Eirlys Hunter

Hard to put down, this pioneering, race story is about a team of children entering a competition to find a way across rugged landscape between towns; a story of survival and team-building relationships. What skills does it take, and what place does kindness have in competition? It could be set in our pioneering past, but there are hints of steampunk and magical realism, adding interest and fun to the story. There are also themes of poverty, and survival as well as the balances between progression and the resultant positive and negative social impacts (train lines, etc) and the negative environmental impacts. Delightful maps and illustrations. Book one of two.… (plus d'informations)

The Santander family are on their way to Grand Prospect for the Great Map Makers Race. When their explorer father didn't return from his last expedition, the family quickly ran out of money. Winning the Great Mapmakers Race is their only hope but they are off to a bad start when the train, with the children on board, leaves without their mother. Sal, Joe, Francie and Humphrey decide to enter the race anyway. Luckily Beckett, a local boy, goes along as well as the children have no idea how to cook. They have 28 days to map a route for the railway line and on the way have to contend with all sorts of dangers as well as the unsportsmanlike behaviour of the other teams.
This is a great adventure with more than a dash of humour and a little hint of magic. All the children are well-drawn individuals with their own unique talents. I particularly appreciated the fact that these were not gender stereotypical - Sal was the mathematician while Beckett was the cook and 'mum' to the family. This story is set in an alternative world that is very similar to our own but features mechanical horses and magic luggage-carrying clouds. However, magic is a fairly inconsequential feature of this story - the main focus is adventure. Kirsten Slade's pen and ink illustrations add to the story by showing sections of Francie's map as well as depicting some of the events of the journey. This book is suitable for children aged 8 and up and would make a fantastic read aloud.… (plus d'informations)