If you’re looking for a good book to give your kid to read — or to read yourself — I recommend Cosmic by Frank Cottrell Boyce.

Published by Walden Pond Press, the 311-page novel tells the fantastic story of Liam, a 12-year-old British boy whose height and premature facial hair cause him to regularly be taken for an adult.

And not just an adult. A dad. Specifically, as the fable unfolds, dad to his friend Florida Kirby. And that’s how his adventure begins.

Without giving away too much of the very original plot, I will tell you that the story concerns a secret Chinese program to launch the first space flight manned by children. The whole tale is told to us through Liam’s eyes which, by the time the whole thing plays out, also turns out to be how an actual dad might view things.

Liam’s incredible journey (to China and beyond) is one of discovery in more ways than one — including his realization of what it really means to be a parent.

I honestly laughed out loud several times while reading Cosmic but what I really like is its heart and kind tone.  There isn’t so much a moral message as a moral underpinning to the story.  There’s no preaching, no Bible thumping. But its deftly-revealed concepts of faith and parental love unmistakably shine through.

The humor is sharp without being “edgy” and totally appropriate for kids while being thoroughly entertaining for adults. There’s definitely a very nice family film waiting to be made here.

“Cosmic” is Liam’s way of saying “awesome!,” or “cool!” All three of those words are apt descriptions of Cosmic.