I loved the idea for this book. I often find with time travel books that there's some element that annoys me, like it shouldn't work or makes no sense in terms of how it works with the futures. But this one seemed really well thought out and nothing about the way his time travelling worked bothered me. I can't decide whether that surprises me more or less because it's a children's book but I thought it was great!
I loved the rest of the story too, and the idea that such little things in the present can have such a big impact in the future. But also that sometimes no matter how hard you try you can't prevent certain things from happening.
The book was hilarious (although there were some bits that really grossed me out (but that young boys would probably find hilarious haha)) and I loved all the characters, the young versions and their older future versions. Being a children's book I was not expecting at all to cry at the ending but it was so beautiful and sad. I thought it was excellently done on such a delicate subject. I'm excited to see what troubles await Bob in the next book.

A very funny story of an everyday kid, facing school challenges (including bullies) with an added twist of a time travel adventure. I read this with my son and it was that good there was a few later bedtimes.

Hello everyone, I'm Mr. C Reviewer, and tonight we're discussing Andy Jones's book, (Drum roll) Bob vs the Selfie Zombies. This book is the first in the bob Vs Series. This was my first experience with Andy's work, and after reading this story, I'm eager to explore more of his books in the future.
I am immensely grateful to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of 'Bob vs the Selfie Zombies' in exchange for an honest review. I had the pleasure of reading this captivating book in May 2023, spending almost an entire day engrossed in its pages. The reading level of this story is recommended for children between the ages of 8 and 12 and above, 'Bob vs the Selfie Zombies' was first published February 2, 2023. The narrative, told from Bob's first-person perspective, spans 24 chapters and 293 pages.



Summary
Bob is a time traveller who finds himself jumping through time at the most inconvenient moments, such as when he's in the bath. However, when he meets his future self in a disastrous alternate reality, he must take action to fix things. In a dystopian future, a sinister mastermind invents a camera that transforms individuals into zombies by capturing smiles. The world as Bob perceives it crumbles into chaos, Bob holds the fate of his future self, Malcolm, and the entire world in his hands. The daunting task of altering the present to secure a better future rests on his shoulders. Can he rise to the challenge?



Review
-In my opinion, the author has skilfully crafted a well-written book with a commendable pacing. This book was a rollercoaster of emotions. It had several heart-wrenching moments that left me teary-eyed, but it also had its fair share of humorous scenes that provided a much-needed balance to the overall tone of the book.

I feel that this book offers a refreshing take on time travel narratives by providing a well-crafted introduction to Bob's first experience with it. Unlike other stories that randomly throw readers into the plot, I feel like this book takes the time to establish the foundation of the story, allowing readers to fully immerse themselves in the world and the characters' experiences. By doing so, we are able to gain a deeper understanding of the significance of Bob's journey through time.

The concept of time travel has always been a fascinating idea to me, and the way Bob navigates through various intriguing situations depending on when the moment of impending time travel strikes is captivating. This element of unpredictability adds an exciting layer to the already intriguing plot. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the incorporation of time travel in this book and how it was used to create an engaging story. The book's vivid depictions of the main character's time-traveling experiences were really good. The author's ability to intricately detail the sensations and emotions felt during these journeys through time was nothing short of remarkable.

I fell like this story provides a unique perspective by introducing two versions of the character Bob - an older, child-like version and a younger, present-day version. The comparison between the two allowed for a deeper understanding of the character's development and their reactions to each other, adding layers of complexity to the story. The use of contrasting versions of the same character I feel was a clever way to explore different facets of their personality and growth over time.

During my viewing of the book, I couldn't help but notice a few errors, specifically the repetition of certain words where only one was necessary. This minor issue did not detract significantly from the overall quality of the work.

-The portrayal of Bob's father in the book evokes a sense of familiarity within me, particularly when he is experimenting with food combinations in the kitchen that seem unlikely to complement each other.

-I found myself eagerly turning each page to see where the character's journey will take them next. I feel that this book serves as an excellent introduction to the series. While I appreciated the characters' efforts to save the world, near the end I couldn't help but feel that their actions were somewhat cruel and unexpected. As a reader, I would have preferred if they had found a more amicable solution to the problem at hand, perhaps even becoming friends. While the the near conclusion of the book left me feeling somewhat disappointed the ending of the epilogue left me thoroughly satisfied and eager for the next instalment. I am anticipating the release of the second book and plan to purchase both physical copies upon its release.

