The Kensington Reptilarium (1) - Softcover

Gemmell, N. J.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0857980505 ISBN 13: 9780857980502

Publisher: Random House Australia, 2016

Synopsis

The Caddy kids are home alone, having the best time ever—until a stranger arrives with news. This is the story of how four loud, grubby urchins from the Australian outback find themselves in London for the first peacetime Christmas after years of war. Their new guardian hates children, preferring the company of the hundreds of snakes in his house—the Kensington Reptilarium. Fate lends Kick, Scruff, Bert, and Pin a helping hand when outraged citizens call for the Reptilarium to be shut down. With the police about to descend, can the kids warm Uncle Basti's heart before it’s too late?

About this title

About the Author:

N. J. Gemmell is the author of seven novels and four works of nonfiction for adults.

From School Library Journal:

Gr 4–7—Siblings Kick, Scruff, Bert, and Pin Caddy live on their own in the Australian outback with their beloved dingo, Bucket, as they wait for their father to return from his top secret World War II mission. Having scared off their guardian, the children are growing more and more feral, and their food stores are running low. Months after the end of the war, with still no sign of their father, a visitor arrives with the devastating news that their father is missing in action and they will have to go to London to live with their mysterious Uncle Basti. Reeling from the news and the jarring change of place, the ragtag siblings are left on the doorstep of their uncle's crumbling home in war-ravaged London. What follows is a completely unexpected and wholly delightful adventure as the kids navigate the mercurial personality of their shell-shocked shut-in uncle and his Reptilarium full of mysterious hidden passages, themed rooms, and all manner of dangerous reptiles. Readers will enjoy the twisting plot and the thrilling discovery of the various nooks and crannies in the Reptilarium. Oldest sibling Kick's breathless and exciting narration conveys trepidation, vulnerability, and a fierce love for her younger siblings. Although the ending wraps up a bit too neatly, it feels balanced by the palpable anxiety of the rest of the story. VERDICT An unpredictable but ultimately uplifting tale that will appeal to fans of adventure stories such as Trenton Lee Stewart's The Mysterious Benedict Society and Lemony Snicket's "A Series of Unfortunate Events."—Kristy Pasquariello, Wellesley Free Library, MA

About this edition

• Publisher: Random House Australia
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 0857980505
• ISBN 13: 9780857980502
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 304