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Journey to the Last River
"I would mention the area's name, but I can't. All I can say is that this map would lead the two of us on an expedition into the heart of the unknown, hoping to find the last river for ourselves. What we discovered deep within the rainforest was enough to make me remove or change the place names in this journal - just like the map maker. Soon, you will know and understand . . ."
This thrilling adventure into the Amazon begins with a map discovered in the Royal Geographical Society showing a river that has been mysteriously rubbed out. It leads the Unknown Adventurer and his companion Bibi into a search for this 'last river' that will change their understanding of nature forever. The gripping story features encounters with caiman and anacondas, incredible flora and fauna, survival tips and much, much more. The first title in a new series of spin-off adventures from The Lost Book of Adventure.
This thrilling adventure into the Amazon begins with a map discovered in the Royal Geographical Society showing a river that has been mysteriously rubbed out. It leads the Unknown Adventurer and his companion Bibi into a search for this 'last river' that will change their understanding of nature forever. The gripping story features encounters with caiman and anacondas, incredible flora and fauna, survival tips and much, much more. The first title in a new series of spin-off adventures from The Lost Book of Adventure.
128 pages, ebook
First published November 9, 2021
2 people are currently reading
72 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
May 17, 2023
First and foremost, I definitely do think it is rather a shame that Journey to the Last River, with illustrations by Teddy Keen, and written by a supposedly "unknown adventurer" (but actually penned by Frances Lincoln) only made it to the long but not to the short list for the 2023 Kate Greenaway Medal (since I for one absolutely find the combination of text and images for Journey to the Last River utterly spectacular, as I do consider this book both textually and visually stunning).
And basically but wonderfully, delightfully, Journey to the Last River is fiction masquerading as non-fiction. But while these kinds of novels can and often do feel artificial, unbelievable and with shoddy and sometimes even downright erroneous and problematic science, technology and such, Journey to the Last River, it reads so utterly convincingly like an authentic, realistic, like the personal account of an anonymous adventurer who really exists (or existed) and is chronicling his and his scientist friend Bibi's bona fide trek into the northern Amazon that I in fact ended up doing online research just to check whether the presented narrative for Journey to the Last River is really non fiction like fiction and not pure non fiction (and yes, that I also have been totally and even gladly able and willing to suspend any textual feelings of disbelief whilst reading Journey to the Last River, since the scientific and ecological information and details on the Amazon, on its animals and its plants are realistic, scientifically sound and thus not in the realm of fantasy, and that the whip scorpions, emerald tree boas, goliath bird-eating spiders, otters, squirrel monkeys, piranhas, and poison dart frogs being encountered and described in Journey to the Last River all really do in fact exist in the Amazonian rain forest, and that the information in Journey to the Last River regarding how different species are interconnected and interdependent is both clearly demonstrated and also relies on solid scientific facts and not ever shows artificiality and make-believe, leaving a wonderful text that absolutely could be non-fiction, that totally and utterly feels like it is showing and telling the truth, is presenting and featuring factual ecological, zoological and botanical reality and a true and factual trek that into the Amazon).
Finally, but definitely not in any way least, regarding Teddy Keen's artwork, to call his illustrations for Journey to the Last River wonderful might be the truth but is also for me a bit of an understatement. For Keen's pictures (and just like the presented "anonymous" text) also look totally like they are part of a real and bona fide, and actually in existence journal being kept during a trek, during a voyage into and through the Amazon, with presented scribbles, dirt, and a pull-out map, with feathers, twigs, and petals appearing to be taped to the pages (and with illustrations of Amazonian animals, plants and landscapes that are detailed but also visually feel like they have been drawn in haste and whilst travelling). So yes and indeed, for and to me, absolutely everything about Journey to the Last River has been and still is totally spectacular (the concept, the writing, the art, and also the strong and science based ecological and environmental messages), highly and warmly recommended, and therefore totally, glowingly five stars for Journey to the Last River.
