Brightstorm: 1 (The Brightstorm Chronicles)

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Vashti Hardy’s narrative is narrated with confidence that allows her imaginative ideas to soar high. Twins Maudie and Arthur are distraught when they hear that their father, explorer Ernest Brightstorm, has died on his expedition to reach South Polaris. Find out more about what inspired the series, the challenges of writing it, and what’s coming next from Vashti. Stella Starflake Pearl is a great young protagonist who becomes the first female to be allowed into the Polar Bear Explorers' Club. He narrowly escapes on a small boat, but then faces a fight for survival with his robot friend, Cody, in the stormy ocean, pursued by a terrifying sea monster.

Stories about explorers and expeditions are always popular in primary classrooms and this one, with its fresh take on the adventure quest and its convincing world-building, is sure to fire up imaginations and become a firm favourite with budding adventurers across KS2. I normally don’t really love political statements, but the environmental issue is near and dear to my heart. After investigation, the Lontown Geographical Society has found Ernest Brightstorm guilty of destroying the expedition of Eudora Vane, his competitor. You cannot fault Vashti's writing style, it's so engrossing and I always get this warm fuzz whenever I start one of her books because I know I'm in great hands. The ending was very good and overall the story line was very well thought out and executed perfectly!

However, it does not take long for the reader to realise that what is special about this story is the way in which it is filled with brilliant little gems that twist conventions without drawing attention to themselves for the sake of it. Stories include 17-year-old Juliane Koepcke, who survived a two-mile fall in an airplane which crashed in the Peruvian rainforest, and a sailor who survived for 133 days on a raft in the Atlantic using shark's blood in place of fresh water. What gorgeous writing which perfectly conjures up in vivid detail this other world where Ironhold exists! Orin and Cody decide to try and save the island, but are swept away to another, much more organic place they never knew existed.

I look forward to reading more by this author, it doesnt matter if your or 10 or 110 this will delight anymore who has a heart for adventure and nature. It’s so lovable how they work together, using their strengths to stick together while on the mission. Princess Ganzorig was a young character in Firesong, niece of the Nadvaaryn Citadel kings, and unlikely princess who would much rather be exploring than tending to her official duties.It's an easy book to dip in and out of – you can flip to any page at random, discover fascinating anecdotes and learn something extraordinary. Turning the environment into a sentient being isn’t a particular original concept—plenty of science fiction television shows, as well as other books, have done it before and much better.