Journey to the River Sea

Author:

Eva Ibbotson

Illustrator:

N/A

Published by:

Macmillan Children's Books

First Published:

1 Jan 2001

Ideal for readers age

9-12y

My Review

I have loved every single thing I've ever read by Eva Ibbotson - she weaves stories like no-one else, and her writing is classic; understated and refined. She explores the themes of loss, family, and the beauty of adoption against the lush tropical setting of the Amazon Rainforest. For children who love adventure, and for teachers wanting a fiction classic to put in the hands of pupils studying the Rainforest, this is a must!

Heads Up!

It's worth mentioning that Ibbotson's terminology is of its time; she refers to members of the Brazilian people group who feature in the book as 'Indians'. I'd recommend explaining this out-of-date label to children reading the book. If this is a hit, look out for Emma Carroll's companion novel, 'Escape to the River Sea'.

Publisher Review

An Amazon adventure set in the wilderness of Brazil, Journey to the River Sea is filled with mystery and memorable characters. It is 1910 and Maia, tragically orphaned at thirteen, has been sent from England to start a new life with distant relatives in Manaus, hundreds of miles up the Amazon. She is accompanied by an eccentric and mysterious governess who has secret reasons of her own for making the journey. Both soon discover an exotic world bursting with new experiences in Journey to the River Sea, Eva Ibbotson's highly colourful, joyous adventure.