Thank you for allowing me to read and review.

A really enjoyable ready for younger people to read.

This book is full of adventure and friendship.

A beautiful cover and a fantastic adventure which takes us to the icy isolation of Antarctica with a father and daughter... who can stop time.

This book is aimed at readers aged 9-12 and is witty and clever as well as providing a fast-paced and intriguing storyline as Maisie is forced to travel with her dad in researching his latest book 'How to Survive in Antarctica.'

Even though Maisie's dad writes exciting sounding books - like 'How To Wrestle A Crocodile' and 'How To Defuse A Bomb' - she thinks he's boring. He's never actually done any of the things he writes about, after all.

But when he has to go to Antarctica to research his latest book, and she has to go with him, perhaps things will be a bit more interesting than usual.

In fact Maisie comes to understand why strange things always seem to happen around her dad - and how she might also have the very special power that he possesses. But with power comes responsibility, and Maisie comes to learn what it means to be a real hero.

This is a fabulous book - fun, action-packed, great setting and magic and mystery through a bit of time travel. Loved it!

It's nearly Christmas and Maisie's dad is once again going away on a research trip to write one of his books. Dad's books sound exciting - How To Wrestle A Crocodile or How To Defuse A Bomb - but Dad, Maisie thinks, is the most boring person in the world whose most exciting hobby is to do jigsaw puzzles of a cloudless sky.

But when childcare falls through and Maisie has to go to Antarctica with Dad, Maisie discovers her dad might not be as ordinary as she thought. For one thing, she had no idea he could speak so many languages, but he somehow manages seemingly impossible things like crash-landing a plane and saving Maisie from being eaten by a leopard seal when he is noweher near her. More and more mysteries crowd Maisie's mind - does Dad have the ability to teleport? Or is he some kind of superhero?

Reolved to find the truth about Dad, Maisie embarks on the adventure of a lifetime and discovers some truths about what being extraordinary really means.

I absolutely loved theis story, told in Maisie's voice with the most wonderful humour. The premise, story-telling and characters are fresh and original and grip your heart from beginning to end. I absolutely recommend this read to all lovers of adventures big and small.

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An exciting and fun story with a wonderful main character who goes on a trip with her dad to Antartica, discovers he is able to stop time. and then learns that she has the same skill. I know lots of children in my class will love this.

A super fun and fast-paced icy adventure with thrills, spills, and supernatural mystery. This first book in a new adventure series introduces a fresh voice and a relatable young hero. Maisie is a rollercoaster of chaos and fun whose heart is in the right place, even though she’s not very good at holding on to secrets…

With accessible short chapters and mildy supernatural adventure in a real-life setting, this will have wide-ranging appeal for children in Key Stage 2. Maisie Vs Antarctica is a funny romp through a fascinating land, with lots of detail from the author’s own adventures in and around Antarctica and a gentle nod to families dealing with grief and loss.

This book is a charming story that invites young readers to plunge into an adventure filled with penguins, igloos, dangerous crevasses and lots of snow. In addition, you get Maisie’s own tips on how to survive when lost in Antarctica! Maisie is an endearing young protagonist. She speaks directly to the readers through the first-person narrative which works really well here. The little touches of humor sprinkled throughout will have you smiling. I knew before reading the novel that this was going to be an adventure/explorer story. Without giving anything away, a little twist in the story surprised me and added a fun little element to the narrative. Highly recommend it for young readers seeking a fun and heartwarming escape!
This review is available on Goodreads. Thank you to Nosy Crow and NetGalley for the ARC. This is my honest opinion of the book.

Maisie vs Antarctica is a really original adventure story that’s perfect to read on cold, dark evenings.

Maisie’s Dad writes ‘How to’ books and when he decides to write one about surviving in Antarctica, Maisie ends up going on the plane with him with a brilliantly bonkers pilot. The plane crashes in the wilderness of Antarctica and they are all forced to find ways to survive. But, when mysterious things keep happening, it seems that Dad has a magical secret which Maisie is determined to uncover and learn more about.

This was a lovely story about a father-daughter relationship. From an adult reader point of view, it was great to read how Maisie’s view of her boring Dad changed the more she spent time with him. There were lots of little adventures throughout the book and a great smattering of humour - this would be a lovely book to read to a class or great bedtime story as there’s lots to talk about.

4.2 Stars
One Liner: A freezing adventure!

Eleven-year-old Maisie lives with her father who writes boring books like How to Wrestle a Crocodile or How to Diffuse a Bomb. In real life, he is a boring person who makes triangle origami and does basic puzzles. However, with no one to watch Maisie, her father has to take her with him to Antarctica. Soon, Maisie realizes there is a lot she doesn’t know about her father. He has many skills and may be hiding a secret too!
The story comes in Maisie’s first-person POV.