If you're a fan of the movie 'The Adam Project', then this book is definitely worth checking out as it shares some similarities. The plot and characters are equally engaging, making it a compelling read for anyone who enjoys science fiction and action-packed stories. Overall, I highly recommend this book to those looking for an exciting and thought-provoking read.

In my personal opinion, it would be delightful if this series were adapted into a television show. If such an adaptation ever becomes a reality, I would watch it. Given the growing popularity and accessibility of audiobooks, it seems only fitting that this book should have its own audio edition.


For each story that I read, I rate it out of 10 so for this am going to give it a 7.5. Remember this was what I thought about the book personally and I suggest that you give it a go for yourself.

I was lucky enough to take part in a live author event with Andy Jones prior to reading this book so already had an idea what it would be about. I love the idea of being able to time travel and that Bob finds himself in all kinds of interesting situations depending on when the moment of impending time travel chooses to strike!
Can Bob and his friend Malcolm save themselves and in fact the entire world from certain doom? And, more crucially, will their band 'The tentacles of Time' win the all-important competition at school?
Lots of fun and laughter will certainly ensue as you read this.

A fantastic story of time travel with the hero of the story trying to stop the zombie apocalypse from happening. My 10 year old son really enjoyed the book and agreed it was funny and engaging throughout. He loved the characters and that it was sent in school.

We would recommend giving this one a go.

Forget all you know about time travel fiction – in this world, our eleven year old hero Bob can and does visit his future selves without any paradox being caused. He ends up zapped into the future when future self is in trouble, either with a potential fail at homework or with a plague of selfie zombies – humans with headgear attached to a smile-sensing smart phone, that makes the wearer go round like a gormless angler fish, if gormless angler fish used the appendage above their brow to take selfie after selfie after selfie. Bob finds out about these from his latest trip, twenty years into his future, and also is told he must go back, surprisingly win a school talent contest, and/or otherwise prevent his school nemesis from inventing said angler fish attachment. Still, at least, knowing younger self is the only way to save civilisation, older self is going to wrap Bob Jr in cotton wool and protect him until he reverts to our current time in order for him to do the mission safely, right?

Of course not, they're both going to wade through zombies en route to buying some bananas.

Yes, there is a narrative reason for the peril, but you could also say drama in our time would have sufficed as well for the arc of the book. Either way I felt the scene that results shows the influences here in the broadest of fashions – adults discussing playground equipment as a means of surviving zombies took me right back to the Cornetto trilogy. Joe Cornish is here in the city-based fantasy, with the emotional core of the book and the genre tropes alike.

So, yes – this has British cinema writ all over it, but it also has British hit cinema writ all over it. This is great, immediate fun, and ignoring the daftness I highlighted the characters are likeable, the way things escalate into bonkers territory with the potential futures is ever inventive, and the whole thing a surprisingly composed and mature read, however rash it manages to get at the same time. It also reads very easily, and at no time does the timey-wimey stuff even begin to get confusing. It's an all-round success, then, and all the better for being one of the more unexpected ones. Four and a half stars.

A fantastic story of time travel, meeting up with your future self and trying to stop a zombie apocalypse taking place. Apart from all of this, it is a very funny story of children who are having to survive against the school bully (who thinks he is perfect) and who are trying to win a school talent competition.

I rate it 4.25. This is the first of Andy Jone’s book that I have read. The illustration is great which is by Robin Boyden reflecting the theme and age this book is aimed at. Recently I have been reading children’s / middle grade books for some respite from reality and to feel young again. This book seemed to have done the trick for me. It brought up the recent increasing trend of technology and social media and tackling it at young age which is the way to go, they are after all the future of this planet. It has somehow linked the adults in the society to the children and also teaches children at young stage that there are consequences to our every action.

What I’m not sure about is the delivery of Bob’s news to the antagonist… On one hand Bob and his friends tried other not so kind ways to tackle the antagonist’s behaviour and problem that arose from there however on the other hand was it also tarred with slight bullying behaviour. It is a difficult balance I think. I’m also not entirely sure I have closure about Bob’s dad, although I do love the ending! 😬

Overall it is a creative book and I enjoyed it!

Thank you Andy Jones and Piccadilly Press via NetGalley and Readers First for the advanced review copy of this book in exchange for honest feedback.

Overall I enjoyed it. I do feel like it flicked back and forth too much which meant there wasn't as much action going on. But the characters were great and I loved the voice.