And basically but wonderfully, delightfully, Journey to the Last River is fiction masquerading as non-fiction. But while these kinds of novels can and often do feel artificial, unbelievable and with shoddy and sometimes even downright erroneous and problematic science, technology and such, Journey to the Last River, it reads so utterly convincingly like an authentic, realistic, like the personal account of an anonymous adventurer who really exists (or existed) and is chronicling his and his scientist friend Bibi's bona fide trek into the northern Amazon that I in fact ended up doing online research just to check whether the presented narrative for Journey to the Last River is really non fiction like fiction and not pure non fiction (and yes, that I also have been totally and even gladly able and willing to suspend any textual feelings of disbelief whilst reading Journey to the Last River, since the scientific and ecological information and details on the Amazon, on its animals and its plants are realistic, scientifically sound and thus not in the realm of fantasy, and that the whip scorpions, emerald tree boas, goliath bird-eating spiders, otters, squirrel monkeys, piranhas, and poison dart frogs being encountered and described in Journey to the Last River all really do in fact exist in the Amazonian rain forest, and that the information in Journey to the Last River regarding how different species are interconnected and interdependent is both clearly demonstrated and also relies on solid scientific facts and not ever shows artificiality and make-believe, leaving a wonderful text that absolutely could be non-fiction, that totally and utterly feels like it is showing and telling the truth, is presenting and featuring factual ecological, zoological and botanical reality and a true and factual trek that into the Amazon).
Finally, but definitely not in any way least, regarding Teddy Keen's artwork, to call his illustrations for Journey to the Last River wonderful might be the truth but is also for me a bit of an understatement. For Keen's pictures (and just like the presented "anonymous" text) also look totally like they are part of a real and bona fide, and actually in existence journal being kept during a trek, during a voyage into and through the Amazon, with presented scribbles, dirt, and a pull-out map, with feathers, twigs, and petals appearing to be taped to the pages (and with illustrations of Amazonian animals, plants and landscapes that are detailed but also visually feel like they have been drawn in haste and whilst travelling). So yes and indeed, for and to me, absolutely everything about Journey to the Last River has been and still is totally spectacular (the concept, the writing, the art, and also the strong and science based ecological and environmental messages), highly and warmly recommended, and therefore totally, glowingly five stars for Journey to the Last River.
December 11, 2021
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This book was such a fun book to dive into. It is beautifully illustrated with drawings that look like they were hand drawn. It is laid out exactly like a travel journal. With entries dated and handwritten. Pages with smudges, and even extras taped to the pages. All that, plus a very interesting and informative narrative of an anonymous explorer's journey into the rainforests searching for an unknown river that they discovered on a geographical society map. I can see this being a real hit with school-age kids.
**ARC Via NetGalley**
This book was such a fun book to dive into. It is beautifully illustrated with drawings that look like they were hand drawn. It is laid out exactly like a travel journal. With entries dated and handwritten. Pages with smudges, and even extras taped to the pages. All that, plus a very interesting and informative narrative of an anonymous explorer's journey into the rainforests searching for an unknown river that they discovered on a geographical society map. I can see this being a real hit with school-age kids.
**ARC Via NetGalley**
September 26, 2022
«Ich kann den Namen des Gebietes nicht verraten. Ich will nur so viel sagen: Diese Karte führte uns auf eine Expedition ins Ungewisse, in der Hoffnung, den ‹Letzten Fluss› wiederzufinden. Was wir dort entdeckten, bewog mich, die Ortsnamen aus diesem Tagebuch zu entfernen oder zu ändern – genau wie der Zeichner der Karte. Bald wirst du wissen, was das war...»
Ein atemberaubendes Buch – das Tagebuch einer Amazonasexpedition – ein Musthave für Abenteuerfans, Abteilung Lieblingsbuch. Ich kann verstehen, warum das Debüt von Teddy Keen «The Lost Book of Adventure» - in Deutschland in einer Auktion zwischen acht Verlagen heiß umkämpft war – Campen in der Wildnis, ein Abenteuer; wundervolle Zeichnungen mit Sachinformation. Aber dieses Buch toppt für mich den Vorgänger, weil es eine spannende Geschichte enthält und nebenbei Sachinformationen zum Campen in der Wildnis, zur Tierwelt des Amazonasgebiets.
Der Herausgeber dieses Buchs behauptet, 2014 eine versiegelte Kiste mit Tagebüchern, Skizzen und Karten gefunden zu haben – Verfasser unbekannt. Bereits «The Lost Book of Adventure» sei eine Sammlung dieser Notizen gewesen. Dazwischen habe sich auch dieses Tagebuch befunden, das so spannend ist, dass man es uns nicht vorenthalten mag. Dem Autor des Expeditionslogbuchs kommt eine alte Karte in die Hände. Dort ist ein unbekannter, geheimnisvoller Fluss im Amazonasgebiet eingezeichnet. Er befragt Einheimische, die zwar das Gebiet auf der Karte wiedererkennen, doch einen Fluss gäbe es dort nicht. Es gibt zwei Möglichkeiten: Entweder sie haben recht oder sie wollen ein Geheimnis nicht preisgeben. Es gibt nur eine Option, die Wahrheit herauszufinden: Das Gebiet zu erkunden. Bibi ist Biologin, im Amazonas-Regenwald aufgewachsen, sie wird ihn als Sachkundige begleiten, hofft, neue Arten zu von Tieren zu finden. Unser Autor ist Abenteurer und Zeichner – und im Geheimen sei gesagt, Bibi soll nicht wissen, dass er hofft, einen Schatz zu finden, vielleicht eine Goldader.
Diese spannende Geschichte führt tief in den Amazonas-Regenwald. Auf ihrem Boot und an Land erleben die beiden einiges. Neben der Schönheit der Natur kann diese gleichzeitig aber auch gefährliche Arten beherbergen und es wird an einigen Stellen brenzlig, sogar lebensgefährlich. Gemütliches Campen sieht auf jeden Fall anders aus. Ihre erste Begegnung haben die Abenteurer mit Goldgräbern, die ihnen auf ihrem Boot entgegenkommen; feiste Typen, die sie misstrauisch beäugen. Später treffen die beiden auf das Camp der Männer – sie haben die gesamte Natur rundherum zerstört. Aber wirklich gefährlich sind ganz andere Gestalten, die den Lesenden die Luft anhalten lassen: Stechrochen am Boden des Amazonas – nicht hineintreten, sie sind sehr giftig; wenn eine Riesenvogelspinne ihre Stacheln in den Allerwertesten des Autors schießt, während er sein Geschäft verrichtet, eine Kaiman-Mutter Löcher in das Kanu beißt, es versucht, zum Kentern zu bringen, weil drinnen gerade ihr Junges von der Biologin untersucht wird. Da heißt es schöpfen und paddeln gleichzeitig, hoffen, dass man zum Ufer gelangt, da es ansonsten aus ist, umgeben von Kaimanen und Piranhas. Die Bekleidung voller Ameisen, die sich am Körper festbeißen, Fieberschübe, Füße, die zu faulen anfangen, eine Dasselfliegenlarve, die sich unter der Haut des Autors einnistet, Skorpione, ein Jaguar, Giftschlangen, eine Würgeschlange, die versucht, Bibi ins Wasser zu ziehen; so manche Widrigkeit ist zu überstehen. Gibt es diesem Fluss? Die beiden beginnen zu zweifeln und es wird immer heftiger. Fressen und gefressen werden ... haben es unsere beiden Abenteurer überlebt?
Diese Reise ist nicht nur schriftlich festgehalten, der Autor ist gleichzeitig ein talentierter Zeichner, der mit seinen Pastellkreidestiften und Buntstiften alles visuell festhält: großformatige und kleine Landschaftsbilder, Tiere, Pflanzen, Ausrüstungsdetails. Detaillierte Naturskizzen zeichnen dieses Buch aus, die Freude an der Feinheit. Selbst Papierfesserameisen haben sich an den Aufzeichnungen genüsslich getan. Neben der Flora und Fauna lernen wir einiges darüber, wie man im Regenwald überleben kann, Survivals Camping. Schönheit und Gefahr stehen hier eng beieinander. Eine unvergleichliche Natur, die es zu beschützen gilt, die Message dieser spannendem Geschichte. Letztendlich ist dies Abenteuerbuch auch ein Kindersachbuch. Der Prestel Verlag gibt eine Altersempfehlung ab 10 Jahren. Passt, für interessierte Kinder eventuell ab 8 Jahren. Für mich ist dies eins der besten Kinderbücher des Jahres!
Teddy Keen ist Autor, Lektor und Art Director in Nord-London.
Ein atemberaubendes Buch – das Tagebuch einer Amazonasexpedition – ein Musthave für Abenteuerfans, Abteilung Lieblingsbuch. Ich kann verstehen, warum das Debüt von Teddy Keen «The Lost Book of Adventure» - in Deutschland in einer Auktion zwischen acht Verlagen heiß umkämpft war – Campen in der Wildnis, ein Abenteuer; wundervolle Zeichnungen mit Sachinformation. Aber dieses Buch toppt für mich den Vorgänger, weil es eine spannende Geschichte enthält und nebenbei Sachinformationen zum Campen in der Wildnis, zur Tierwelt des Amazonasgebiets.
Der Herausgeber dieses Buchs behauptet, 2014 eine versiegelte Kiste mit Tagebüchern, Skizzen und Karten gefunden zu haben – Verfasser unbekannt. Bereits «The Lost Book of Adventure» sei eine Sammlung dieser Notizen gewesen. Dazwischen habe sich auch dieses Tagebuch befunden, das so spannend ist, dass man es uns nicht vorenthalten mag. Dem Autor des Expeditionslogbuchs kommt eine alte Karte in die Hände. Dort ist ein unbekannter, geheimnisvoller Fluss im Amazonasgebiet eingezeichnet. Er befragt Einheimische, die zwar das Gebiet auf der Karte wiedererkennen, doch einen Fluss gäbe es dort nicht. Es gibt zwei Möglichkeiten: Entweder sie haben recht oder sie wollen ein Geheimnis nicht preisgeben. Es gibt nur eine Option, die Wahrheit herauszufinden: Das Gebiet zu erkunden. Bibi ist Biologin, im Amazonas-Regenwald aufgewachsen, sie wird ihn als Sachkundige begleiten, hofft, neue Arten zu von Tieren zu finden. Unser Autor ist Abenteurer und Zeichner – und im Geheimen sei gesagt, Bibi soll nicht wissen, dass er hofft, einen Schatz zu finden, vielleicht eine Goldader.
Diese spannende Geschichte führt tief in den Amazonas-Regenwald. Auf ihrem Boot und an Land erleben die beiden einiges. Neben der Schönheit der Natur kann diese gleichzeitig aber auch gefährliche Arten beherbergen und es wird an einigen Stellen brenzlig, sogar lebensgefährlich. Gemütliches Campen sieht auf jeden Fall anders aus. Ihre erste Begegnung haben die Abenteurer mit Goldgräbern, die ihnen auf ihrem Boot entgegenkommen; feiste Typen, die sie misstrauisch beäugen. Später treffen die beiden auf das Camp der Männer – sie haben die gesamte Natur rundherum zerstört. Aber wirklich gefährlich sind ganz andere Gestalten, die den Lesenden die Luft anhalten lassen: Stechrochen am Boden des Amazonas – nicht hineintreten, sie sind sehr giftig; wenn eine Riesenvogelspinne ihre Stacheln in den Allerwertesten des Autors schießt, während er sein Geschäft verrichtet, eine Kaiman-Mutter Löcher in das Kanu beißt, es versucht, zum Kentern zu bringen, weil drinnen gerade ihr Junges von der Biologin untersucht wird. Da heißt es schöpfen und paddeln gleichzeitig, hoffen, dass man zum Ufer gelangt, da es ansonsten aus ist, umgeben von Kaimanen und Piranhas. Die Bekleidung voller Ameisen, die sich am Körper festbeißen, Fieberschübe, Füße, die zu faulen anfangen, eine Dasselfliegenlarve, die sich unter der Haut des Autors einnistet, Skorpione, ein Jaguar, Giftschlangen, eine Würgeschlange, die versucht, Bibi ins Wasser zu ziehen; so manche Widrigkeit ist zu überstehen. Gibt es diesem Fluss? Die beiden beginnen zu zweifeln und es wird immer heftiger. Fressen und gefressen werden ... haben es unsere beiden Abenteurer überlebt?
Diese Reise ist nicht nur schriftlich festgehalten, der Autor ist gleichzeitig ein talentierter Zeichner, der mit seinen Pastellkreidestiften und Buntstiften alles visuell festhält: großformatige und kleine Landschaftsbilder, Tiere, Pflanzen, Ausrüstungsdetails. Detaillierte Naturskizzen zeichnen dieses Buch aus, die Freude an der Feinheit. Selbst Papierfesserameisen haben sich an den Aufzeichnungen genüsslich getan. Neben der Flora und Fauna lernen wir einiges darüber, wie man im Regenwald überleben kann, Survivals Camping. Schönheit und Gefahr stehen hier eng beieinander. Eine unvergleichliche Natur, die es zu beschützen gilt, die Message dieser spannendem Geschichte. Letztendlich ist dies Abenteuerbuch auch ein Kindersachbuch. Der Prestel Verlag gibt eine Altersempfehlung ab 10 Jahren. Passt, für interessierte Kinder eventuell ab 8 Jahren. Für mich ist dies eins der besten Kinderbücher des Jahres!
Teddy Keen ist Autor, Lektor und Art Director in Nord-London.
November 8, 2021
I read a digital ARC provided by NetGalley.
What a cool format for a book! I know that this is a book I would've been extremely interested in when I was 11 or 12. I can picture myself as a kid reading this and then wanting to start an art/travel journal of my own.
The illustrations are gorgeous and a lot of the text is really informative. I was homeschooled and this is a book I could see my mom having added to my curriculum. I teach preschool, but this book makes me wish I was teaching 6th or 7th grade to read this and assign an art journal for the kids based on the text.
I do think some of the pages did get a little bit boring compared to others, but overall, this adventure book was really cool and definitely worth my time.
What a cool format for a book! I know that this is a book I would've been extremely interested in when I was 11 or 12. I can picture myself as a kid reading this and then wanting to start an art/travel journal of my own.
The illustrations are gorgeous and a lot of the text is really informative. I was homeschooled and this is a book I could see my mom having added to my curriculum. I teach preschool, but this book makes me wish I was teaching 6th or 7th grade to read this and assign an art journal for the kids based on the text.
I do think some of the pages did get a little bit boring compared to others, but overall, this adventure book was really cool and definitely worth my time.
November 12, 2021
We received a digital review copy of this book from the author/publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Journey to the Last River is a fantastic adventure story that will inspire you to journal your own adventures while giving a first-hand account of the author/illustrator's journey into the Amazon after discovering a purposely smudged map at the Royal Geographical Society that showed an otherwise uncharted river.
The "Unknown Adventurer" teams up with a friend, Bibi, and sets off to the Brazilian savanna, where they enter the jungle on a journey to find the lost river and encounter all that the rich habitat and ecosystems have to provide.
This reads like an actual travel journal and I honestly wish more books were like this!
The author/artist included colorful illustrations and doodles around and along with the handwritten tale of their adventure, as well as actual taped-in samples of leaves, snake skins, fish scales, and even actual panned flakes of gold!
I loved seeing what they saw and learning little things about plants and creatures and more that were added in the text or as footnotes alongside their illustrations.
This was just absolutely fascinating and had me pouring over it and its beautiful illustrations as often as possible! I definitely recommend it if you enjoy first-hand accounts or nature or adventures or all of the above!
This review was originally shared on Lazy Day Literature.
Journey to the Last River is a fantastic adventure story that will inspire you to journal your own adventures while giving a first-hand account of the author/illustrator's journey into the Amazon after discovering a purposely smudged map at the Royal Geographical Society that showed an otherwise uncharted river.
The "Unknown Adventurer" teams up with a friend, Bibi, and sets off to the Brazilian savanna, where they enter the jungle on a journey to find the lost river and encounter all that the rich habitat and ecosystems have to provide.
This reads like an actual travel journal and I honestly wish more books were like this!
The author/artist included colorful illustrations and doodles around and along with the handwritten tale of their adventure, as well as actual taped-in samples of leaves, snake skins, fish scales, and even actual panned flakes of gold!
I loved seeing what they saw and learning little things about plants and creatures and more that were added in the text or as footnotes alongside their illustrations.
This was just absolutely fascinating and had me pouring over it and its beautiful illustrations as often as possible! I definitely recommend it if you enjoy first-hand accounts or nature or adventures or all of the above!
This review was originally shared on Lazy Day Literature.
January 24, 2023
Se "Il libro delle avventure perdute" vi insegnava tutto quello che c'è da sapere per partire all'avventura nella natura, questo libro sarà il vostro primo assaggio di una vera e propria avventura nella natura selvaggia.
Il viaggio dell'autore e della sua amica nella sperduta Amazzonia alla ricerca di un fiume sconosciuto li porterà ad affrontare molte difficoltà e i tantissimi pericoli che la natura gli metterà di fronte per proteggersi. Il duro viaggio però darà i suoi frutti, anche se non quelli sperati e insegnerà all'autore e ai lettori che la natura va protetta, perchè anche se pericolosa, l'uomo ha tutto il potere di distruggere ogni cosa, ogni minuscolo grammo di bellezza per il solo guadagno.
E' una lettura spettacolare, che non solo insegna qualcosa di veramente importante, ma lo fa con delle illustrazioni spettacolari.
Adoro questi libri e sono davvero contenta che vengano pubblicati...e spero che tanti bambini e ragazzi ne vengano ispirati!
Il viaggio dell'autore e della sua amica nella sperduta Amazzonia alla ricerca di un fiume sconosciuto li porterà ad affrontare molte difficoltà e i tantissimi pericoli che la natura gli metterà di fronte per proteggersi. Il duro viaggio però darà i suoi frutti, anche se non quelli sperati e insegnerà all'autore e ai lettori che la natura va protetta, perchè anche se pericolosa, l'uomo ha tutto il potere di distruggere ogni cosa, ogni minuscolo grammo di bellezza per il solo guadagno.
E' una lettura spettacolare, che non solo insegna qualcosa di veramente importante, ma lo fa con delle illustrazioni spettacolari.
Adoro questi libri e sono davvero contenta che vengano pubblicati...e spero che tanti bambini e ragazzi ne vengano ispirati!
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November 4, 2021This is a great companion to The Lost Book of Adventure: from the notebooks of the Unknown Adventurer -- similar in style, it would be wonderful for upper-elementary aged children to dive into and get lost in this mysterious and fascinating world of a "true" adventure. The book is presented as a found diary, which adds to the intrigue. It's beautiful to behold with lots of neat illustrations that feel like a real nature journal. I like that this is an expedition in the Amazon -- something most children will never experience but will certainly remain in awe of.
***Note: I was given a review copy of this book via Quarto Kids. Opinions are my own.
***Note: I was given a review copy of this book via Quarto Kids. Opinions are my own.
September 13, 2021
The Lost Book of Adventure was one of my favourite books of 2019 and inspired so many teachers and young writers . This companion book is equally fantastic. The illustrations are incredibly enticing and the tale that accompanies them is exciting and informative. This is a fantastic story written in a diary form of two adventurers heading out into the rainforests in search of an unknown river discovered on a geographical society map. This will be a superb book to use with upper Ks 2 class exploring adventurers and explorers and will inspire some wonderful writing.
Highly recommended and I will certainly be advising colleagues and family friends to buy this.
Highly recommended and I will certainly be advising colleagues and family friends to buy this.
February 7, 2022
Written in the format of a journal with beautifully detailed illustrations, this book is an intriguing blend of fiction and natural history. The style puts me in mind of Diary of an Edwardian Lady but the story is far more enthralling.
It tells the tale of an adventure to an unknown river deep in the Amazon rainforest - complete with close encounters with caimans, jaguars and piranhas. It also features quite a lot of insects ...
Aimed at MG (8-12 years) though I think a lot of adults would appreciate it too.
It tells the tale of an adventure to an unknown river deep in the Amazon rainforest - complete with close encounters with caimans, jaguars and piranhas. It also features quite a lot of insects ...
Aimed at MG (8-12 years) though I think a lot of adults would appreciate it too.
May 15, 2022
This is a very interesting book given the style it is written in. It is written as if it is an actual journal discovered in the past. It appears as a non-fiction book with a true story and yet it is fiction (although you really question that when you read it.) It is also a really amazing mentor text about what a journal/sketchbook could be. I would love to show this book to kids and use it. I will say, as someone who is getting older, the text can sometimes be hard to read because of its size and faintness in many ways.
September 22, 2021
*I received this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
This book was absolutely stunning. The art inside was beautiful and the notes and experiences pulled me in.
It was informative, interesting and filled with amazing illustrations.
I highly recommend this book.
This book was absolutely stunning. The art inside was beautiful and the notes and experiences pulled me in.
It was informative, interesting and filled with amazing illustrations.
I highly recommend this book.
October 13, 2021
After "The Lost Book of Adventure" – https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... – a gorgeous "found" text telling us how to survive in the wilds – we get perhaps what that first book should have been all along. It wore its "this is a field journal from some explorer" ideas so thickly but hardly did anything with a narrative. This is definitely the same hand creating this, and it certainly has a lot more narrative. It concerns a man and his Brazilian friend, as she and he follow a clue discovered in an old manuscript – a map purporting to show a newly-found, unexplored river somewhere in Brazil. Why wasn't it published, and the map's details known to all?
Once again this looks wonderful, with some of the best and most atmospheric nature illustrations and scenery images out there, that really help sell the world of the story. The up-close look at the increasingly desperate mission adds a strong enough drama, too, however unlikely some of it might be. Without giving too much away, there is a kind of moral here – as well as some frankly pointless regret at former, more colonial times. Things aren't perfect then, but they pretty much were what I asked for – something with the alleged status of coming from a mysterious expedition archive, something with that superlative craft in the pics, and something with more of a plot. And there are more such books to come, we're told. There's a lot in all of that to be very positive about – a strong four stars.
Once again this looks wonderful, with some of the best and most atmospheric nature illustrations and scenery images out there, that really help sell the world of the story. The up-close look at the increasingly desperate mission adds a strong enough drama, too, however unlikely some of it might be. Without giving too much away, there is a kind of moral here – as well as some frankly pointless regret at former, more colonial times. Things aren't perfect then, but they pretty much were what I asked for – something with the alleged status of coming from a mysterious expedition archive, something with that superlative craft in the pics, and something with more of a plot. And there are more such books to come, we're told. There's a lot in all of that to be very positive about – a strong four stars.
September 16, 2024
5 Stars/
90%
Illustrations: 10/10
Writing: 6/10 (but I know that I am not the intended audience)
Message / Vibes: 10/10
So this was a weird one. I know its a kids book (with slightly grating writing), but this was a book that has let me gently fall back in love with exploration and fighting for the natural world. Unexpected but true. I initially got this for some inspiration for a personal project, started reading it as I put the personal project on pause [hence the long read time], but came back to this and sped through it, just letting myself sit with the art for a bit.
Turns out this is a rather more important book in terms of message and now what it means to me than I anticipated.
90%
Illustrations: 10/10
Writing: 6/10 (but I know that I am not the intended audience)
Message / Vibes: 10/10
So this was a weird one. I know its a kids book (with slightly grating writing), but this was a book that has let me gently fall back in love with exploration and fighting for the natural world. Unexpected but true. I initially got this for some inspiration for a personal project, started reading it as I put the personal project on pause [hence the long read time], but came back to this and sped through it, just letting myself sit with the art for a bit.
Turns out this is a rather more important book in terms of message and now what it means to me than I anticipated.
October 10, 2021
ARC Copy...very lavish and colourful...too many words to describe the beauty of the pencil crayon (I assume) illustrations and even the setting is a real natural wonder, it did feel like another world of the fantastical kind.
January 11, 2022
A trip by two explorers into the depths of the Amazon in the search of a mysterious river. Akin to a 21st century version of "Heart of Darkness" in which ecology takes center stage, or when Indiana Jones meets Jane Goodall. Thoroughly enjoyed it. The hand drawings are just beautiful.
Want to read
October 7, 2021Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
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January 3, 2023this was really cool!!
November 8, 2021
A big thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing/Frances Lincoln Children's Books for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. This is a children's book. Although this is a wonderful, insightful, mysterious book of a lost area, I found the font extremely difficult to read. It is to small. Wonderful artistry and who doesn't love an unsolved mystery? 4 stars
June 25, 2023
Everything I wanted it to be and more. As I said in The Lost Book of Adventure, which serves as an informative resource about outdoor exploring & survival, this is pure artistic splendor, aimed at kids but suitable for all ages, that purports to be a reproduction of an actual travel journal from an "unknown adventurer" found in a trunk in the Amazon, thought to date from the mid-1960s, documenting a journey up a fork of the Amazon river.
And what a facsimile it is. One of my favorite hobbies is looking at posts where people show off their prettily-designed planners/bullet journals/scrapbooks, and my second favorite hobby is looking at beautiful blank books and wishing I had the drive/skill/ideas to fill them up exactly like this (except actually wishing that someone else would do it for me and just give me the finished product). At last, I can simply buy one!
I spent hours cherishing every page of this book, looking at every illustration and caption in addition to the main text (which is QUITE an exciting tale in its own right), and having a very easy time pretending that I had simply found the estate sale treasure of a lifetime. The fact that the book includes a photo of the front and back covers of the original journal -- a simple green clothbound sketchbook, the same shape as the book, that looks properly aged and weatherbeaten -- makes the illusion even better.
If any of this appeals to you, I cannot stress enough how much this should be bought by your public library, for your home library, for your classroom library, or as a gift for anyone else this describes. I want an entire collection of these adventures, six installments at least.
P.S. I will say, though, by the end of the book I understood keeping the location a secret -- but I do not understand why
And what a facsimile it is. One of my favorite hobbies is looking at posts where people show off their prettily-designed planners/bullet journals/scrapbooks, and my second favorite hobby is looking at beautiful blank books and wishing I had the drive/skill/ideas to fill them up exactly like this (except actually wishing that someone else would do it for me and just give me the finished product). At last, I can simply buy one!
I spent hours cherishing every page of this book, looking at every illustration and caption in addition to the main text (which is QUITE an exciting tale in its own right), and having a very easy time pretending that I had simply found the estate sale treasure of a lifetime. The fact that the book includes a photo of the front and back covers of the original journal -- a simple green clothbound sketchbook, the same shape as the book, that looks properly aged and weatherbeaten -- makes the illusion even better.
If any of this appeals to you, I cannot stress enough how much this should be bought by your public library, for your home library, for your classroom library, or as a gift for anyone else this describes. I want an entire collection of these adventures, six installments at least.
P.S. I will say, though, by the end of the book I understood keeping the location a secret -- but I do not understand why
November 22, 2021
The art is pretty, but not terribly exciting. The story had me nodding off every few pages.
Received via NetGalley.
Received via NetGalley.
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