Are you sitting comfortably? Are you fantasising about bamboo? Do you have black and white fur? Are you huge and cute and cuddly-looking? Well, scroll to the ’10 facts about pandas’ page, because you are a panda, and this is not a book for pandas.

Meet Scarlet. She’s nine years old, just like you… if you’re nine. If you’re not nine, then she’s more like someone else who is nine. She has red hair, just like you… unless your hair is brown. She is 127 centimetres tall, just like you… unless you’re taller or shorter. Her favourite colour is green, just like you… unless your favourite colour is grey, although that seems highly unlikely. And she is as smart as a shiny button… just like you!

Scarlet only replies to the Beano ad for Defender of the Universe to prove to her annoying younger brother it’s not a real thing – so she’s shocked when she actually gets the job!

Now responsible for the galaxy’s safety, she teams up with co-Defender Jasper, Pom-Pom the cutest alien ever, and Bot, the smartest AI robot, on a whirlwind adventure to save Earth from an alien species determined on destruction… who will do anything for a warm cup of hot chocolate.

Meet the Co-Defenders!

Competition time

Ready to join the galactic adventure of a lifetime? Enter the competition to get your hands on this epic book: https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/competition/win-a-copy-of-sc…-of-the-universe/.