FERGUS CRANE! YOU ARE IN GREAT DANGER! I AM SENDING HELP. Signed T. C., your long-lost Uncle Theo Fergus Crane has an almost ordinary life—having lessons taught by rather odd teachers on the school ship Betty Jeanne and helping his mother in the bakery. But then a mysterious flying box appears at the window of his waterfront home and Fergus is plunged headlong into an exciting adventure! The box is followed by a winged mechanical horse that whisks him off to meet his long-lost uncle and his penguin helpers, Finn, Bill, and Jackson. Fergus finds out that his teachers are not quite what they seem— they’re actually pirates! Can Fergus and his winged horse save his schoolmates on the far-off Fire Island? And who else will he find there? Grade 1-5–The creators of The Edge Chronicles (Random) are back with an auspicious beginning for a new series. When a mysterious flying box, complete with wings, arrives at Fergus Crane's window with a message from his long-lost Uncle Theo, the boy learns that he is in danger and that his uncle is sending help. Help is what he needs when the clipper ship Betty-Jeanne that serves as his school disappears with all of the students but Fergus still aboard. The headmaster and his staff are more than just vaguely reminiscent of pirates, and Fergus will need Uncle Theo's technology, and his own bravery, to rescue them. What make this book especially appealing are Riddell's pen-and-ink drawings that appear on almost every page; they capture the tone of the story as well as the personalities of the characters. They also add a great deal of variety to the design of the book, ranging from traditional full-page illustrations to portraits of the main characters to smaller drawings spread over the pages. The combination of witty art and compelling text make this a perfect choice for early chapter-book readers. –Tim Wadham, Maricopa County Library District, Phoenix, AZ Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Gr. 3-5. Stewart and Riddell, creators of the Edge Chronicles, begin a new series for younger readers, the Far-Flung Adventures. Nine-year-old Fergus Crane is a poor but likable lad who lives with his mother in a seaside town and attends school aboard the Betty-Jeanne , a clipper ship manned by a motley crew of teachers who bear a strong resemblance to pirates. One morning, he finds that the ship has left port with his fellow students still aboard. A mysterious ally gives Fergus the means to rescue his friends and restore his family's happiness. With a simple plot, a few hints of mystery, and many intriguing details, this story will quickly hook readers. Riddell's expressive ink drawings make the fantastic elements more believable and add enormously to the book's appeal. Readers looking for adventure with a smidgen of inventive fantasy will find this one just the ticket. Carolyn Phelan Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved “Another triumph for the Stewart-Riddell dream team.”— Independent (U.K.) “A whirlwind adventure: five stars.”—www.cool-reads.co.uk “Brilliantly inventive.”— Independent on Sunday (U.K.) “Great fun to read aloud.”— The Scotsman (U.K.) PAUL STEWART is a highly regarded author of books for young readers and is the co-creator of the bestselling Edge Chronicles .  He lives in Brighton, England, with his family. CHRIS RIDDELL, co-creator of the Edge Chronicles , is an award-winning illustrator and political cartoonist.  He lives in Brighton, England, with his family. From the Trade Paperback edition.