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Jump to navigationJump to searchJungle Drop (The Unmapped Chronicles) by Abi Elphinstone (view source)
Revision as of 10:13, 24 September 2020
, 10:13, 24 September 2020no edit summary
|publisher= Simon & Schuster Children's UK
|date= May 2020
|isbisbn= 978-1471173684
|website=http://www.abielphinstone.com
|video=AJCJbEitiL4
}}
Abi Elphinstone has said that she connects with her world building through her characters. In an interview with [Books For Keeps] she described visualising her characters "wearing head torches which gradually reveal the world they are seeing to her and to the reader." Just as the darkness of a mine is cut through by a spear of light so too do quarrelsome Fox and Fibber get their first glimpse of the phantasmagorical glow-in-the-dark realm of Jungle Drop when they emerge through the mouth of a Dragon on the Here and There Express. Running from the opprobrium of their demanding and selfish parents, they must address what is in their hearts to find what they seek.
The twins encounter many curiosities along the way including treetop unicycles powered by junglespit, Omnifruit, sinister Hunchback trees, snoozenuts, firefly messages, secret caves and Tantrum (reminiscent of Rowling's Whomping Willow) trees. All the children have to guide them in their quest are three magical objects gifted to them by a golden panther. The fairy tale tropes continue as surprises ensue and rash decisions change the course of events. Pursued by the malevolent Midnights, who are bleaching Jungle Drop of its colour by draining its magic and stealing the ingredients for its rain paintings (akin to deforestation), Fox and Fibber travel to the treacherous Bonelands where terror and challenges await.
Elphinstone is also a word conjurer delighting in the use of portmanteau terms and the sounds her chosen vocabulary makes lending itself to being read aloud to a primary school audience. Her characters' names are charmingly apposite (quite Dickensian) and she pays tribute to C.S Lewis and J.K Rowling. There is even an allusion to Jim Henson's movie The Dark Crystal with the Unmappers threatened by the same fate as the Gelflings. Fans of Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them will also be delighted by magical creatures like glass wing butterflies, trunklets and boglets and furniture that changes to fit your personality.
There will be more Unmapped Kingdoms to be explored in the next instalments of the Chronicles with new weather miracles to be protected by different adventurers. To celebrate the release of Jungle Drop Abi has launched a competition for wordsmiths. All that needs to be done to win a signed copy of JUNGLEDROP is to "invent a name for a magical creature, a magical object and a magical place that you might find in an enchanted jungle... Write a sentence about each name you invent that describes what it is. " Entries in by September 20th 2020. Details are available on her website for any interested readers. We also have a review of [[Rumblestar (The Unmapped Chronicles) by Abi Elphinstone]].
For more fantasy with an ecological message why not travel to the astounding and wacky upside version of the city of London where arachnid windows descend, unbrellas attack, words become utterlings and ninja bins guard an evasive bridge in [[Un-Lun-Dun by China Mieville]] or for a quest to find yourself follow the yellow brick road to [[The Wizard of Oz by L Frank Baum, Michel Laporte, Olivier Latyk and Vanessa Mieville (translator)]]. You could also just vanish into another world through a portal in [[The Chronicles of Narnia by C S Lewis]] or visit the fabulous Hotel Deucalion in [[Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend]].
Check prices, read reviews or buy from [http://tidd.ly/cd49d0d5 '''Waterstones''']
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[[Category:Fantasy]]
