A rollicking adventure story told with high camp humour, this is
the tale of three children and their Dad, Bonniface, a retired
Antarctic explorer. Young Sophie finds an old whalebone pendant and
when she hangs it around her neck, something stirs, deep in the
frozen wastes of the Antarctic. Echoes of this stirring are heard
by three people: Sophie's Dad, who comes out of retirement and,
forced by circumstances, takes his kids back to Antarctica with
him; Corona Wottley, an up and coming female explorer keen to make
a name for herself; and Rancid Swarthy, a baddie, of course. So
begins a race to the South, a race for glory as far as the
explorers are concerned but a treasure hunt for Swarthy and his
wicked henchmen. Corona and Bonniface start out in competition but
soon join forces. They find their prize, with some help from the
children, but only in time to lead Swarthy to the treasure and
ensure they are in the wrong place when things get really nasty.
They have a mysterious, ghostly ally, however, and several hundred
penguins are also on their side. The characters are all larger than
life and cartoonish but they are well drawn with even the smallest
child having a clear cut personality of his own (he's a bit weird,
in fact). The adventure is original and exciting, proper edge of
the seat stuff at the showdown. Best of all though was the setting
- whoever heard of kids in Antarctica? Mahy, a veteran children's
author, really shows her skill with her wonderful depictions of the
landscape and the cold. There will be visitors - maybe scientists
or artists - in the Antarctic in 15 years who will count this book
as their big inspiration! (Kirkus UK)
Sophie Sapwood, daughter of the famous explorer, Bonniface Sapwood, discovers a whalebone pendant hidden at the back of her chest of drawers. At the same time, deep in the frozen wastes of the Antarctic, the ghost of Captain Cathcardo awakens from an ancient sleep, trapped in the Antarctic on his ship, The Riddle.
His three cries for "Help" travel through the stratosphere to three different sets of ears – famous explorer Bonniface Sapwood, renowned naturalist Corona Wottley and oily villain Rancid Swarthy – descendant of Escher Black who was first mate on the Riddle. All three parties immediately organise trips to the Antarctic – all with the same goal in mind (solving the mystery of the Riddle) but each with very different intentions.
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