The Boy in the Post

By Author / Illustrator

Holly Rivers

Genre

Adventure

Age range(s)

Publisher

Chicken House Ltd

ISBN

9781912626045

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

03-03-2022

Synopsis

A charming action-packed adventure across the Atlantic from acclaimed author Holly Rivers! Siblings Orinthia and Seafra Shalloo accept a summer job from eccentric Grandy, who has collected a menagerie of furry and feathered posties known as animails. The children are especially fond of Geronimo, a homing pelican. But when the big bird fails to return from a delivery, Taber - the youngest sibling - is devastated; so much so, he mails himself to New York, where Geronimo was sent. Orinthia and Seafra follow suit, stealing a precious stamp and hopping in a freight crate - and soon all are embarked on an extraordinarily daring first-class adventure ... A warm, adventurous and action-packed story from acclaimed author Holly Rivers, author of Demelza & the Spectre Detectors A brillantly-imagined fantasy world with a vintage feel and a trio of characters you'll long to be friends with As a child, Holly was a lead actress in ITV's original Worst Witch series! Perfect for fans of M.G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman's Adventures on Trains series

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Reviews

The Boy in the Post is an energetic, lively and charming, children- and animal-packed adventure story, with a warm, gentle and old fashioned feel to the characters, setting and tone.

The story follows a summer holiday like no other for three siblings: Orinthia, Seafra and Taber Shalloo, when they accept the very unusual job of training pelicans to be posties for an Animail service, run by the unique, eccentric, joyous figure of Grandy Brock and his assorted, adopted six children.

When a much-loved pelican postie fails to return from an overseas delivery to New York, it sets in motion a chain of events that sees all three Shalloo siblings mail THEMSELVES across the Atlantic in the most exciting, daring and inventive way. Travelling by land, sea and air (hot air balloon ride, anyone?) Orinthia and Seafra try to seek and track down pelican hunting younger brother Taber, whilst they themselves try to hide from those seeking and hunting for them.

I love the chaotic family closeness and loyalty that packs the pages of this book. The Shalloo siblings (used to a constantly working mother and a large, unloved show home of a house) are taken into the fold of the utterly delightful clutter and warmth of the Brock family. The story explodes with vibrancy, colour; a cacophony of noise and smells as Orinthia, Seafra and Taber have the most amazing, incredible time training pelicans, watching snakes spelling out post codes and meeting the bat who does the late night post shift. The chase across the ocean is fast paced, fun and full of perilous moments - so inventive and imaginative.

This classic theme of bold, plucky children defeating and outsmarting wicked but blundering villains, is told here in a delightfully fresh style and is completely enchanting escapism for the reader.

368 pages / Reviewed by Jennifer Caddick, teacher