Join Hal and Uncle Nat as they plunge straight into an exciting mystery – this time while on Safari!All-aboard for the third amazing journey in the bestselling Adventures on Trains series, Murder on the Safari Star, from M. G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman, illustrated throughout by Elisa Paganelli.Harrison Beck and his Uncle Nat are on the journey of a lifetime aboard the Safari Star – a luxurious steam train that will take them from Pretoria to the stunning Victoria Falls. Close encounters with the amazing animals and landscape of Southern Africa are adventure enough, but things get mysterious when a passenger is found dead inside a locked compartment. Is it just a terrible accident or is something more suspicious afoot? It’s up to train detective Hal and his new friend Winston to find out.Murder on the Safari Star can be read as a stand-alone novel, or enjoyed as part of the Adventures on Trains series. Join Hal and Uncle Nat on more stops in this thrilling series, with: The Highland Falcon Thief, Kidnap on the California Comet, Danger at Dead Man's Pass and Sabotage on the Solar Express.Praise for the Series:'Like Murder on the Orient Express but better!' – Frank Cottrell-Boyce on The Highland Falcon Thief'A thrilling and hugely entertaining adventure story' – David Walliams on The Highland Falcon Thief'A first class choo-choo-dunnit!' – David Solomons on Kidnap on the California Comet'A high-speed train journey worth catching . . .The best yet' – The Times on Murder on the Safari Star'This series just gets better and better' – Maz Evans on Danger at Dead Man's Pass
CONTRIBUTORS: M. G. LeonardEAN: 9781529013108COUNTRY: United KingdomPAGES: WEIGHT: 260 gHEIGHT: 196 cm
Africa, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Crime and mystery fiction, Children’s / Teenage general interest: Transport and vehicles
With the Highland Falcon Thief, M. G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman bring the classic mystery on a train bang up to date with a carriage-load of wit and suspense, I have a station announcement: their collaboration is a chuffing triumph. Fans of Agatha Christie, or, more recently, Robin Stevens and Katherine Woodfine, should adore this mystery which makes a steam trail all of its own., A brilliant adventure, packed with blackmail, red herrings and silver superliners!, With a cast of delightfully dubious characters who are all potential suspects, Kidnap on the California Comet will keep readers guessing and reading on to enjoy the developing friendships and follow the red herrings across the USA, to a satisfying conclusion. There are plenty of notes at the back for train fans, and the book may therefore appeal especially to vehicle-obsessed children who are looking for a longer book with a clear plot to follow, Wildly funny, with hairpin plot bends and inventive characters, this series is firmly on track to become a bestseller.
M.G. Leonard has made up stories since she was a girl, but back then adults called them lies or tall tales and she didn’t write them down. As a grown up, her favourite things to create stories about are beetles, birds, and trains. Her books have been translated into over forty languages and won many awards. She is the vice president of the insect charity Buglife, and a founding author of Authors4Oceans. She lives in Brighton with her husband, two sons, a fat cat called Kasper, a dog called Nell, and a variety of exotic beetles.Sam Sedgman is a bestselling author and presenter. Before writing stories for children, he worked as a playwright, journalist, and digital producer, and founded a company making murder mystery treasure hunts for adventurous Londoners. Written with his friend, M. G. Leonard, The Highland Falcon Thief was Sam’s first book for young readers. A lifelong fan of puzzles, games, and detective fiction, he grew up with a railway at the bottom of his garden and has been mad about trains ever since. He lives in London.Elisa Paganelli was born in Italy and since childhood, hasn't been able to resist the smell of paper and pencils. She graduated from the European Institute of Design in Turn and worked in advertising, as well as running an award-winning design shop and studio. She now collaborates as a freelance designer with publishers and advertising agencies all over the world, including designing and illustrating The House With Chicken Legs and the Travels of Ermine series.
