Shipwrecked is a laugh-out-loud, heartwarming adventure for readers age 9+. Despite the peril Sebastian and his friends find themselves in, hope and humour carries readers through the story cheering for the “Climate Avengers” the entire time. With environmental themes, it challenges everyone to consider their part in plastic pollution and what we can do to help animals in danger.
Charming Sebastian is a free spirit. He struggles to follow the rules and expectations set out for him by his father – a Vice Admiral in the Royal Navy. He also finds his fast-paced, high-achieving international school in Singapore a bit much to take. According to his teacher, “The problem with Sebastian is that he just doesn’t think and, as a result, disaster and trouble have become his closest and most constant companions.” This teacher really has no idea just how much disaster and trouble are about to befriend Sebastian and his best mates, Lina and Etienne.
When the gang manages to win a place on the Climate Avengers summer camp on Tonga to learn to be global citizens, they’re not really sure what they’re in for. There are some exceptional kids at this camp and Sebastian can’t help but feel inferior. When he challenges some of these very tall, very successful kids to a boat race, they run into the very worst kind of trouble. A storm blows them out into the Pacific Ocean – they’re shipwrecked! There aren’t enough “sorries” in the world to put this right.
Sebastian, Lina and Etienne face hardships they never imagined but manage to find ingenious solutions to keep themselves alive. A hilarious goat they name Giuseppe Garibaldi and a special turtle called Tarquin round out the group as they find shelter, discover new foods and keep each other on their toes. Written as a bit of a diary / survival guides, each chapter title gives a fantastic survival tip that is actually really solid advice for everyday life.
As each friend handles the situation in their own way, they comes to realise their strengths and capabilities. Leadership and teamwork skills are pulled out as they hope for rescue. It takes the adventure of a lifetime for Sebastian to realise who he is and what he wants out of life – but will he make it home to tell his Dad everything he’s learned?
A huge thank you to Usborne & Jessica Feichtlbauer for this fantastic book!
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Books for Years 3 -6:
Scope for Imagination 