A wildly exciting adventure … One of our most talented writers for children

Observer, Children's Book of the Week

The tone is humorous and wise, the characterisation observant and true, and the story suspenseful … Reading this delicious book is like eating electricity

Sunday Times, Children's Book of the Year

Cracking … A kind of cross between Indiana Jones and the film Up … One of the most captivating books of the year

Spectator

Katherine Rundell just gets better and better. I loved The Explorer. On one level it's a very exciting adventure story of four children fighting for survival in the Amazon – but it's also saying profound things about human nature and love and loss

Jacqueline Wilson

There's a gritty solidity to the horrors and the beauties, and a completely convincing depth to the characters, all of whom I loved. Katherine Rundell is now unarguably in the FIRST RANK

Philip Pullman

An adventure story to die for … Rundell is a class act – her beautiful descriptions of the rainforest could turn the head of a Mayan statue. And scrap bedtime: her need-to-know next chapters just won't wait till the sun's up. What a discovery

The Times