Stanley Brambles and the Pirate's Treasure
by Owen Spendlove
This is Owen's debut novel and is a book for children of all ages. Set in a fantastic world it takes the reader on an exciting journey through a world of Pirates and villains. An ideal choice for this Christmas - they'll be reading this long after the batteries have run out on their MyPods!
Synopsis supplied by Amazon UK:
Twelve-year-old Stanley Brambles is an average kid. He lives in the boring, small town of East Stodgerton, has a regular family-a mom, a dad, and a dog-and his life is one long routine. But all that changes one day when he meets his great uncle, Jackson Warrington Lee. Rumour has it that Uncle Jack was once the most feared pirate to ever sail the seven seas-and now Stanley wants to uncover his secrets. A humdrum visit to Uncle Jack's seaside mansion quickly turns into the adventure of a lifetime as Stanley and his friends, Alabaster Lancaster and Prunella "Nell" Hawthorne, are whisked off to a strange and wonderful world, where vicious prehistoric fish dominate the aquatic food chain and pirates still plough the waves. But there's more than piracy afoot. A sinister power is at work in this world, and Stanley is more than a little surprised to learn that he has somehow drawn its attention. A rollicking story full of adventure and danger, good versus evil, and the strength and importance of friendship, Stanley Brambles and the Pirate's Treasure brilliantly shows that even seemingly ordinary people are capable of extraordinary things.
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Reviews:
When their parents depart on an archaeological dig, twelve year-old Stanley Brambles and his best friend, Alabaster Lancaster, go to stay with Stanley's great uncle Jack, who lives in a mansion by the sea. There they meet Nell, who builds and flies model planes and who is desperate to get out from under her aunt's and uncle's thumb. The kids are delighted when Uncle Jack invites Nell to come and stay with him, and the three spend several days happily exploring Jack's mansion, which is full of interesting artefacts and riddled with secret passages.
Stanley and his friends are particularly intrigued by the idea that Uncle Jack just might be an old pirate. He's missing a leg, and has a silent giant of a friend, Ben, as well as a colourful talking parrot, named Pericles. His house is decorated with pictures of sailing ships and the mounted head of a gigantic prehistoric fish which Uncle Jack, in an unguarded moment, claims is the same species as the one that took off his leg.
A mysterious letter arrives for Jack from his old friend, Diego, one which the kids find and read. Diego's letter warns Jack that an old enemy is looking for Captain Jack's treasure. While Jack, Percales and Ben are making arrangements to go to Diego's aid, a sudden attack on Jack's house has them and the three children escaping through a secret passage to a sailing ship mooring in an underground lake. Stanley, Alabaster and Nell soon find themselves swept into hair-raising adventures aboard Uncle Jack's pirate ship, the Ogopogo, before facing a powerful enemy from Jack's past!
Recently published by first-time author Owen Spendlove, Stanley Brambles and the Pirate's Treasure is full of intrigue and excitement. Spendlove has done a fine job of weaving pirate lore, stories of legendary creatures, and lessons about friendship and loyalty into this magical tale. This novel will appeal to experienced readers in grades 5 and up. I am looking forward to reading of Stanley's next adventures!
By Ellen Douglas, Amazon CA.
If Harry Potter met Pirates of the Carribean then Stanley Brambles would be making the introductions! Fantastic debut novel from this talented Canadian author. If you're stuck for what to get the kids for Xmas then put a copy of Stanley Brambles in their stocking and listen to the ensuing quiet! This book is book of the month for November on the Struggling Authors.org website - that shows how good it is!
SLR Books, UK
You can win a copy of Stanley Brambles signed by the author by going to our competition page You can also read an exclusive interview with the author, Owen Spendlove by clicking here