Elastic Island Adventures
Rarotonga
Duckling Publishing
Available in paperback, e-book and audiobook narrated by Dominic Ona-Ariki
Kiri, Jed and twins Emma and Ethan frequently journey on ‘elastic island’, a unique way to travel that sends them pinging across the ocean to a variety of tropical destinations. This time, they travel with Blong the Cat and Heathcliff the Dog to beautiful Rarotonga.
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They are expecting to relax in the sun, but it’s not long until they run into problems. Firstly, Mighty Moko, the resident grumpy gecko who lives in their room, is determined to get rid of them, no matter what! But his annoying antics are quickly surpassed when all the black pearls on the island are stolen in a brazen heist, the thief leaving clues scattered around the island. The children are determined to solve the clues, but even with the help of the wise Mana Tiaki, will they be successful? Will the people of Rarotonga ever see their precious black pearls again?
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Elastic Island Adventures: Rarotonga has been written with thanks to the Pacific Resort in Rarotonga.
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'Easy to read and aimed at reluctant primary school readers. It is a stand-alone book from the elastic island series and paints a great picture of Rarotonga and its culture.' Bob's Book Blog
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'For those that haven't read these books – shame on you. These are classics and I hope they will be around for a very long time and see many generations of families – they really are just that kind of book!' Terry Toner, Dusty Shelves
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'It’s all go for Raro’ as Karen McMillan ‘cooks’ up a fantastically elastic adventure. Dealing with a grumpy gecko and a brazen pearl heist, Kiri, Jed, Emma and Ethan have their talents stretched to the limit. Ideal for readers aged 7-12 years, this stand-alone book will be enjoyed by fans of the Elastic Island series too.' Rural Living Magazine
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'Karen McMillan has an easy straightforward way of writing, and the layout is attractive to young readers. If you’ve missed out on the series so far, no problem, for this one stands on its own.' Flaxroots
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'As fans know, there's always a quirky animal character in each book and this time readers are introduced to Mighty Moko. The grumpy gecko is a fun addition that will have readers laugh out loud at his antics.
The children are also, as usual, individual and relatable. Each has their own unique character, and there's a nice lesson within the story about the importance of embracing everyone's strengths and working together to solve problems.
It's a great book for children venturing into the world of chapter books, with snappy chapters and design features to break up pages of text. It's also a wonderful book to read aloud together, especially for those less confident readers.
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Elastic Island Adventures: Rarotonga is another fast-paced, action-packed page-turner readers have come to know and love with the series.' NZ Booklovers
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‘The book is written for children of 7 to 12 years in a fast-moving and easy-to-read style – and anyone who’s been to Rarotonga will get an extra thrill from recognising the familiar settings.’ Kidsbooksnz
'McMillan has cleverly combined exciting adventure with an enticing travel log.' Northern Advocate
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'As for Mighty Moko the resident gecko, he was the cause of much hilarity for both of us. He is very vain and plays to the camera, posing at every opportunity. Miss Eleven liked the way his character develops as the story unfolds; from being grumpy and rather bossy, he mellows as he gets to know the children and their pets and realises they are not the annoyance he feared they might be. We are hoping he will make an appearance in another of the Elastic Island books.' kiwireviews.nz
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'10/10. Brilliant series.' Kick Arts
Suitable for children 7 - 12 years
Movie/TV rights optioned by Chrissy Metge Ltd
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