How are you all?
Today I am going to review Jungledrop by Abi Elphinstone
Synopsis
Eleven-year-old twins, Fox and Fibber, have been rivals for as long as they can remember. Only one of them will inherit the family fortune and so a race is afoot to save the dwindling Petty-Squabble empire and win the love of their parents.
But when the twins are whisked off to Jungledrop, a magical Unmapped Kingdom in charge of conjuring our world's weather, things get wildly out of hand. An evil harpy called Morg is on the loose. And if she finds the long-lost Forever Fern before the twins, both Jungledrop and our world will crumble.
Suddenly, Fox and Fibber find themselves on an incredible adventure in a glow-in-the-dark rainforest full of golden panthers, gobblequick trees and enchanted temples. But, with the fate of two worlds in their hands, will the twins be able to work together for once to defeat Morg and her dark magic?
Review
Meet Fibber and Fox Petty-Squabble.
Twins.
Rivals.
Hate each other.
Never hugged each other, loved each other or trusted each other.
Meet Mr and Mrs Petty-Squabble.
Parents - although I'm not sure you can actually call them that.
Business owners.
Driven by money.
Mr and Mrs Petty-Squabble have raised their children for one thing only - to take on the business and make them millions. Unbeknown to the children they are pitted against each other. The child with the best business plan to stop the family businesses going under and get them back to making millions gets to stay. The other gets sent to Antartica forever.
Nice huh?
Until one day it all changes when they are given the pheonix tear and find themselves on the Here and Now Express being whisked off to another world - the magical, fantastical world of Jungledrop.
There are problems afoot and it is down to the twins to save Jungledrop from the evil harpy, Morg. The trouble is, as I've mentioned before, the twins have been raised not to trust anyone or each other. Not to talk to each other nicely. Not to have manners. Yet, in order to save Jungledrop AND Faraway (our world) they realise that what they have been used to, has to change.
This is the second book in The Unmapped Chronicles, following on from Rumblestar. The world-building is second to none. The scene setting and descriptions are so vivid that the ideas Abi Elphinstone has are expertly visualised by the reader. I am in awe of how she thinks of her characters names and nouns. Amongst others are Nightcreaks, Witchcrocs, snoozenuts, Doogie Herbalsneeze, flickertug map and my two favourite characters, Heckle and Total Shambles. Pure genius!
The adventures were thrilling. I was caught in the dangers, riskiness, uncertainty and pure buzz as the twins went from one set of problems to another. As the twins flew on the back of Total Shambles, I felt the wind through my hair as I went with them. As Fox hung on for grim death trying not to fall in the pit of hog-nosed vipers, I was willing her to hold on. Just perfect story telling.
However, there is an underlying premise that is for the twins to save Faraway and Jungledrop, they have to work together. Abi Elphinstone delightfully shows how to trust, be empathetic and sympathetic. To have manners, to forgive and accept anyone or anything for what they are. Everyone has a talent. It might not be the same as yours but it is just as amazing as yours. And then finally to be proud. Be proud of your inner beauty and be genuinely proud for those that you love and hold dear.
I think you can guess that I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I would highly recommend this for children to read but I would also urge KS2 teachers to have a copy in their room. If you can't read the whole book, you could easily pick out excerpts for children to analyse and explore how Abi Elphinstone makes her writing so descriptively believable or how she creates tension. How the twins show feelings and also how their feelings and behaviour change over time. What would have happened if they didn't change? What effect did Fox showing forgiveness have on the reader? I could go on and on.
I could easily waffle for hours about this book and to be honest I've wanted to say so much more, but I've had to really reign myself in so as not to give any spoilers. I could burst holding on to what I know and not be able to share it!
You have to read it!
A super easy ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ from me.
Happy reading,
Allison xx
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