What a laugh! Who knew that books like this could be so funny? Although Sebastian and his friends are actually in quite a lot of danger, the book is funny and light hearted all the way through.

I think part of the reason it works so well is that Sebastian is not a bad character. He's thoughtless and impulsive, but he is never mean or cruel, and he always tries to make up for doing the wrong thing. It's an important difference that children may not consciously notice, but they will know it instinctively.

My copy's illustrations weren't complete, but there's enough there to know that I'm going to love them when I get to see it properly. They're cute and sweet while still showing the scope of what the kids are dealing with.

(also I love the turtles and I clapped so hard.)

Fantastic read, great themes, full of adventures and clever plans. This one's going to do well.

Being stranded on an island can be stressful, even if your best friends are with you! Sebastian, Etienne and Lina are finding that out first hand, when a school trip goes very wrong.

Trying to make the best of things, the trio start making plans that include looking after their own needs and protecting the baby turtles on the island. The former is not so easy, given the combination of jellyfish and sunburn.

Nor does the latter turn out to be straightforward, though the kids are well intentioned. Unfortunately, they haven't bargained for a bunch of pirates showing up with rather different plans...

Jenny Pearson has come up with a very funny book which should be a smash hit with the target age group - and a few readers who, strictly speaking, may not actually belong in that group at all! An enjoyable read. This one gets 3.5 stars.