The perfect book to read on a Sunday morning! Sebastian is such a realistic character and the situations he finds himself, often at his own hand, are both funny, serious and perfect examples of real life. I loved the dynamic between the three main characters and how they had to reflect and think honestly about themselves. I loved Etienne and his habit of naming things!
I can't wait to recommend this as a summer read.

This book appealed to all of the family and pretty much all of us read it over a few days. The story rang so true in the situations the children got themselves into. Hilarious but just the right side of believable. We have someone in our family who races headlong into things and then cant believe the consequences. No naming them but it's not one of the children !

Another absolutely hilarious book by Jenny Pearson which had me laughing out loud. Sebastian Sunrise and his friends Lina and Etienne end up shipwrecked, washed ashore on an island in the middle of the pacific ocean when Sebastian rashly bets another team who are on an eco-school trip that he will beat them in a race on the ocean. A storm hits and the trio find themselves thankfully alive, but needing to survive. When they spot an island it isn't the end to their problems but the start! Lots of laughs come from Sebastian himself and things that happen to him and this humour will appeal to lots of children. I loved the weaving in of eco problems too with the turtles laying their eggs and criminal gangs coming to steal the baby turtles. The part with the jellyfish was hilarious and who doesn't love a goat sidekick?!

Shipwrecked
By Jenny Pearson
Published by Usborne Publishing Ltd

Another action packed, page-turner from award-winning author Jenny Pearson. Shipwrecked follows three “shipwrecked friends” who find themselves in a battle with each other, their own fears and a bunch of pirates threatening the island's baby turtles.

Sebastian Sunrise and his two best friends, Lina and Étienne, are in a spot of bother when they find themselves stranded on a desert island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, after a boat race that went very wrong.
The friends have no idea how long they might have to stay on the island, now nicknamed “Sunrise Island” so they leave a rock every day to keep track and start to make plans to escape. But will they? They need to survive for themselves, for the lives of the island's baby turtles, and for each other.

But Sebastian's life is full of ups and downs and has never gone to plan. They face shelter difficulties, jellyfish stings, burnt bums and an out-of-control goat. But when a boat arrives, bringing hope and pirates who want to hunt the island's baby turtles, the friends face their greatest danger yet.
Will they stick together and find a way home?
Will they abandon each other? Everyman for themselves?
Or will it be friendship and loyalty all the way?
A great story full of adventure, twists, turns and hilarity that would suit any classroom.

Joanne Bardgett - teacher of littlies, lover of Children’s literature.
#Netgalley

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.