The Mapmakers' Race

The Santander siblings are in a bit of a pickle. After the disappearance of their explorer father, they were meant to enter the Great Race – a challenge to complete a map for a new railway – with their mother. But when she gets left behind at a train station, they have no choice but to forge ahead on the month-long trip without her...

Following the children, their parrot Carrot and their new friend Beckett on their journey, we live through their ups and downs with them – whether it's the joy of eating something other than porridge, the injustice of the other teams' sabotage, or the homesickness and loneliness they all feel at times. But will they manage to get their hands on the prize money and make their mother proud?

The Mapmakers' Race already feels like a timeless adventure. Its roaring spirit and dashes of fantasy are sure to inspire many children to take on their own intrepid journeys, but for now they'll be more than happy to live vicariously through the Santanders, each of whom have their own strengths, and whose bond is heartwarming.

Combined with Kirsten Slade's classic maps and illustrations, author Eirlys Hunter has crafted a thrilling tale full of derring-do and heart.