Thursday, September 17, 2015

The Doldrums by Nicholas Gannon - OPTIONAL

Gannon, Nicholas The Doldrums, 340 pages.  Greenwillow (HarperCollins), 2015.  $18.  Language: G; Mature Content: G; Violence: G.  

Archer’s explorer grandparents have disappeared on their expedition to the Arctic and despite his parents vehement opposition, he is determined to find them - some how.  It will take the help of new friends to give him the courage to make a plan.  

Archer’s parents are such awful caricatures of mean parents it was really hard for me to take this seriously.  They could have been much less ridiculous and still been the foils Archer needed for his adventures.  As much as I like Archer and his quest to find his grandparents, I can’t seem to get over that. This is the kind of book that adults will buy as a gift for children thinking it to be very nostalgic and charming.  I just wish the author had toned it down, because the premise has promise.

EL, MS - OPTIONAL.  Cindy, Library teacher

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