Yay! I absolutely, utterly adore this book. 'The Boy in the Post' is a charmingly eccentric classic-feeling adventure and a sheer joy to read. It is fun, spirited and just such a happy blast. It's a perfect tonic. First-class escapism!

Orinthia, Séafra and Taber spend their summer hoildays working for Grandy Brock's incredible new animal postal service. But when one of the 'animails' (a pelican called Geronimo) goes missing, youngest Shalloo sibling Taber decides to post himself to New York to find the bird. Determined to find their brother, Orinthia and Séafra set off in pursuit: across sea, land and air!

There is sooo much to love about this story. Firstly, the fabulous cast of quirky characters. The Shalloo siblings are straight out of old-time adventures: spirited, loving and daring. Then there's Grandy Brock: an eccentric postman with a point to prove. His sanctuary of 'animails' is just pure delight, wonderfully whimsical in all the right ways. But this is a book about first-class adventure so there are many more dangerous and sparky characters to meet. Holly Rivers describes everything with such technicolor detail and enthusiasm, it's hard not to be totally immersed. I thoroughly enjoyed being swept across on he adventure to New York, and I do not wish to spoil it here but it's a huge amount of fun. It feels classic, like Jules Verne for children and it's one to just settle back and enjoy the ride!

Thank you so much Holly Rivers for putting such a smile on my face. This has been one of my best reads this year.