High in the Clouds - Hardcover

McCartney, Paul; Dunbar, Geoff; Ardagh, Philip

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0571225012 ISBN 13: 9780571225019

Publisher: Faber Children's Books, 2005

Synopsis

Imagine a land where all the animals are free...To the creatures of the woodland, the land of Animalia sounds like a dream - a tropical island where all the animals live in harmony. They are over-shadowed by a much more evil community; the polluted Megatropolis, whose dirty skyscrapers block the horizon. And then one day, Wirral the Squirrel's woodland is destroyed by developers and he is thrown into the nightmare world of Megatropolis. But Wirral believes in Animalia and he joins with Froggo, a world-class amphibian balloonist, and Wilhamina, a girl squirrel, to lead the enslaved animals of the city to a new life. So begins an exciting adventure through the mean streets of Megatropolis, over the sea and through the sky. But can Wirral defend Animalia against the wicked Gretsch, who is determined to destroy it once and for all? Developed out of an exceptional fusion of creative talents, this story explodes on to every page. The plot is fast, furious and funny; the illustrations are full of rich depth and colour and the characters live on long after you have turned the final page. It will delight children of all ages and is sure to become an enduring classic.

About this title

About the Author

Paul McCartney's lifelong interest in children's storytelling grew out of his childhood love of classic Disney. He has created a number of animated films in collaboration with Geoff Dunbar, including Rupert and the Frog Chorus which won a BAFTA for best animated short film and became the bestselling video of the year. His recent animated releases have included Daumier's Law, Tropic Island Hum, and Tuesday. Geoff Dunbar, the artist who has created the illustrations for this book, is one of the world's finest animation directors. Among his many awards for film and television Geoff has received two BAFTAs and a BAFTA nomination, a Palme D'Or at Cannes, a Golden Bear at Berlin, a Grand Prix at Ottawa and La Spiga D'Ore at Valladolid. Philip Ardagh is a bestselling children's author whose books have received widespread critical acclaim in the UK, US and throughout the world - his work is now translated into 27 languages. His EDDIE DICKENS trilogy is in the process of being developed into a major film from Warner Bros.

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-4–McCartney joins the ranks of celebrity authors with his first childrens book. Wirral the squirrel sets off to find Animalia, a tropical animal sanctuary. He knows of it from his mother, who is crushed to death when bulldozers begin mowing down the Woodland. With her dying breath, she urges him to find the fabled island. His quest takes him to Megatropolis, a loud, polluted city, where he sees animals imprisoned in factories and learns of a plot to destroy Animalia. With the help of his friends Froggo and Wilhamina, Wirral finds the island and leads the animals of the Woodland and Megatropolis to a happy, if predictable, end. Ardaghs writing style and humor are evident, although some of the jokes fall flat. The cartoon illustrations resemble animation cels reduced to fit the books pages, with the result that occasionally Wirral and his friends become lost in the surrounding scenery. Due to its length and vocabulary, the book will appeal to children who are ready for long read-alouds or beginning chapter books.–Suzanne Myers Harold, Multnomah County Library System, Portland, OR
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About this edition

• Publisher: Faber Children's Books
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0571225012
• ISBN 13: 9780571225019
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 96