission. They're looking for a new, intelligent life form - and it might take them fifty years! Terrified at the thought of spending nearly all his life in space, Henry hatches a desperate plan - but will it work?

There are 144 pages in this book. This book was published 2001 by Hachette Children's Group .

Paul Stewart is the very funny, very talented author of more than fifteen books for children, including The Edge Chronicles, a collaboration with Chris Riddell. KATHRYN CAVE is the author of a number of successful children's books including Dragon Rise and Something Else (Puffin). She is a book editor in London and has three children.