The Uncle Duncle Chronicles: Escape from Treasure Island [Paperback]

Darren Krill (Author)

Book Description

Grade Level: 4 and up

For Sage Smiley, summer vacation doesn't just mean a break from school. It means finally going on vacation with his favorite uncle, Dunkirk Smiley (a.k.a., "Uncle Duncle"), who just happens to be a world-famous explorer. Sage can barely contain his excitement when Uncle Duncle announces they'll be flying in his World War II Supermarine Spitfire, and using the powers of a magical talisman to go wherever Sage would like. But the aerial adventure goes awry when Sage's imagination brings them to Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island, a perilous destination teeming with murderous pirates, treacherous allies, and man-eating sharks. Together they must free a group of prisoners from the clutches of Long John Silver, lay claim to the glittering chests of pirate treasure, and fight for their very lives. Can a typical boy like Sage find the courage and the craftiness to survive in this land of legends? This exhilarating adventure introduces young readers to Robert Lewis Stevenson's literary classic, Treasure Island. Although the swashbuckling world of Treasure Island is the setting for this thrilling, reality-bending novel, the story begins in the present day; the two main characters, Sage and his Uncle Dunkirk, are contemporary characters who bring references to the present with them to the fictional island set in the past. From the tales of Uncle Dunkirk's international travels to the origins of the WWII Spitfire that he flies, Uncle Duncle teaches about the many real-life wonders of the world around us, and illustrates how great literature can come alive!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4–6—Sixth-grader Sage Smiley is thrilled to learn that he'll be spending his summer vacation with his adventurous Uncle Dunkirk. When the man reveals the secret of his success, a magic stone that will take the holder to any place or time of his choosing, and gives Sage the opportunity to pick where to go, the boy inadvertently transports them both to Treasure Island. Things quickly go awry when their plane is damaged and Uncle Dunkirk is captured by John Silver's men. Krill relies on hackneyed language ("his heart leapt into his throat," "a feeling of dread washed over him," "an uncomfortable silence filled the room") and sentences that lack variety in structure and diction. The author loses a real opportunity with the dialogue. One would expect 17th-century pirates and English sailors to have very particular accents and ways of speaking, but, aside from the occasional "aye," the dialogue has a contemporary and slightly pretentious tone. With so many time-travel fantasies to choose from, most libraries can skip this one.—Adrienne Furness, Webster Public Library, NY
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Review

"'With wings of wind, I fly!' is destined to become a catchphrase of a new generation of readers." -- Edmonton Journal, January 2006 --Edmonton Journal, January 2006

"...uncle and nephew are up to their ears in adventure...Krill keeps his audience guessing right to the very end." -- Quill & Quire, June/July 2006 --Quill & Quire, June/July 2006

"It's a rollicking adventure ... very exciting, and custom-made to spark the imagination ..." -- Edmonton Sun, November 2006

"Krill handles the blend of existing fiction and his own creation beautifully." -- Children's Literature, October 2006

"Non-stop fun and action describes this easy to read adventure-filled yarn ..." -- CM: Canadian Review of Materials, November 2006 --CM: Canadian Review of Materials, November 2006

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Lobster Press (October 10, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1897073313
• ISBN-13: 978-1897073315
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,539,356 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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