Publication Date: 13 April 2023
The Blurb
Shaman by name and shaman by nature – Billy just hasn’t found his magic … yet. His selfish, globetrotting parents abandon him for yet another summer in Charles Darwin’s strange, museum-like house, where Billy stumbles across a 200-year-old giant talking tortoise named Charles Darwin, by the famous man himself. Charles D, the tortoise, knows every inch of the house and every artefact in it, and he’s keen to help Billy realise his powers and set him on the path to adventure.
A beautifully carved Inuit ivory necklace is the first object that whisks him back in time to the shrieking chaos of an Arctic blizzard to meet its rightful owner, a girl called Ahnah, her shape-shifting grandmother and the mysterious explorer Pytheas.
The Review
A fantastical tale bringing the past to life as we travel the globe and time with Billy Shaman.
Billy is instantly likeable and relatable as the abandoned child left in a boring home while his parents go galivanting to South America and Africa, separately. His annoyance at the mundane world he is left in quickly turns to wonder as his inner power begins to wake and a fantastical adventure awaits.
I adored Charles Darwin – a wonderfully whimsical narrator, with a penchant for lettuce and tomato sandwiches. He is the calm, steady voice of reason to Billy’s confused awe as he travels from musty museum to snow swept lands.
Roland manages to pack two amazing historical figures, questions about removing specimens from their original environment, who artefacts belong to and where they should be kept, along with an introduction to shamans and spirit animals into his short story, brining them and a vengeful sea witch to life with his captivating illustrations
The first in a new series, perfect for LKS2, this is bound to excite budding young explorers keen to learn more about our past while on a thoroughly enjoyable adventure.
Great for fans of:
- A Mummy Ate My Homework by Thiago De Moraes
- Mr Tiger, Betsy And The Blue Moon by Sally Gardner
- Indigo Wilde And The Creatures At Jellybean Crescent by Pippa Curnick
The Adventures of Billy Shaman: The Rage of the Sea Witch by Roland Chambers is out 13th April published by Zephyr in paperback, priced £7.99
Huge thanks to Zephyr for inviting me to take part in the blog tour. Do make sure you check out all of the other stops.
Miss Cleveland is reading... 