Brightstorm is everything a proper children’s adventure story should be: it’s exciting, funny and surprising, and stars two young people who show real courage, loyalty and resilience. Twins Maudie and Arthur Brightstorm are left alone in the world when their explorer father dies on a daring expedition to the unchartered territory South Polaris. Worse news follows when he is accused of breaking the explorer’s code. Not only is he disgraced, but his property is forfeit leaving the children destitute. The twins are determined to clear his name and run away to join the crew of the sky-ship Aurora, also setting off for South Polaris. Under Captain Harriet Culpepper, they’ll explore strange lands, meet some extraordinary people, and learn more about themselves, as well as their father. A terrific read, this is one to recommend to fans of Abi Elphinstone and Katherine Rundell.
March 2018 Debut of the Month | In a nutshell: thrilling, original adventure story
Readers who enjoy Brightstorm should read Sinead O’Hart’s The Eye of the North too.
Arthur and Maudie Brightstorm are devastated to learn that their famous explorer father has died in a failed attempt to reach South Polaris, the southernmost point in the world. To make matters worse, the Lontown Geographical Society finds Ernest Brightstorm guilty of sabotaging the expedition of his competitor, Eudora Vane, a respected and powerful member of the Society. But then a mysterious clue leads the twins to question the story they've been told. Joining the ragtag crew of the Aurora, a homemade sky-ship captained by the intrepid Harriet Culpepper, Arthur and Maudie race to South Polaris to salvage their family's reputation. As the sky-ship sets sail, the twins must keep their wits about them if they are to uncover the truth about what happened on their father's doomed expedition, and to prove themselves worthy explorers. Brightstorm is a propulsive, vividly imagined fantasy adventure set among vibrant landscapes and peopled with dynamic and unforgettable characters.
Vashti Hardy was a primary school teacher for several years and has always had a keen interest in children’s writing, leading to her MA in Creative Writing from the University of Chichester. Vashti is an alumni member and writing buddy of The Golden Egg Academy, and her books Brightstorm and the award-winning Wildspark are critically acclaimed. Vashti lives near Brighton in Sussex.