Format: Paperback / softback
Join Hal and Uncle Nat as they plunge straight into an exciting mystery – this time while on Safari!All-aboard for the third amazing journey in the bestselling Adventures on Trains series, Murder on the Safari Star, from M. G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman, illustrated throughout by Elisa Paganelli.Harrison Beck and his Uncle Nat are on the journey of a lifetime aboard the Safari Star – a luxurious steam train that will take them from Pretoria to the stunning Victoria Falls. Close encounters with the amazing animals and landscape of Southern Africa are adventure enough, but things get mysterious when a passenger is found dead inside a locked compartment. Is it just a terrible accident or is something more suspicious afoot? It’s up to train detective Hal and his new friend Winston to find out.Murder on the Safari Star can be read as a stand-alone novel, or enjoyed as part of the Adventures on Trains series. Join Hal and Uncle Nat on more stops in this thrilling series, with: The Highland Falcon Thief, Kidnap on the California Comet, Danger at Dead Man's Pass and Sabotage on the Solar Express.Praise for the Series:'Like Murder on the Orient Express but better!' – Frank Cottrell-Boyce on The Highland Falcon Thief'A thrilling and hugely entertaining adventure story' – David Walliams on The Highland Falcon Thief'A first class choo-choo-dunnit!' – David Solomons on Kidnap on the California Comet'A high-speed train journey worth catching . . .The best yet' – The Times on Murder on the Safari Star'This series just gets better and better' – Maz Evans on Danger at Dead Man's Pass
CONTRIBUTORS: M. G. LeonardEAN: 9781529013108COUNTRY: United KingdomPAGES: WEIGHT: 260 gHEIGHT: 196 cm
M.G. Leonard has made up stories since she was a girl, but back then adults called them lies or tall tales and she didn’t write them down. As a grown up, her favourite things to create stories about are beetles, birds, and trains. Her books have been translated into over forty languages and won many awards. She is the vice president of the insect charity Buglife, and a founding author of Authors4Oceans. She lives in Brighton with her husband, two sons, a fat cat called Kasper, a dog called Nell, and a variety of exotic beetles.Sam Sedgman is a bestselling author and presenter. Before writing stories for children, he worked as a playwright, journalist, and digital producer, and founded a company making murder mystery treasure hunts for adventurous Londoners. Written with his friend, M. G. Leonard, The Highland Falcon Thief was Sam’s first book for young readers. A lifelong fan of puzzles, games, and detective fiction, he grew up with a railway at the bottom of his garden and has been mad about trains ever since. He lives in London.Elisa Paganelli was born in Italy and since childhood, hasn't been able to resist the smell of paper and pencils. She graduated from the European Institute of Design in Turn and worked in advertising, as well as running an award-winning design shop and studio. She now collaborates as a freelance designer with publishers and advertising agencies all over the world, including designing and illustrating The House With Chicken Legs and the Travels of Ermine series.
My name is Gwendoline Leghlo, from South Africa, I came across this children's book by this author in America and didn't regret the purchased. I purchased it for my grandson who is age 7 and he absolutely loved it, and I could see the excitement in his eyes while reading the book. I genuinely love to put a smile on my grandchildren's faces; He loves reading and mentioned to me that it was fun reading it and it is wonderful to witness that kind of pure joy and engagement. I'm thrilled to share that it is Highly recommended book for children. Thumbs up to the author Charmaine J Forde ***** I am already interested in her next book.
Kan 'n groepie met uitsonderlike vermoëns 'n planeet red?
Die Fluisteraar is ’n baie interessante aanbieding in die toekomsfiksiegenre. Die jaar is 2075. Die wêreld se natuurlike hulpbronne is uitgeput. Natuurrampe, oorloë, plae en voedseltekorte het miljoene uitgewis, lees ons in die Proloog. Kato, ’n intelligente sewentienjarige, leerling by Solaris Internationaal deel nie sy onderwyser, meneer Flink, se geloof dat die klimaatbalans kan herstel nie. “Die harde feit is dat niks lewe nie en niks meer gáán lewe nie.” (p.21 e-boek)
Dit blyk dat Kato oor ’n spesiale vermoë beskik wat plantegroei kan stimuleer en woude herstel. Daarvoor word hy gewerf deur die IPN, Die Instituut vir Planetêre Navigasie, om te gaan “werk” in Uganda. Hy voel dat sy ouers hom opoffer ter wille van die planeet. (p.119 e-boek). Sy opstand daarteen en sy heimwee na die see van die Kaapse kom, gee aanleiding tot ’n spannende verloop van omstandighede wat hom uiteindelik by ’n belangrike morele besluit uitbring.
Wat die verhaal vir my onderskei, is dat daar wel wetenskapfiksie elemente teenwoordig is, soos hommeltuie, oktokopters en uberbotte, maar dit bly in essensie ’n verhaal oor mense en nie robotte nie. Weliswaar mense met uitsonderlike vermoëns, maar dit is heel geloofwaardig. Daar is familiebande, vriende, selfs troeteldiere.
