The Explorer

“An exhilarating and sometimes harrowing old-fashioned adventure that comes beautifully, vibrantly alive on audio. Narrator Peter Noble is utterly convincing as Fred, Con, Lila, and, especially, five-year-old Max. With subtle variations, Noble gives them all distinctive voices that reflect their personalities and backgrounds, and he communicates their fear and excitement as they struggle to survive, learn to work together, and discover hidden wonders of the jungle…Listeners will be riveted, breathless, until the very end. Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award.” —AudioFile

"Rundell brings wonderful gusto to her descriptions of the many discomforts of jungle life…With its fine balance of menace and cheer…it is a book to kindle imaginations. And though it emphasizes the fantastic otherness of the jungle in a way that feels almost antique, young readers will finish it with an impression of the grandeur of the natural world.” —New York Times Book Review

“The author’s knowledge of the flora and fauna of the Amazon lends authenticity to the setting…Elegant descriptive passages and lyrical writing enhance…the fast-paced, often gritty narrative…[a] jam-packed survival story.” —School Library Journal (starred review)