October 2015 Debut of the Month There are echoes of Dahl in this unusual and hugely engaging debut novel. Archer B. Helmsley is held virtual prisoner in his home by his mother, who is suspicious of the power of his imagination and of dreamers in general. She’s determined he won’t follow in the footsteps of his paternal grandparents, intrepid explorers believed to have been lost on an iceberg in Antarctica.
But that’s exactly what Archer wants to do, moreover he’s determined to leave straight away on a rescue mission. He enlists the help of two other children, Oliver his best friend, and new girl Adélaïde, who claims to have lost her leg to a crocodile. Together they do indeed find Archer’s grandparents, but not in a way they, or the reader, expect.
One of the wonderful things about this story is that it never does what you expect, and is full of surprises. It’s full of humour too, plus incident and adventure. The author’s own colour illustrations add to the charm, making this really special. ~ Andrea Reece
Archer B. Helmsley longs for adventure. But how can he have an adventure when he can't even leave his house?
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the best books for 9-12 year olds · the best books for teenagers
Archer B. Helmsley longs for adventure.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed The Doldrums and determined it is suitable for children aged 9-12 years old
The Doldrums features in the following genres: Debuts of the Month, Recommendations, Featured Books for 11+ readers, Adventure Stories, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Recommended Children's eBooks, Featured Books for 9+ readers
Paperback, Hardback. Not Available.
The Doldrums was written by Nicholas Gannon and published by HarperCollins Children's Books an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
The Doldrums has 340 pages
Yes it is part of The Doldrums series