Skrywer, Jacolet van den Berg, het haarself deeglik bewys as ’n sukses in die liga van jeugboekskrywers. Die Fluisteraar is sopas aangewys as naaswenner in die Lapa Jeugverhaalkompetisie van 2025, ’n prestasie wat sy ook in die 2024 kompetisie behaal het.
Daar is 'n onmiddellike konneksie tussen Elara en Marko, 'n lieflike liefdesverhaal
Na die intensiteit van Mariette Wenhold se Myner van my hart, het Felicia Snyman se nuutste Romanza, Harte in harmonie, gevoel soos ’n sagte bries. ’n Gemaklike, ongekompliseerde storie oor Elara Hartwell en Marko Roos. Totdat dinge naby die einde skielik skeef loop en albei partye in uiterste mistroostigheid beland.
Elara het ná ’n slegte ervaring met ’n man wat haar en haar oorlede pa uitgebuit het, die mansgeslag afgesweer. Sy is nie sosiaal nie en fokus net op haar werk as ouditeur. Marko is die broer van ’n sangeres en vriendin vir wie Elara liede skryf. Sy werk neem hom regoor die wêreld, maar wanneer hy vir Elara ontmoet verander sy prioriteite. Daar is ’n onmiddellike konneksie tussen hulle. “Toe ek jou by die ateljee gesien het, het die vreemdste ding gebeur. Dit was asof ek jou ken.” Hy gaan verder: “Skielik het ek ’n rede om te bly.” (p.21)
Die mooi liefdesverhaal word pragtig ingekleur deur ’n lied of twee wat sorgvuldig gekies is vir bepaalde tonele. Eintlik vat die lirieke die essensie van die storielyn perfek saam. Ek wil jou nooi om Elara en Marko se verhaal te lees en dan te luister na die liede.
As ek Mariette Wenhold se Myner van my hart in een woord moet opsom, sou ek sê dit is intens. Waarom sê ek so? Hoofsaaklik omdat die onverwerkte trauma waarmee Katarien Roos spook, veel erger is as dit wat mens normaalweg in ’n romanse teëkom. Ek het iets redelik aardskuddend begin vermoed toe sy nie by haar huis kan ingaan nie.
Haar volatiele geaardheid, wat ’n paar maal lei tot uitbarstings of onversetlike optrede, kan ook grotendeels toegeskryf word aan dit wat in haar verlede gebeur het en haar genoop het om Suid-Afrika te verlaat. Die skrywer gebruik hierdie element om deurentyd afwagting en spanning te skep deurdat die volle waarheid nie sommer vroeg in die storielyn onthul word nie.
Verder is die liefdestoneel ook nogal intens. Armand du Toit is ’n held waaroor menige romanseleser sal swymel. Hoewel Katarien haarself as “emosioneel onbeskikbaar” beskou (p.141) is hy presies die man wat sy nodig het om deur haar skanse te breek. Hy, en ’n predikant wat as berader optree.
Familiebande kry baie aandag in hierdie verhaal en die tienerseun laat mens sommer weer glo in die jeug. Tweede kanse, op enige ouderdom, laat ’n romantiese leser sommer goed slaap as jy die boek neersit.
Misverstande is volop in romantiese verhale. Dit gee vir ’n skrywer lekker materiaal om die storie mee te weef. Beslis só in Ballade van die liefde, die nuwe Romanza deur Mari Roberts.
Ons vind die hoofkarakter, Carli, in Botswana, waar sy werk by Die Park, ’n privaat wildtuin langs die Kgalagadi. Sommer uit die staanspoor is dit duidelik dat sy hier wegkruip, maar die wat en hoekom word nie sommer dadelik uitgelap nie. Daar is ’n lieflike dogtertjie betrokke en ’n oupa en ouma waarvoor sy baie lief is.
Die storielyn kry momentum wanneer ’n toergroep by die lodge aandoen en die rede vir haar jarelange wegkruipery, skielik voor haar staan. Mens wil aggressie te wagte wees, maar Ruben verras met vasberadenheid en geduld wat voortduur totdat al die misverstande opgeklaar is.
Die skrywer het goed daarin geslaag om spanning en afwagting te skep, en die gelukkige einde is besonder bevredigend. Knap gedaan, Mari.
