Author:Arthur Ransome
Reunited for the summer, the Swallows and Amazons with Dick and Dorothea launch a prospecting expedition to find the lost gold mine of the high hills above the lake. But the mining camp runs into all sorts of trouble: not only the danger of fire in the drought ridden countryside but also scary encounters with unsafe tunnels. Worst of all is the sinister Squashy Hat, who appears to be a rival prospector and who's certainly a spy - how can they keep working without him discovering what they've found?
In its own class and wearing several gold stars for distinction, Pigeon Post stands head and shoulders above the average adventure book for and of children
—— The TimesAs a child I would rather have been starved of food than poetry. Swings and Shadows is an excellent anthology
—— Anne FineAmbitious, entertaining, magical and whimsical, this marks a strong beginning to a new trilogy,
invoking just a little Harry Potter and Series of Unfortunate Events along the way
It's bright and energetic and has some exciting set pieces
—— Patrick Ness , GuardianStephens spins a tightly paced, engaging yarn
—— The New York TimesThe writing is perfectly judged . . . John Stephens knows how to make things visual, and it's accessible but not too simplistic. Junior fantasy fans are going to love this book
—— Jill Murphy , TheBookbag.co.ukWith exceptional skill, Mr. Stephens weaves the resulting pathos into the children's characters and into their sibling relationship
—— Meghan Cox Gurdon , Wall Street JournalThe Emerald Atlas kind of encompasses all my firm favourites, His Dark Materials, The Chronicles of Narnia and of course Harry Potter. It was a thrill to read
—— Askew's Library ServiceThe Emerald Atlas is a fantastic start of a series. Plenty of questions are yet to be answered and I look forward to the sequel
—— My Favourite BooksThe book is reminiscent in some ways of C S Lewis and J R Rowling and the excitement and gripping writing will ensure readers are immersed in the story. The book leaves issues undecided and the reader wanting more
—— Parents in TouchIt is a fantastical adventure that will appeal to those people who loved Harry Potter, Narnia and Lord of the Rings, with an epic tale, lovable characters and an engaging and fast paced storyline
—— Overflowing LibraryStephens' top-notch time-travel thriller has a quirky mixed bag of heroes and villains, a clever and compelling plotline and graphic action sequences that just cry out for the big screen treatment
—— Pam Norfolk , Lytham St Annes ExpressA wonderful story you can easily lose yourself in
—— Notes of LifeFirst-rate fantasy
—— ArmadilloIt's very much that wet sloppy fart kind of humour. Your kids will absolutely love this book. It's a great "next step up" the reading ladder
—— bfkbooks