Sabotage on the Solar Express (Adventures on Trains Book 5)

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A high-speed train journey worth catching . . .The best yet’ – The Times on Murder on the Safari Star This story is honestly so much fun, exciting technology, sabotage, and a runaway train. What more could you possibly want? Bestselling author Alexandra Christo, author of TikTok sensation To Kill a Kingdom, introduces her new book, The Night Hunt (Hot Key Books), a dark... Whenever anyone asks for chapter book recommendations for independent readers, M.G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman’s marvellous ‘Adventures on Trains’ series is my absolute list topper. I love that this winning team of authors have created exciting, accessible and non-gender divisive reads for the next generation of bookworms who are hungry for compelling reads but not quite ready for the darkness of the later Harry Potter or Nevermoor books.

Praise for the Series: 'Like Murder on the Orient Express but better!' - Frank Cottrell-Boyce on The Highland Falcon Thief. 'A first class choo-choo-dunnit!' - David Solomons on Kidnap on the California Comet. 'A high-speed train journey worth catching . . .The best yet' - The Times on Murder on the Safari Star. 'This series just gets better and better' - Maz Evans on Danger at Dead Man's Pass Sabotage on the Solar Express is set in Australia and concerns a train driven by hydrogen and solar power, an invention from the mind of a brilliant child genius. But not everybody is happy with this and, as the journey unfolds, so does the sabotage. Accompanied by Elisa Paganelli's delicious artwork, so precise and clean with detail, Sabotage on the Solar Express rolls on with utter aplomb.

We’ve had our solar panels installed for a few days now. The initial process was so easy. Oliver Russchen was who looked after us from the beginning and was really helpful, giving us all the information we needed to make a completely informed decision with no pressure at all. It took me an embarrassingly long time to realise that all the chapter titles are names of movies, which added to the fun. Hal and Uncle Nat are in Australia to travel on the first voyage of the Solar Express. The Solar Express is billed as teh train of the future, a train to save the planet from our reliance on fossil fuels. They are to be guests of the man that has bankrolled the train (and the competition to design it) August Reza. Nobody has met the designer, Boaz Tudawali yet but he'd designed a hybrid train to protect Australia. Sabotage on the Solar Express can be read as a stand-alone novel, or enjoyed as part of the Adventures on Trains series. Join Hal and Uncle Nat on more stops in this thrilling series with: The Highland Falcon Thief, Kidnap on the California Comet, and Murder on the Safari Star.

The Adventures on Trains series is one of my favourite discoveries of the past few years. I really cannot stress enough how brilliant they are. I really thought that they couldn’t possibly get any better, but Sabotage on the Solar Express somehow managed it! MG Leonard and Sam Sedgman certainly keep you on the edge of your seat! Just when you think each book can't be beaten, along comes the next! Sabotage on the Solar Express is the best one yet!

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This mystery had a nice amount of fun science to it, which I really enjoyed. While the science is a small stretch at the moment (especially at the invention of a kid) it's also not unrealistic for this to have evolved that way, and I would love to see something like this be possible in the future. It was a nice moment to have the consideration of climate change in the book. Boaz is really a fantastic character too, I loved him, and his family :D As well as making for a super-addictive read, it also helps to keep these books feeling new and fresh. The authors are not letting these books fall into a pattern, but finding new ways for Hal to have adventures on trains (Uncle Nat is clearly a very good at persuading people given Hal's parents are still letting him go on train holidays with his uncle!) I really liked spending time with them, particularly with Marianne. KIDNAP makes you think of her a certain way, and this book changes your opinion. She's clearly learnt since then (and because of that book.) The spark of her is still the same, but it was nice to see that change. I loved all the science bits, and the idea of a train that runs on solar power and water, essentially. Boaz is a great character, he’s enthusiastic and knowledgeable. I loved him so much. I love his family too, they’re supportive, but also down to earth.

The latest Adventures on Trains book! As you might be able to guess, I dropped my current read (and all evening plans) to consume this when I got my hands on it. All-aboard for the fourth amazing journey in the bestselling Adventures on Trains series from M. G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman, illustrated throughout by Elisa Paganelli.Sabotage on the Solar Express can be read as a stand-alone novel, or enjoyed as part of the Adventures on Trains series. Join Hal and Uncle Nat on more stops in this thrilling series with: The Highland Falcon Thief, Kidnap on the California Comet, Murder on the Safari Star, and Danger at Dead Man's Pass. The authors have given so much adventure and so many twists to support the very likeable characters, and yes, that includes Marianne. Boaz comes across as a down to earth young man who is very aware of the eco message that all young children are aware of. Can Uncle Nat keep Hal safe? He doesn't seem to have much choice but to go along with teh children's adventures! The Nottinghill Carnival takes central stage in this story about families, memories and the power of dance and festivals. Author Yaba Badoe tells... The book also has a strong focus on STEM. Boaz is keen to share lots of information about his invention and, in doing so, there’s ample opportunity for discussions about solar energy, how we currently power vehicles—especially public transport—and what the future might look like, without it all coming across as just endless exposition. There are even diagrams, although the authors do warn against trying any of these experiments yourself because they have the potential to be dangerous. I really appreciated that Boaz was indigenous without his personality being focused entirely on stereotypical elements. Boaz is a true twenty-first-century science nerd and proud of it while also being aware of his heritage and the cultural and spiritual importance of the land around him.

In this story of hope and endurance, we follow a scientist and her team during their search for the elusive 'Giant Arctic Jellyfish'. The style as always is clear, and readable, with the characters well drawn (literally and narratively) with an interesting central mystery - although as I mentioned there is more action here, so there is more reacting than discovering than in previous entries. A thrilling and hugely entertaining adventure story' – David Walliams on The Highland Falcon Thief, the first book in the series. The first train they travel on though is the very luxurious "The Ghan"; the longest passenger train in the world. Hal isn't too keen on August's daughter, Marianne. He'd met her in California and thought she was somewhat spoilt. He hoped that she wasn't coming too. A thrilling and hugely entertaining adventure story’ – David Walliams on The Highland Falcon Thief, the first book in the series.We also got a revisit from a past character in Marianne (well, and August, but I'm not counting him!) and it was great to see the relationship between her and Hal as a result of the events of the second book. One of the greatest strengths of this series is the relationship between Hal and his uncle. Built on mutual respect and affection, the two make perfect travelling and crime busting companions. Elisa Paganelli’s wonderful depictions of Hal’s notebook are also a brilliant way of allowing the reader to ‘see’ what Hal has noticed, leading to the solution of the mystery. If you haven’t yet hopped onto this train ride, I urge you to do so. These are brilliant adventures for readers young and old.