My Thoughts:
Well, how can I resist a book about a young girl and her dad having an adventure in Antarctica?
Maisie is a sassy and imaginative narrator, which will work great for the target audience. She is a tween who is bad at school, doesn’t pay attention to most things, and thinks too fast for adults to catch up with.
The story is fast-paced and combines adventure, danger, intrigue, and superpower. The heady combination is perfect for kids, especially since Maisie messes up a lot and often needs to be rescued by adults. Young readers can see how easy it is to get into trouble. The adults are also capable, which is another plus.
The freezing landscape of Antarctica comes alive on the pages without any extensive detail. We see what the narrator sees, which are loads of ice and other strange stuff.
Despite the antics and danger, the story manages to deal with topics like the loss of a parent, the loss of a life partner (for the father), being a loner, the hardships of being a single parent, etc. These aspects shape the character arcs, making them integral to the central plot.
The blurb calls this the first in the series, and I can see why. Though it works as a standalone, we have only scratched the surface and are yet to delve fully into the main characters’ lives. Naturally, there have to be more adventures. I hope Miss Kumari will feature actively in the coming books.
The chapter titles are quirky and hint at what’s to come though there aren’t any major reveals. They are all titled ‘How to…’ a nod to the books the dad writes. Since this book is being written by Maisie, it is fitting that she follows her father’s footsteps.
I would have loved it if the book had some illustrations – Maisie’s flaming red hair, the dad, the caterpillar, etc. Even a sample of handwriting, for that matter, would enhance the appeal.

To summarize, Maisie vs Antarctica is a terrific start to a new series and I hope we get to see more adventures of Maisie and her father. I enjoyed this fast-paced narrative bubbling with an eleven-year-old’s overactive imagination.
Thank you, NetGalley and Nosy Crow, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Maisie vs Antarctica is the first in an exhilarating, action-packed new adventure series that took me to the stunning, wild and dangerous Antarctica landscape for an unforgettable, breath-taking father-daughter expedition that held me utterly enthralled.

Eleven-year-old Maisie has something in common with her father: they are both writers. But, whilst Maisie writes exciting, fantastically imaginative adventure stories, her father writes informative books such as ‘How to Wrestle Crocodiles’ and ‘How to Build a Zipwire’. Surely, there must never be a dull moment with a father who writes such thrilling books, but Maisie knows her father has never done any of these things. Whilst she clearly loves him dearly, Maisie is sure that her Dad’s life is full of boring pursuits, like making origami triangles or jigsaws of a cloudless, blue sky.

It is the start of the Christmas holidays, and her Dad is off to Antarctica to research his next book. But this time Maisie convinces him to take her with him … on her first real-life adventure. But she gets more than she bargained for when they get into trouble on their flight and her Dad manages to crash-land their plane. To make matters worse, she discovers that no-one knows where they are. They may be lost with little chance of rescue, but maybe, just maybe, her Dad is not as boring as she first thought and has abilities beyond her wildest imagination! But are these abilities capable of saving them both, or will they lead them into even more danger?

And so begins the most thrilling, fast-paced adventure that kept me eagerly turning pages as Maisie is determined to uncover her Dad’s secret – is he a superhero with supernatural powers? Could he have the ability to teleport? How else could he have saved her from a dangerous encounter with a leopard seal? This is an absolutely gripping read with oodles of action, danger, excitement and humour within the stunning, but perilous, Antarctica landscape. I loved the short chapters with cliffhanger endings which makes it hard to put down, but, as a teacher, I know will also make it a brilliant class read.

I absolutely loved the close bond between Maisie and her father, and really enjoyed their shared adventure. It is clear that Maisie’s Dad would do anything to protect his daughter and keep her safe, but can he keep his determined and curious daughter from discovering his secret? Maisie is the most wonderful young girl: highly imaginative, daring and courageous with a brilliant sense of humour and a thirst for adventure.

Prepare to be lost in an icy, breath-taking adventure where family secrets unfold and true heroes are made … a terrifically thrilling adventure for children of 9+.

Maisie Vs Antarctica by Jack Jackman is an exhilarating and heartwarming tale of adventure and self-discovery. The story follows Maisie, a determined and spirited protagonist, as she embarks on a journey to the icy wilderness of Antarctica. Jackman’s vivid descriptions bring the stunning yet treacherous landscape to life, highlighting both its beauty and dangers. Through a blend of humor, tension, and introspection, the novel explores themes of resilience, courage, and the power of chasing one’s dreams. Maisie’s journey is both physical and emotional, making this an inspiring and entertaining read that reminds us of the strength found in embracing the unknown.

An enjoyable action-comedy with a light fantasy twist and laugh-aloud moments.

What looks like another quiet winter holiday at home turns into a heart-stopping adventure for eleven-year-old Maisie Macleod after she talks herself onto her father’s research trip to Antarctica. Suddenly the fantastical creatures in the book she’s writing are rivalled by the extraordinary sights around her.

Blizzards, crevasses, hungry wildlife: simply surviving on the world’s deadliest continent is tricky enough, but Maisie soon realises she’s facing an entirely new kind of mystery - and her dad is at the heart of it.

I quickly warmed to Maisie’s self-deprecating sense of humour. She’s a chirpy narrator: imaginative, practical, and charmingly hysterical. I loved how she discusses her own story-writing in the narrative as her experiences in Antarctica prompt her to rethink her decisions on character, plot, and genre.

Short, zippy chapters make Maisie vs Antarctica fun to read aloud, and the relationship between Maisie and her dad gives the adventure a heart-warming dimension.

A highly-enjoyable midde-grade adventure for readers who’ve finished Jennifer Bell’s Agents of the Wild series and Katie & Kevin Tsang’s Space Blasters and are looking to level up.

A charming, hilarious, and fast-paced adventure that quickly ramps up a gear!

Maisie longs for adventure. Little does she know that it’s right around the corner, and about to come at her thick and fast! Strap yourself in for a turbulent ride that will entertain, delight, and surprise in equal measures!

The humour in this book is present from the off, and the main character, Maisie, is so relatable. She narrates the story beautifully, injecting humour throughout - despite getting into all number of scrapes along the way. But when things don’t quite seem to add up, she’s determined to get some answers, and is undeterred by her dad’s attempts to remain tight-lipped. What Maisie eventually discovers blows her mind! She doesn’t know how she’ll be able to keep something this huge to herself, even though she’s promised her dad she will. And it’s not long at all until she has her first slip up…

But humour and action aren’t the only things Jack Jackman delivers brilliantly in this book. There’s a vulnerable side to Maisie. She never got to know her mum, who died just a few days after Maisie was born. Maisie’s dad is reluctant to talk to Maisie about her, but as the story progresses, he finally starts to open up, adding a whole new dimension to the story - something I anticipate happening more as the series continues.

This book is perfect for the age group, who will struggle to put it down until they finish it… and then be desperate to read book two. A brilliantly clever concept, executed perfectly, and packed full of wit. I can’t wait to see what Maisie gets up to next!

This adventure hooks you fast from the first page, and keeps you guessing - to the point where i still have some questions having finished it! Luckily this is the first in a series so i look forward to the next one. Great protagonist, and a fun way to introduce exploration and antarctica, aswell as thinking about other elements which i won't spoiler!

This was a lovely action packed story about Maisie visiting Antarctica. It will keep a young child’s mind thinking about all things white, magic and imagination. Maisie was a cute character and she fitted well into the story. Loads of information too. A great children’s read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.

I was asked to read this fascinating story by NetGalley

A lovely story- childrens adventure where Maisie gets to go with her father to Antartica, things do not go well as the plane crashes! then strange things seem to be happening and it it hard for Maisie to ascertain - her father explains but things get more unusal.

This is really light hearted - and adventure with a twist.

A lovely stocking filler this Christmas

Sweet story. Maisie ends up accompanying her father on a trip to Antarctica but when their plane crash lands, she starts to notice some strange occurrences which she’s unable to explain. Eventually her father explains and then things get even more complicated…!

A lighthearted Antarctic adventure with a twist. Clever premise and a bit of ‘education’ about life in this extreme region. The ending felt a little rushed to me.

Thank you to NetGalley for an e-ARC.

One of my preteen grandchildren started to read this alone but stopped.
Why ? Apparently it was too good not to share with his siblings and cousins as part of a reading group. Enough said.

Brilliant book for KS2 for independent readers and as a whole class read. As an adult, I was captivated by Maisy and her 'boring'dad and feel sure this will appeal to young readers.

The adventure is narrated by Maisy and told in a very humorous way, with a number of laugh out loud moments. Maisy is a story writer herself, with a vivid imagination, however even she doesn't imagine just how 'unboring' her Dad really is.

As a Primary School Librarian I will definitely look to add this to our stock and look forward to more books in this series.

With thanks to NetGalley and Nosy Crow for allowing me to read an advanced reader copy in return for my honest and unbiased review.

A magical story told from the point of view of Maisie who can't understand how her dad can write such adventurous stories without having ever been on an adventure... until together they have adventure after adventure. The magical element was different and added an element of danger but also humour to this story. I loved the growing relationship and understanding between Maisie and her dad.
I think this is a perfect story for the age range and I'm excited to see what new adventures Maisie and her dad go on next!

**Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read an advanced e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own **