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X Marks the Spot
168 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1973
3 people are currently reading
50 people want to read
About the author
Joan de Hamel
4 booksJoan de Hamel was a New Zealand children's writer who grew up in London.
She was a teacher, and has for many years been a breeder of angora goats and donkeys.
She won two national awards: the 1979 Esther Glen Medal for Take the Long Path (1978), and the 1985 A.W. Reed Memorial Award for Hemi's Pet (1985).
She was a teacher, and has for many years been a breeder of angora goats and donkeys.
She won two national awards: the 1979 Esther Glen Medal for Take the Long Path (1978), and the 1985 A.W. Reed Memorial Award for Hemi's Pet (1985).
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 2, 2022
Cop, the children's uncle and pilot of the helicopter they were travelling in to their holiday cabin, decided to stop for a brief break before they arrived. He told the children, Lou, Ross and Peter, that they were on a secret mission to find X - and apart from giving them a rough map, that's all he could tell them. Taking off again, the 'copter shuddered as Ross spied a piece flying off it and then it crashed back to the ground. Fortunately they weren't far off the ground when it came down, but Peter set to getting everyone out. Except Cop - he was injured, in and out of consciousness. He managed to tell them to run - head for the nearby lake...
As the three children struggled through the jungle, carrying their three packs with the tent, sleeping bags and food, among other things, they wondered whether they'd be rescued. There would be people searching for them soon, but there would also be the dangerous men looking too. The sabotage of the helicopter made it obvious to them and they weren't stupid. But would they escape the dense bush of New Zealand? And would their uncle be saved?
X Marks the Spot is a fast paced adventure mystery by Joan de Hamel (a New Zealand children's author who grew up in London; she was 87 when she died in 2011) which I enjoyed very much. Although originally published in 1973, the story would still be enjoyed now by kids ten years and older - and adults of any age. Recommended.
As the three children struggled through the jungle, carrying their three packs with the tent, sleeping bags and food, among other things, they wondered whether they'd be rescued. There would be people searching for them soon, but there would also be the dangerous men looking too. The sabotage of the helicopter made it obvious to them and they weren't stupid. But would they escape the dense bush of New Zealand? And would their uncle be saved?
X Marks the Spot is a fast paced adventure mystery by Joan de Hamel (a New Zealand children's author who grew up in London; she was 87 when she died in 2011) which I enjoyed very much. Although originally published in 1973, the story would still be enjoyed now by kids ten years and older - and adults of any age. Recommended.
September 2, 2012
One more of my favourite reads from childhood. This was given to me as a birthday present when I was around 11. I would never have picked it. A family of 3 children in New Zealand find themselves the only uninjured ones in a (minor-ish) helicopter crash and have to survive in the bush and hide from baddies who caused the helicopter to crash in the first place. Another riveting story from a little known author who deserves more recognition. Once again it was just as good as I remember and 10 year old Ethan loved it too!
February 5, 2020
Great book! I really enjoyed it.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews