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A Break in the Chain
A terrible oil spill in the Arctic, a lesson about food chains, and a computer game featuring a polar bear turn into a magical adventure for Billy, whose class uses email and a fund-raiser to help rescue the Arctic animals.
48 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
42 people want to read
About the author
Chris d'Lacey
87 books1,114 followersHe was born in Valetta, Malta, but as a child moved first to Leicester and then to Bolton. After gaining a degree in biology from the University of York, he returned to Leicester and got a job at the University of Leicester in their Pre-Clinical Sciences department.
Originally his writing was confined to songs and he didn't turn to fiction until he was 32. His first piece of work was a 250,000 word story about polar bears for his wife, Jay, to accompany a stuffed polar bear he had bought her as a Christmas present.
He didn't write another story for seven years, until he heard about a competition to write a story for young children with a prize of £2,000. The resulting book, A Hole at the Pole, also about polar bears, didn't win - but he sent it off to a publisher, who accepted it.
His first children's novel, Fly, Cherokee, Fly, was published in 1998 and subsequently shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal. It was inspired by the time he found an injured pigeon in Victoria Park and nursed it back to health at home. It became a family pet and lived for 14 years in a birdbox attached to the back of the house. All of its offspring were given the names of different Native American tribes, which is where the title of the book comes from.)
He has since written over twenty children's books, including Pawnee Warrior (a sequel to Fly, Cherokee, Fly), a collaborative novel with fellow children's author Linda Newbery (From E To You), and the best-selling, award-winning The Last Dragon Chronicles. His books often contain environmental themes, and events based on things that have happened to him.
In July 2002 he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Leicester for his contributions to children's literature. Although writing is now his main source of income, he still works at the university as the operator of the confocal microscope.
His favourite children's books are the Paddington Bear series and The Hobbit, and his favourite children's authors are Allan Ahlberg and Roald Dahl. Chris D'Lacey has written many books like Ice Fire and Fire Star, but his most famous book was Dark Fire, the fifth book in The Last Dragon Chronicles.
Originally his writing was confined to songs and he didn't turn to fiction until he was 32. His first piece of work was a 250,000 word story about polar bears for his wife, Jay, to accompany a stuffed polar bear he had bought her as a Christmas present.
He didn't write another story for seven years, until he heard about a competition to write a story for young children with a prize of £2,000. The resulting book, A Hole at the Pole, also about polar bears, didn't win - but he sent it off to a publisher, who accepted it.
His first children's novel, Fly, Cherokee, Fly, was published in 1998 and subsequently shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal. It was inspired by the time he found an injured pigeon in Victoria Park and nursed it back to health at home. It became a family pet and lived for 14 years in a birdbox attached to the back of the house. All of its offspring were given the names of different Native American tribes, which is where the title of the book comes from.)
He has since written over twenty children's books, including Pawnee Warrior (a sequel to Fly, Cherokee, Fly), a collaborative novel with fellow children's author Linda Newbery (From E To You), and the best-selling, award-winning The Last Dragon Chronicles. His books often contain environmental themes, and events based on things that have happened to him.
In July 2002 he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Leicester for his contributions to children's literature. Although writing is now his main source of income, he still works at the university as the operator of the confocal microscope.
His favourite children's books are the Paddington Bear series and The Hobbit, and his favourite children's authors are Allan Ahlberg and Roald Dahl. Chris D'Lacey has written many books like Ice Fire and Fire Star, but his most famous book was Dark Fire, the fifth book in The Last Dragon Chronicles.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 19, 2016
I have now read 15 books by Chris d'Lacey in under a year. With every book I enjoy his skill as a writer more. He has a way of drawing readers into the subjects. It was wonderful to go back and read this one of his earliest books. My son and I tracked down that one after reading A Hole in the Pole. It has most of the same characters and continues on the same track. And again it was great seeing precursors to characters from both The Dragons of Wayward Crescent and The Last Dragon Chronicles. All three of my children love this book and many other we have read by d'Lacey.
This is the continuing story of Billy Cockcroft, but this time instead of being concerned about the hole in the ozone at the North Pole, the focus is on the effect of an oil spill in the arctic. This time Billy becomes responsible to explaining about the Polar Bear's food chain. But the TV news about the oil spill and the effect it is having. Soon Billy has another mystical experience with the Polar Bear Lorel and through that mobilizes his class to raise money to help with the clean-up in the artic. They soon raise awareness locally and through the news much further afield.
The story is very well written. It has great characters, an interesting plot and a great pace for early readers transitioning from picture books to early chapter books. My children loved the clean-up project they tried. They were also fascinated with the descriptions of early computers and computers arriving in the class room. They asked if that was what it was like.
The illustrations really add to the story. Towards the centre of the book is a full double page illustration that my son has spent a lot of time going back to. They are bright, and really are fun.
Chris d'Lacey is currently my favourite author. I have acquired all of his eBooks and have been slowing tracking down his older out of print books, like this one. I have yet to encounter a story that my children do not love, and that I also greatly enjoy. This was a wonderful read and is well worth tracking down. Chris d'Lacey writes in such an engaging style that children love his writings and those who read to and with them will also. I can highly recommend this book.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Chris d'Lacey. As well as an author profile and interview with Chris.
This is the continuing story of Billy Cockcroft, but this time instead of being concerned about the hole in the ozone at the North Pole, the focus is on the effect of an oil spill in the arctic. This time Billy becomes responsible to explaining about the Polar Bear's food chain. But the TV news about the oil spill and the effect it is having. Soon Billy has another mystical experience with the Polar Bear Lorel and through that mobilizes his class to raise money to help with the clean-up in the artic. They soon raise awareness locally and through the news much further afield.
The story is very well written. It has great characters, an interesting plot and a great pace for early readers transitioning from picture books to early chapter books. My children loved the clean-up project they tried. They were also fascinated with the descriptions of early computers and computers arriving in the class room. They asked if that was what it was like.
The illustrations really add to the story. Towards the centre of the book is a full double page illustration that my son has spent a lot of time going back to. They are bright, and really are fun.
Chris d'Lacey is currently my favourite author. I have acquired all of his eBooks and have been slowing tracking down his older out of print books, like this one. I have yet to encounter a story that my children do not love, and that I also greatly enjoy. This was a wonderful read and is well worth tracking down. Chris d'Lacey writes in such an engaging style that children love his writings and those who read to and with them will also. I can highly recommend this book.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Chris d'Lacey. As well as an author profile and interview with Chris.
December 17, 2017
Preachy. Succinct. Idealistic.
Story: Billy is in elementary school and likes polar bears. He plays a computer game all about them. For homework, he has to learn all about the polar bear's food chain. After an oil spill in the Arctic, Billy and his friends set out to help save the animals.
Language: This is a yellow banana book, which means the chapters are short, but there are a lot of words in each chapter. Some vocabulary may be new, but pictures help to illustrate the story.
Characters: Billy is the main character, though his family and teacher and classmates serve as side characters. Billy's father plays a very present role in this book, which may appeal to boy readers.
A good fast paced story about environmentalism, with a bit of imagination thrown in for fun.
Story: Billy is in elementary school and likes polar bears. He plays a computer game all about them. For homework, he has to learn all about the polar bear's food chain. After an oil spill in the Arctic, Billy and his friends set out to help save the animals.
Language: This is a yellow banana book, which means the chapters are short, but there are a lot of words in each chapter. Some vocabulary may be new, but pictures help to illustrate the story.
Characters: Billy is the main character, though his family and teacher and classmates serve as side characters. Billy's father plays a very present role in this book, which may appeal to boy readers.
A good fast paced story about environmentalism, with a bit of imagination thrown in for fun.
March 27, 2018
Questo libricino mi segue come un amico fedele da ormai tanti, tanti anni. Ce l'ho dai tempi delle elementari, ma non so perché non lo avevo mai letto.. e dire che è talmente piccino da rubare solo pochi minuti! Proprio non me lo spiego.
Purtroppo è vecchio, poco conosciuto e non è più disponibile sui siti delle librerie online, infatti non ne ho trovato neanche uno straccio di trama.. ma non importa, mi rendeva felice l'idea di condividere con voi un breve pensiero su questa lettura, perché per quando semplice è riuscita a farmi sorridere e a sorprendermi.
La cosa che più mi è piaciuta è il tema principale: l'inquinamento e l'importanza di tenere pulito l'ambiente. Spiega in modo semplice e chiaro che tutti, nel nostro piccolo, possiamo contribuire a tenere la Terra pulita e ad aiutare così non solo noi stessi, ma anche gli animali che a causa dell'uomo rischiano la vita e l'estinzione. Le parole usate sono semplici, indirizzate ai bambini, ma riescono a far ragionare.. ammetto di essermi resa conto con tristezza che la situazione anziché migliorare peggiora soltanto, nonostante siano passati oltre dieci anni dalla pubblicazione di questa interessante lettura.
È stato divertente rivedere i bambini (ma anche gli adulti) avvicinarsi piano piano al mondo di internet.. è buffo ai giorni nostri pensare che solo qualche anno fa l'idea di poter spedire una mail dall'altra parte del mondo era considerata una cosa pazzesca.. come passa in fretta il tempo!
Per concludere: adesso che l'ho letto mi dispiace di aver aspettato tanto! Lo leggerò sicuramente al mio piccolo Cavaliere quando sarà un pochino più grande, con la speranza che possa trasmettergli questo importante messaggio di amore e rispetto verso la natura e gli animali.
Purtroppo è vecchio, poco conosciuto e non è più disponibile sui siti delle librerie online, infatti non ne ho trovato neanche uno straccio di trama.. ma non importa, mi rendeva felice l'idea di condividere con voi un breve pensiero su questa lettura, perché per quando semplice è riuscita a farmi sorridere e a sorprendermi.
La cosa che più mi è piaciuta è il tema principale: l'inquinamento e l'importanza di tenere pulito l'ambiente. Spiega in modo semplice e chiaro che tutti, nel nostro piccolo, possiamo contribuire a tenere la Terra pulita e ad aiutare così non solo noi stessi, ma anche gli animali che a causa dell'uomo rischiano la vita e l'estinzione. Le parole usate sono semplici, indirizzate ai bambini, ma riescono a far ragionare.. ammetto di essermi resa conto con tristezza che la situazione anziché migliorare peggiora soltanto, nonostante siano passati oltre dieci anni dalla pubblicazione di questa interessante lettura.
È stato divertente rivedere i bambini (ma anche gli adulti) avvicinarsi piano piano al mondo di internet.. è buffo ai giorni nostri pensare che solo qualche anno fa l'idea di poter spedire una mail dall'altra parte del mondo era considerata una cosa pazzesca.. come passa in fretta il tempo!
Per concludere: adesso che l'ho letto mi dispiace di aver aspettato tanto! Lo leggerò sicuramente al mio piccolo Cavaliere quando sarà un pochino più grande, con la speranza che possa trasmettergli questo importante messaggio di amore e rispetto verso la natura e gli animali.
July 26, 2011
very preaching on enviornmental, shows kids that they can take responsibility for enviornmental problems, raise money and awareness with in their community and the world throught letters to senitors, and political figures.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews