Maisie Vs Antarctica

Such a spectacular adventure book for readers 9-12 and adults young at heart! Thrilled that this is the first in a series, which I will not miss because I am forever hooked. Take one fab MC, young Maisie, who ends up on a trip to Antarctica with her dad as he does research for his next book. Loved it!

Maisie, our main character, ends up on an adventure in Antarctica with her dad as he does research for his new book and my goodness there is a twist in this story that I did not expect! This book is packed full of adventure, a hilarious character called Guillermo and it also carefully touches on grief and how families manage this. I love that each chapter name is a 'How to...' and that the chapters are short, making them accessible for reluctant readers (or those that find reading a challenge). Maisie is a fun character who is determined, cheeky and imaginative making her very relatable. This book would be great for children in year 4 and above (8+) who enjoy adventure stories set in real settings. I am sure that Maisie will be having more adventures and I look forward to going on the next one with her.

A book packed full of daring and adventure.

I loved following Maisie in this story and discovering not only a bit more of the world with her, but seeing her navigate the challenges she faced and some of the insane things she had to overcome. Just the ordinary mundane things like crashing head first into the ices of Antarctica, trying to stay alive in a hostile world and uncover the secrets your dad is trying to hide from you. Just normal every day adventures.

Maisie is more accustomed to writing about exciting encounters in her books but when an opportunity crosses her path to accompany her dad to Antarctica (he’s writing a book about how to survive in Antarctica of course), little to do they know they’ll soon be living the topic of the story.

I just loved the writing in this and it was so entertainingly written. It was filled with humour and perfect for younger readers (and older ones who can get just as much fun from the story). I read it in pretty much one sitting because it was so easy to read and so enjoyable right from the start.

I couldn’t put it down and it really keeps your attention hooked with how fast paced and entertaining it is straight from the first chapter. Loved it!

Maisie Vs Antarctica
By Jack Jackman
Published by Nosy Crow Ltd

Meet Maisie: funny, daring, full of imagination and not afraid to speak the truth.
But Maisie lives with her BORING dad!!
Meet Dad: boring but brave, with a secret Maisie is yet to discover.
He love’s origami but only doing the small basic triangles.
He loves 1000 piece jigsaws but only of the blue sky.
But he does write cool “How to …. books,” like how to wrestle a crocodile and how to build a zip wire. Even though he’s never done any of these things!!

Jackman has written a brilliantly funny, adventure packed, debut page turner, full of twists and turns!!!

But when Maisie and her Dad take the adventure of a lifetime to Antarctica to research his next book, Maisie begins to spot some very unusual and unexplainable things about her Dad. Determined to find out the truth about;
crash landing in Antarctica,
surviving an encounter with a leopard seal and falling through giant snow crevasses!
Maisie questions herself and tries to get the answers from her dad.
What is going on?
How can I survive these mishaps?
Is he my real life super hero?

A fabulously funny and edge of your seat ride through the cold, icy region of Antarctica as Maisie uncovers piece by piece the secrets of her dad and what that means for her too.
An excellent debut story for readers 8+ and a definite class read!

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

Maisie Vs Antarctica is a read that grabs your attention from the onset and refuses to let go. This is certainly not a slowburn read - this is fast - into the action from the onset! This is a book that is sure to hook even the most reluctant of readers. Hugely entertaining and with an amazing plot twist. Absolutely loved every rip roaring minute of this read and cannot wait for more.
Huge thank you to the publishers- Nosy Crow- and NetGalley for an early read.

Really enjoyed this book. Nice plot and adventure, with some good educational opportunities to learn about Antarctica.
Maisie thinks her dad is really boring, but when she accompanies him on a trip to Antarctica, and they crash-land on the ice, she starts to see unusual things about him…
Enjoyable book with a good mystery and adventure. Perfect for upper key stage 2 linking with learning about Antarctica.

I was hooked by the action packed start to the book. Tension, suspense, jeopardy - my favourite kind of introduction and perfect for my Y6 class. Maisie and her dad are such different characters yet you warm to them both because of their differences. Maisie has always longed for adventure - always be careful what you wish for.
I do hope Maisie and her dad will have further adventures.

Next week we’re starting our first topic of the year at school all about Explorers and Antarctica, so I was very excited to receive this book that will be perfect for our end of day story. It’s full of everything you’d want - action-packed, adventure, heartfelt and funny.

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 **

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.

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

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!

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.

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.