Far-Flung Adventures: Fergus Crane [Hardcover]

Paul Stewart (Author), Chris Riddell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 9, 2006 | Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up | Series: Far-Flung Adventures

FERGUS CRANE! YOU ARE IN GREAT DANGER! I AM SENDING HELP.
Signed T. C., your long-lost Uncle Theo

Fergus Crane has an almost ordinary life—having lessons taught by rather odd teachers on the school ship Betty Jeanne and helping his mother in the bakery. But then a mysterious flying box appears at the window of his waterfront home and Fergus is plunged headlong into an exciting adventure! The box is followed by a winged mechanical horse that whisks him off to meet his long-lost uncle and his penguin helpers, Finn, Bill, and Jackson. Fergus finds out that his teachers are not quite what they seem— they’re actually pirates! Can Fergus and his winged horse save his schoolmates on the far-off Fire Island? And who else will he find there?

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-5–The creators of The Edge Chronicles (Random) are back with an auspicious beginning for a new series. When a mysterious flying box, complete with wings, arrives at Fergus Crane's window with a message from his long-lost Uncle Theo, the boy learns that he is in danger and that his uncle is sending help. Help is what he needs when the clipper ship Betty-Jeanne that serves as his school disappears with all of the students but Fergus still aboard. The headmaster and his staff are more than just vaguely reminiscent of pirates, and Fergus will need Uncle Theo's technology, and his own bravery, to rescue them. What make this book especially appealing are Riddell's pen-and-ink drawings that appear on almost every page; they capture the tone of the story as well as the personalities of the characters. They also add a great deal of variety to the design of the book, ranging from traditional full-page illustrations to portraits of the main characters to smaller drawings spread over the pages. The combination of witty art and compelling text make this a perfect choice for early chapter-book readers.–Tim Wadham, Maricopa County Library District, Phoenix, AZ
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 3-5. Stewart and Riddell, creators of the Edge Chronicles, begin a new series for younger readers, the Far-Flung Adventures. Nine-year-old Fergus Crane is a poor but likable lad who lives with his mother in a seaside town and attends school aboard the Betty-Jeanne, a clipper ship manned by a motley crew of teachers who bear a strong resemblance to pirates. One morning, he finds that the ship has left port with his fellow students still aboard. A mysterious ally gives Fergus the means to rescue his friends and restore his family's happiness. With a simple plot, a few hints of mystery, and many intriguing details, this story will quickly hook readers. Riddell's expressive ink drawings make the fantastic elements more believable and add enormously to the book's appeal. Readers looking for adventure with a smidgen of inventive fantasy will find this one just the ticket. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: David Fickling Books (May 9, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385750889
• ISBN-13: 978-0385750882
• Product Dimensions: 5.9 x 1.2 x 7.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #878,656 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Whimsical and delightful, January 29, 2007

By 

A. Methvin "book lover" (beautiful Asheville, NC) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Far-Flung Adventures: Fergus Crane (Hardcover)

I read this book first, to see if my children would like it. I am CERTAIN they will, but I had to write this review first because I loved it! It is just pure whimsy and delight! There are fanciful gadgets, wonderfully descriptive passages, adventure, mayhem, funny happenings, etc. Awesome pictures too! Which, even though I plan to read it aloud, it may be better for a 8-10 independent reader who wants to spend time pouring over the illustrations. I can't wait to read the next one myself!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The "Far-Flung Adventures" series is way cool, September 23, 2006

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Amanda Richards (Georgetown, Guyana) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Far-Flung Adventures: Fergus Crane (Hardcover)

If you're thinking about buying a gift for a young reader in the seven to nine age group, you may want to consider this new series. Brought to you by the same people who did "The Edge Chronicles" (another excellent series, but for slightly older kids), this one has large, easy to read print, simple language and wonderful illustrations to help keep the story bubbling along. To add to the fun, the dust jacket opens up into a fold-out map based on the geographical setting of the story.

Fergus Crane is the first book in the "Far-Flung Adventures" series, the second being Corby Flood, also available from Amazon. The third one "Hugo Pepper" will be available in February 2007.

Fergus Crane is a nine year old boy who lives with his mother beside the sea. His father had left on an ocean voyage many years ago, and had never returned. They get by on his mother's wages from the local bakery, and the income from extra work she does for a company named "The Fateful Voyage Trading Co." He attends school aboard a ship, with an unconventional crew and an even more unconventional syllabus.

His life changes one night when a mysterious flying box appears at his bedroom window, and he learns that he has a long-lost uncle, who thinks that Fergus is in danger. The plot thickens when the school ship suddenly sets sail with all the students except Fergus aboard.

Imaginative and creative, the story includes mechanical flying horses and other extra-ordinary gadgets, adventure and discovery, and hopefully, a happy ending.

Highly recommended.

Amanda Richards, September 23, 2006

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must-Read, July 8, 2007

By 

GFH (Sydney Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Far-Flung Adventures: Fergus Crane (Hardcover)

I have have just read my sons (9 and 6) this book. They were completely enraptured. It is the best, new childrens book I have read in years. Destined to become a classic!