Polaris
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
A crew of children must pilot a ship across unfamiliar seas while a strange creature lurks belowdecks in this fast-paced survival story from New York Times bestselling author Michael Northrop.Alone at sea, with only the stars to guide them...The proud sailing ship Polaris is on a mission to explore new lands, and its crew is eager to bring their discoveries back home. But when half the landing party fails to return from the Amazon jungle, the tensions lead to a bloody mutiny. The remaining adults abandon ship, leaving behind a cabin boy, a botanist's assistant, and a handful of deckhands -- none of them older than twelve. Troubled by whispers of a strange tropical illness and rumors of a wild beast lurking onshore, the young sailors are desperate to steer the vessel to safety. When one of their own already missing and a strange smell drifting up from below deck, the novice crew begins to suspect that someone -- or something -- else is onboard. Having steeled themselves for the treacherous journey home, they now have more to fear than the raging waters of the Atlantic...
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In a chilling tale of horror on the high seas, set in the 1830s, a scientific mission to the Amazon jungle turns into a desperate struggle for survival after the crew brings something unexpected and terrifying on board. Following a brutal mutiny, every adult on the Polaris is either dead or has fled, leaving behind half a dozen children, including the captain's 12-year-old nephew Owen, botanist's assistant Henry, and assorted other ship's boys, two of whom are girls in disguise. As tempers rise, food grows short, and the sea turns fierce, the young remnants of the Polaris crew must somehow sail the decrepit ship to safe harbor, but an abomination lurks below decks, growing in strength and ferocity. Northrop (the TombQuest series) incorporates a wealth of nautical and historical detail while making skilled use of atmosphere, tension, and a well-developed cast to drive home the darkness of this adventure. A brisk read, but one that is sure to linger after the lights have been turned out. Ages 9 12.
