The Seven Professors of the Far North [Unknown Binding]

John Fardell (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

Sam, Zara and Ben never expected their vacation to turn into a life-ordeath rescue mission. But when Uncle Ampersand is kidnapped by the nefarious Professor Murdo, the three children must race to the Arctic to save him. Numerous twists and turns put them to the test as they decode encrypted messages, navigate secret passages, scale giant buildings and hurtle over—and under—dangerous ice fields, all the while unsure of whom they can trust. And when they finally discover Murdo’s ultimate plan, they come to a startling realization: It’s not just Ampersand’s fate on their shoulders . . . it’s the fate of the whole world.

Detailed maps and diagrams enhance John Fardell’s exciting debut novel, which is overflowing with suspense, intrigue and high adventure, with wild inventions, narrow escapes and surprises around every corner.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-7–Eleven-year-old Sam Carnabie is spending two weeks with the intriguing Professor Ampersand, an old family friend, and his young charges, Zara and Ben. Upon arrival in Edinburgh, Sam is amazed by the thousands of quirky inventions that the professor created in his fantastic home and learns about his host's intriguing past. Thirty-five years earlier, the professor and six colleagues had attempted to create the world's greatest university on an island nation called Nordbergen in the Arctic. One of them was evil Professor Murdo, who kidnapped his colleagues and left them to die. Fortunately, his plan didn't work. Unfortunately for Sam and the siblings, Professor Murdo's henchmen appear and again kidnap the six good professors, who have gathered at Ampersand's because of rumors of Murdo's reemergence. The children have only three days to rescue the professors and save the human race. Side stories involving Marcia Slick and her dreadful parents, who have paid a fortune to Nordbergen Research Enterprises to turn her into the perfect daughter, and several teenagers who aid Sam, Ben, and Zara culminate with the infiltration of the children into Murdo's lair. Comic relief is provided by Ampersand's cranky neighbor, who speaks in colorful Scots language. Action is nonstop and very exciting. This inventive, funny, suspenseful, and exciting book will appeal to most readers, especially fans of Dahl and Rowling.–B. Allison Gray, John Jermain Library, Sag Harbor, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 5-8. Three British children set out to rescue six elderly scientists who have been kidnapped by Professor Murdo, an evil genius in the classic evil-genius mold. (He is the sort of villain who shouts, "It's time to prove to you all that I'm the greatest genius the world has ever known.") Murdo is holding his victims on a remote island fortress in the middle of the Arctic Ocean. The children manage to get close to Murdo's island by using a series of elaborate, improbable schemes and vehicles, and once on the island, they learn of Murdo's greater diabolical plans of world domination. Small spot drawings contributed by the author will help pull young readers into this fast-paced, wildly far-fetched British import, that offers plenty of humor and suspense for adventure fans. Todd Morning
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Unknown Binding: 192 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Juvenile (September 8, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 039924381X
• ISBN-13: 978-0399243813
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,408,449 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 2nd review for this book, November 20, 2005

By 

Reading in Chico (Chico, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Seven Professors of the Far North

I realized I wanted my review in the hardback too!

My son): I really liked the part when they were on the ISNT train and I really liked when they went on the plane and how one of the characters escaped. It was a fascinating book. I would definitely read another book that he has written.

(Mom:)My son read the book in 5 days and was glued to the book. It was a great adventure story about 3 kids saving the world (and it had a few pictures). It was a great mixture of a good story, fantasy and geography. In fact, the book was very well written especially for a children's book, but a much more manageable size than Harry Potter. My son is a third grader and enjoyed every minute of it!

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A delightful and fast-paced fantasy adventure, September 23, 2005

By 

A Customer (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Seven Professors of the Far North

THE SEVEN PROFESSORS OF THE FAR NORTH is an exciting adventure tale, rippled with inventive and surprising technology. It begins when 11-year-old Sam Carnabie is invited to spend his Easter holidays with an old friend of his parents, Professor Ampersand. Professor Ampersand, an inventor, has dozens of interesting contraptions, from a motorcycle built for four to an oven-boiler that heats water at the same time that it cooks food. Professor Ampersand's great niece and nephew, Ben and Zara, are delighted to show Sam all the innovative delights their house has to offer.

No sooner have they finished dinner on the very first night of Sam's visit, however, than an urgent message arrives, quickly followed by five of Professor Ampersand's former colleagues. Together with another scientist, Professor Murdo, they were once responsible for trying to found a top-level university at Nordberg, a tiny island in the far north. However, when Professor Murdo's unethical experiments came to light, he decided to flee, taking his six colleagues with him and abandoning them in a huge field of snow and ice. Only a secret known to one of them, a secret they've all promised never to reveal, got them home safely. When Professor Murdo's private soldiers show up a few hours later and kidnap all six professors, Sam, Ben and Zara are left with only a confusing clue to the secret and their unwavering determination as they set off to find the professors and unmask Murdo's frightening scheme.

The three children's surprising and exciting adventures are at the heart of the rest of the book as they wend their way north to the island of Nordberg. Alternating with scenes from the life of another girl, Marcia, who ends up in Professor Murdo's clutches for entirely different reasons, the story of Ben, Zara and Sam's escapades are edge-of-your-seat exciting, but always plausible in the context of the story. Fardell's world of surprising inventions means that the reader is constantly making new discoveries right along with the kids in the story. Although based in fact and science rather than fantasy, Fardell's world building is on a par with the Harry Potter books --- in fact, THE SEVEN PROFESSORS OF THE FAR NORTH reminded me more of the spirit of Harry Potter than any of the numerous copycat fantasy books spawned since the young wizard's success.

Each of the three children brings his or her own skills to the adventure --- Sam's preparedness, Ben's map-reading abilities, Zara's boldness --- and each of them comes up with innovative ideas when they're most needed, usually just in the nick of time. As the book approaches its exciting conclusion, it's easy to believe that their adventures have helped Sam, Ben and Zara develop the courage they need to confront Professor Murdo.

From start to finish, John Fardell's THE SEVEN PROFESSORS OF THE FAR NORTH is a delight to read.

--- Reviewed by Paula Jolin

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Book I Ever Read, March 11, 2007

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Seven Professors of the Far North (Mass Market Paperback)

I liked the book so much because it had a lot of action and some mystery. The 7 Professors started out as friends but one had a sinister plot in mind. Their goal was to build a university in the far north, but then the bad professor burned the buildings down and kidnapped the other professors. Will 3 kids be able to rescue the professors?! Read this book to find out.