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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
It's a nice book and the illustrations are AMAZING. The interesting formatting of the book, along with sections with letters and audio tapes and such were really cool additions and are what pushes the book up by a lot.
However, the story itself was pretty bland. Some stuff, like the mishearing of "library" as "Thai ferry" because of a French accent, felt forced in and a bit dumb. The whole book was essentially hyping us up for a journey that just didn't happen - I get it, they're kids, the whole point is they have wild imaginations, but I wish there was just a bit more adventure. I loved the bits in the school, and the characters were cute and fun, but it felt like I was constantly being hyped up for something that just didn't happen.
While Adélaïde was fun and her wooden leg was pretty good disability rep, being shown in a very positive light and Adélaïde not being othered by the author, some other stuff like 99% of the women being really mean and stubborn for no apparent reason and the use of masculine/stereotypically ugly traits on a woman to make her seem mean and scary just felt a bit pointless.
It also just got a bit boring at points. Especially when I started realising that they weren't going to go to Antarctica, I was like "well what's the point" because sometimes it just felt like stuff was happening for no reason really, and because the characters didn't get a whole lot of development or a moment where they realised they were wrong, it all just felt like nothing.
Theoretically this book could've been awesome, and it was really unique in some aspects. I'm definitely willing to read the next one at some point, but this one was sadly a bit disappointing.
However, the story itself was pretty bland. Some stuff, like the mishearing of "library" as "Thai ferry" because of a French accent, felt forced in and a bit dumb. The whole book was essentially hyping us up for a journey that just didn't happen - I get it, they're kids, the whole point is they have wild imaginations, but I wish there was just a bit more adventure. I loved the bits in the school, and the characters were cute and fun, but it felt like I was constantly being hyped up for something that just didn't happen.
While Adélaïde was fun and her wooden leg was pretty good disability rep, being shown in a very positive light and Adélaïde not being othered by the author, some other stuff like 99% of the women being really mean and stubborn for no apparent reason and the use of masculine/stereotypically ugly traits on a woman to make her seem mean and scary just felt a bit pointless.
It also just got a bit boring at points. Especially when I started realising that they weren't going to go to Antarctica, I was like "well what's the point" because sometimes it just felt like stuff was happening for no reason really, and because the characters didn't get a whole lot of development or a moment where they realised they were wrong, it all just felt like nothing.
Theoretically this book could've been awesome, and it was really unique in some aspects. I'm definitely willing to read the next one at some point, but this one was sadly a bit disappointing.
The illustrations, which match the cover, are fantastic. The plot takes too long to ramp up and then squashes everything in the last 50 pages. Books like that annoy me. It says Book one and then tries to leave enough unresolved to keep the reader coming back but I just felt like there wasn't enough resolved at all.
Clever and witty, with just the right amount of kid angst. It did start out a little slow for me but about a quarter of the way thru I was hooked. This is a book that will really appeal to a certain kind of young person, I think, one who dreams of adventure and is also on the bookish nerd side. The illustrations are fantastic and add so much to the story. I'm glad to see this is the first of a series! Very recommended.
This book reminded me of the way books were written when I was a child, The Bobbsey Twins and Box Car Children. It was a book that would be good for 3rd-5th, although it was long on description and short on action with the exception of the end. It is a sweet story of a boy who is the grandson of great explorers. He is basically under house arrest from his mother who doesn’t want him to be a dreamer/explorer like his grandparents. He cannot help himself, so with the help of his friends, Oliver and Adelaide, they make plans to go and find Archer’s grandparents. It ends in chaos!
Most little kids long for adventure. Archer Helmsley is no exception, however, his mother doesn't agree with his grand plans for exploration. But he's not going to let that stop him. This is a very cute little story about Archer, Oliver, and Adelaide, and all the little adventures they get up to without even realising it. Sometimes the adventure you end up having isn't the one you planned on! That doesn't make it any lesser.
The few illustrations scattered throughout were adorable.
The few illustrations scattered throughout were adorable.
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
for a middle grade fantasy book, this one was pretty enjoyable, tho i’ve read better ones. there were some parts of the book that kinda threw me off like when the mc did something impossible for a kid to do!! but i still found it fun. i really wanted to give this a 4/5 but i just couldnt!! ngl it got kinda boring in the middle and i had to actually take a long break from this book. i think this book actually has a potential… if only the author did a better job at creating an atmosphere 🤔 also… WEAK character development
Archer B. Helmsley is the grandson of famous explorers who go missing adrift on an ice berg in Antarctica. His parents keep Archer inside only allowing him around the neighborhood and at school to curb his adventurous tendencies. He teams up with his neighbor Oliver, and new friend and recently immigrated Adelaide with a peg leg to plan an adventure to find his grandparents. They encounter many obstacles including Archer's mother, Mrs. Merkley-their terrifying teacher- and a pack of tigers. The grandparents are announced found at the end of the book before the trio goes on any real adventures.
I really enjoyed the narrator the most in this audiobook. He had a great way of changing his tone for different characters. I was a bit disappointed in the story- it wasn't as adventurous as I hoped but I liked the characters enough. I know it's supposed to be a series so I may pick up the next volume to see if the story picks up...
I really enjoyed the narrator the most in this audiobook. He had a great way of changing his tone for different characters. I was a bit disappointed in the story- it wasn't as adventurous as I hoped but I liked the characters enough. I know it's supposed to be a series so I may pick up the next volume to see if the story picks up...