'Brightstorm' by Vashti Hardy

Okay I LOVED this. I enjoy travelling and exploring new places so am currently imagining my own explorations across the continent in my sky ship (which would obviously have a great library and never-ending tea supply!)

Overview:

The Brightstorm family are new to the explorer world. Rising up amongst the traditional explorer families, Arthur and Maudie's dad discovered new worlds and exotic creatures. But when his race to South Polaris goes wrong - the Brightstorm twins find themselves orphaned and homeless, and the Brightstorm name is crushed into the mud.

Sold into the slums of Lontown, the twins are put to work, spending long, dreary days and fearing their future has disappeared. But, when their father's hawk returns, the twins realise that all was not as it seems with their fathers last exploration ...

One day they see an advert to join the next race to South Polaris, and the twins decide this is their one chance to escape the slums and discover what really happened to their father.

Against all odds they secure a place with Harriet, the youngest explorer legend... and they soon find themselves traversing over the three continents.

The explorer life is exciting, but dangerous, and the twins soon realise that not is all as it seemed with their fathers death. Sabotage and subterfuge are underway, and the twins must work together to foil the plans against them.

As they race to South Polaris, several ships are forced to drop out of the race, until there is only one ship to beat - Eudora Vane's. It soon becomes clear that Vane will do anything to win, and when she sabotages their ship, the twins and the ships crew find themselves crashing into the snow.

The Third Continent is a dangerous place - with huge wolves, harsh weather and treacherous ice. But working together they discover that not all the dangers are as they seem, and with new found friends manage to race across the continent to the South Polaris.

As they race against Vane, they must battle against her trickery to survive (and to bring honour back to the Brightstorm name).

Well-written, with quick and engaging writing, this book will take you soaring on an adventure - you won't be putting it down!

Synopsis:

Ready for an adventure?

Arthur and Maudie Brightstorm are devasted by the news that their father, a daring explorer, has died in a failed attempt to reach South Polaris. But a mysterious clue leads the twins to question the story they've been told. To find the truth, they must undertake the journey of a lifetime.