Journey To The River Sea: a review

Our teacher asked us a book to review
'Which one?' we asked. He said 'It's up to you.'
'No guidelines? No orders?' But he said 'Please could
You make it a poem and make it good!'
We had so many favourites - to choose just one?
An impossible task, but a whole lot of fun.
So to help us decide, we compiled a list,
So many titles included and so many missed.
There was John Boyne's 'Pyjamas,' and 'Oliver Twist.'
'The Chinese Cinderella' also made the list.
There was 'Artemis Fowl' or 'The Secret Garden'
The task of choosing was starting to harden!
So many fictional heroes, like Alex Rider,
Our list grew longer and the task grew wider.
We could have done 'The Hobbit,' or 'Carrie's War,'
Could have chosen any of a million more.
What we chose isn't classic, or too topical,
But has something for all, and a setting that's tropical.
The book is set in Edwardian times,
And for the author's surname, it's hard to find rhymes!
She is Eva Ibbotson, whom we met in December,
At the UK Final, as I seem to remember.
And the book is 'Journey To The River Sea,'
The book we chose (eventually!)
We chose it as it seems to suit all ages,
It has universal appeal as you turn the pages.
The book's about Maia, an orphan girl,Like 'Oliver Twist,' alone in the world.
She dreams of escaping, and flying away,
Of adventures, rather than a 'Groundhog Day.'
However, her wishes are one day granted,
When to the Amazon river she is suddenly transplanted.
To stay with relatives that she'd long lost,
A stay which will prove to be much to her cost.
So she travels upriver for thousands of miles,
And finds a family wearing painted smiles.
Their interest in her you might think funny;
Turns out they're only in it for the money.

It's an adventure for Maia that only ends
When she's learned dark secrets and made new friends.
And picked up skills which, as a rule,
Kids don't tend to learn at school.
And that's the reason this book's our number one,
Because it shows there's always learning to be done.
Young or old, at school or not,
It's always possible to learn a lot.

Eva paints a picture of Maia's situation
And shows us a far more rounded education.
And if you haven't ever read this book,
We'd advise you now to give it a look.
For a dull kind of day, it's the perfect prescription,
Due to the author's talent for vivid description.
We won't spoil the ending, in case you try it.
But our advice to you is 'Go out and buy it!'


Ideas by Eleanor Barton.
Performed by Sherna Adenwalla & Bethan Candlin.
Poetic guidance by Kevin Brown, Whitchurch High School, Cardiff.