SOLVED. Children's Fantasy/ Sci Fi (9-12 or Middle grade) where five teams of kids from different planets complete to be chosen to save the galaxy. [s]

[isitucker]

Okay so I read this book when I was a child, in the years between 2005 and 2009 - I can remember the school library where it was, but the title has been escaping me for years.

Here's everything that I can remember:
- five teams of kids from different planets are chosen to compete to be chosen to save the galaxy
- the groups are ranked from the beginning and given names - the only ones i can remember are the Alright Threes and the Dream Fives, but the others are along those lines
- there's a big bear like alien who says 'whoops a dungly' instead of 'whoops a daisy' (i've adopted this into my vocabulary since i read this book aged about 7 or 8 and its annoyed me no end that i can't remember where i got it from)
- the main character is described as being a sterotypical 'loser' - i feel like there's a scene right at the beginning where he's tried to gel his hair and failed and the gel is just dripping everywhere, but this might be wrong
- the head of the competition is a dragon like creature (and i think he sneezed a lot?)


I specifically remember the twist ending - that the 'Dream Five' team, who were assumed to be the worst and lowest ranked group the entire time, were actually the best and highest ranked. They assumed they were called the Dream Five because they could only dream of being chosen, but in actuality it was because they were the best, and the galaxy's dream for not being destroyed. As a kid, this was the coolest thing. It's one of the things I remember most vividly.

I've been trying to remember the name of this book for years, so would be so so grateful for any help.

[Rainbowheart]

Tommy Storm

Rumbles stepped back, a little bashful after the hug, and knocked over a chair behind him. He caught the chair with his third arm before it hit the floor, but this caused him to overbalance and bang against the table close by, making a large bowl and jug slide off the edge. ‘Ooops-a-dungly,’ he exclaimed as he twisted his bulk, flung himself backwards and caught the jug and bowl — before anything spilt — with his first two arms. (A dungly is a flower said to be similar to a daisy, although no living creature has ever seen one.)

[isitucker]

Rainbowheart wrote: "Tommy Storm

Rumbles stepped back, a little bashful after the hug, and knocked over a chair behind him. He caught the chair with his third arm before it hit the floor, but this cause..."

Oh my gosh this is exactly the one!!!! Thank you so much this has been bugging me for YEARS you are an absolute star!!

[Rainbowheart]

You're welcome, super glad to help out!