Escape to the River Sea
£6.20£7.60 (-18%)
Beautiful and full of adventure, Escape to the River Sea is Emma Carroll’s compelling novel inspired by Eva Ibbotson’s bestselling, classic masterpiece, Journey to the River Sea.
‘A joyously animal-packed adventure.’ – Hilary McKay, Costa Award-winning author of The Skylark’s War
In 1946, Rosa Sweetman, a young Kindertransport girl, is longing for her family to claim her. The war in Europe is over and she is the only child left at Westwood, a rambling country estate in the north of England, where she’d taken refuge seven years earlier.
The arrival of a friend of the family, Yara Fielding, starts an adventure that will take Rosa deep into the lush beauty of the Amazon rainforest in search of jaguars, ancient giant sloths and somewhere to belong. What she finds is Yara’s lively, welcoming family on the banks of the river and, together, they face a danger greater than she could ever have imagined.
Featuring places and characters known and loved by fans of Journey to the River Sea (including, among others, Maia, Finn, Miss Minton and Clovis) this spectacular story tells of the next generation and the growing threats to the Amazon rainforest that continue to this day.
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Additional information
| Publisher | Macmillan Children's Books, Main Market edition (4 May 2023) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Paperback | 288 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 1529062721 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1529062724 |
| Reading age | 9 – 11 years |
| Dimensions | 13 x 2.3 x 19.7 cm |
by Larewen Evenstar
I read Return to the river sea just last year, and thought it was wonderful book (like many of Ibbotson’s books), and was excited to read the continuation of that, especially written by emma carroll, who does a wonderful job of bringing history to life.
overall, i enjoyed this book, but i will say i didn’t enjoy it nearly as much as the original.
It captured the same charm, and the writing was faithful to the original style, which was really lovely. However, I felt the main storyline was a tad lacking. the side stories were all really good, and were concluded well, but the main story… i think i just felt a little disappointed. i dont want to post spoilers, but it did fit in with the book, but it felt a bit lacking in the buildup and conclusion.
but otherwise, this was a really nice book, well written for the most part, and faithful to the original.
by MacReader
I have never read ‘Journey to the River Sea’ by Eva Ibbotson, so I came to this novel with no pre-conceived expectations except that it is a book written by Emma Carroll and I needed to read it!
This title did not disappoint. Exquisitely description with wonderful plotting made it a delight to read. I loved the character of Rosa and empathised greatly with her refugee status following the war. Her need to have an adventure and to find her own way the world are carefully developed. There are so many wonderful characters with their own side stories which stowly evolve and add to the adventure – not to mention a mystery to decipher, too!
Such a clever piece of writing by Emma Carroll. This book can be used alongside any Amazon/jungle-themed teaching, or perhaps as an interesting diversion during a World War unit (Rosa had found her way to Westwood on Kindertransport). Lots of ways to use and enjoy this book which I think would be suitable for age 9 upwards.
by Lost Without a Book
I loved Journey to the River Sea so was delighted when it was announced Emma Carroll was writing this companion novel set in the same world and it didn’t disappoint. Set just after World War II, we follow Rosa Sweetman, one of the Kindertransport, as she travels from the UK to the Amazon on the trail of a Giant Sloth. Along the way, she meets all kinds of strange characters and slowly pieces together what is going on.
I loved how so many different parts of post-WWII history were woven together and there were so many points for discussion or further exploration with children. It didn’t shy away from complicated topics but dealt with them sensitively and honestly. It was lovely to see so many familiar characters come back and it was a perfect development of the original book by Eva Ibbotson (one of my all time favourites!) Would whole-heartedly recommend this.
by Bev
I loved this, as much as the original, getting swept up by the new characters and story, and enjoyed catching up with the old characters too, although briefly. I would love to read more of their adventures. True to Eva Ibbotson, a great book, I would read again.
by Mrs Rachel Bolton
Inspired by the famous novel “Journey to the River Sea” by Eva Ibbotson, this latest tale from award-winning Emma Carroll stands in its own right as an exciting post-war adventure which at the same time pays hommage to and incorporates some of Ibbotson’s characters and setting. Rosa is sent from Vienna to England and sees out the war rather unexpectedly in a dilapidated house called Westwood. When a young scientist arrives at the house in search of old papers, she is persuaded by Rosa to take her back to the Amazon so they can both hunt for the Giant Sloth. What follows is an Amazonian adventure with new friendships, suspicious men in panama hats and the most wonderful descriptions of river and jungle. As ever with Carroll books the plot is engaging ,the descriptions are vivid and the atmosphere is tense as the tale builds to a satisfying ending. This is such an enjoyable read and would be an excellent story to accompany learning about the Amazon.
by Fentimans
I am a huge fan of Emma Carroll, despite being in my 30s, and I always look forward to her new releases. Escape to the River Sea certainly didn’t disappoint. I hadn’t actually read Eva Ibbotson’s work before, so I read it afterwards – I think it works just as well if you read them the other way round, or even as standalone books, but it was a delight to discover that Carroll had continued some of the themes and told the stories of some of the characters from Ibbotson’s book. Carroll has a way of writing that brings the scenery and characters to life, without making descriptions feel lengthy or a chore to read – somehow, her simple choice of words conjures up incredibly vibrant images in your mind. Plenty of current themes are addressed gently and considering modern sensibilities, offering the opportunity for discussion starters for those reading it with children. Overall a really enjoyable read that is as lush and vibrant as the places in the Amazon that are being described!
by Fiona Brady
An exciting adventure story set against the increasing conservation issues in the Amazon, mass clearing of forest, destruction of habitats and local people’s livelihoods. It was nice to catch up with the characters from Eva Ibbotson’s classic, Journey To The River Sea. I think she would be happy with it.
by BookSuperhero2
Another stunning tale from Emma, as expected! She really is one of the U.K.’s best children’s writers. ‘Escape to the River Sea’ is the perfect blend of atmospheric descriptions, plucky children, and a most wonderful adventure.
It also touches on several interesting topics, including Rosa’s family fleeing the Nazi Party as they begins to persecute Jews. The escalating violence they faced before leaving is only briefly touched upon, with the story focussing more on families trying to reunite once the war was over.
A setting like the Amazon Rainforest provides an excellent backdrop for conversations about the devastation caused by illegal land clearing and the impact it has on the lives of indigenous tribes, as well as exploring some of the creatures who live there. I’m sure children will have some interesting thoughts on the morality of clearing huge areas of forest every day.