When first offered The Lost Book of Undersea Adventure (unknown author), I naively thought it was another example of a non-fiction exploration of different aspects of animals, creatures and plants that live or lived under the sea. How wrong could I have been!
Anyone who has come across the previous work The Lost Book of Adventure: from the notebooks of the Unknown Adventurer, will recognise the concept of the contents, as described in the introduction. It is based on two young holiday makers stumbling across a washed-ashore barnacle encrusted bottle on a beach. This sequel describes the adventures of the writer of the message and letter in a bottle when he was a young explorer beginning his travels around the world.
It is written in the form of a diary to his siblings describing what happens to him before and during his experiences as a shipwrecked youth on an island. Was he alone? I won’t spoil the storyline for you. You’ll just have to read the book yourself.
I gave The Lost Book of Undersea Adventure (unknown author), to my nine-year-old grandson to provide feedback for this review. I didn’t expect the reaction I received from him and our daughter, "It’s the best book we have ever been given to read and review!’ Really? What had I missed?
My grandson's written feedback consisted of lots of the word "great". But my favourite comments are: "The best part is that you don’t want to stop reading it" and "It makes you so eager to read on".
This was confirmed by our daughter who said she found it difficult to use as a bedtime book as neither she nor he wanted to put it down by lights out.
Being naturally curious as to what could be making this book so amazing to a nine-year-old grandson, and a forty plus daughter at the same time, I requested to have it back (after agreeing to it being out of their house for only a short period of time) in order to write this review.
What can I say? I am now in the same boat (excuse the pun) as I’ve found it irresistible and very difficult to put down. At the end of each diary entry I too was eager to know what happens next.
The concept is fantastic and captures the imagination whilst bringing to life the adventures of this young explorer. The illustrations and graphic drawings are stupendous. In my grandson’s notes "so adventurous and spectacular – very colourful!" and of course, using his favourite word throughout "Great drawings".
The use of language is immensely thought provoking and vividly brings to life the writer’s experiences. It allows the readers, young and old, to use their own imaginations, together with the illustrations, to experience the day-to-day fears and hopes of a ship-wrecked youth.
It’s been difficult to write this review without giving too much of the storyline away. I can only agree with our grandson’s and daughter’s opinion. I too believe it to be the best book we have ever been asked to review. If I could give it more that five hearts I would.
PWT rating: ♥♥♥♥♥
Published by Frances Lincoln Children's Books, The Lost Book of Undersea Adventure (unknown author) is available from bookshops and on Amazon RRP £15 but currently on offer.
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