
‘The Explorer’ By Katherine Rundell
Publisher: Simon Schuster books for young readers
Publish Date: 2017
Pages: 336
Fiction/Non-Fiction: Fiction
Genre: Adventure
Purchase Locations: Amazon Audible Book Depository Booktopia Dymocks QBD

Fred, Con, Lila, and Max are on their way back to England from Manaus when the plane they’re on crashes and the pilot dies upon landing. For days they survive alone, until Fred finds a map that leads them to a ruined city, and to a secret.

This is the first Adventure Fiction book I think I’ve read since I was younger. It was also my first experience with a Katherine Rundell book. For a middle grade I did have a hard time staying engaged in the story. I usually speed through middle grade books.
I did however really like the characters. They are all kids, obviously but I liked that even as children they have backstories and personalities and they all have difference experiences. I think this is an important thing to have in Middle grade stories. It gives younger readers a voice for their own experiences and it gives them characters to relate too.
The description of the environment was vivid and really brought the jungle to life.

Plot: 7/10
Ease of reading: 5/10
Character Development: 8/10
World Building: 7/10
Quality of Writing: 7/10
Stars: 3.5/5

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