The Race to Kangaroo Cliff by Alexander McCall Smith, Iain Mcintosh
Published by Delacorte Press on April 9th 2019
ISBN: 039955405X
Pages: 240
Goodreads

The Race to Kangaroo Cliff is a book in the School Ship Tobermorny series but it can be read independently. Some themes of the story are using individuality to solve problems and standing up to peer pressure. This tells the adventures that the students of School Ship Tobermorny have on their way to Australia and during a sailing race. They go on adventures through the outback and make friends while there. Students encounter a lot of difficulties along the way and a lot of learning opportunities about safety, ocean life, global warming, sailing and boats are provided throughout the book. One of the weaknesses of the story is that it shifts between the school of characters so you don’t get to know the students in the story.

Graphic novel style illustrations with panels are provided every few pages to complement the text and explain scenarios. The illustrations also help to introduce the characters.

This book would be appropriate for upper elementary through middle school students. The captivating adventures and explained vocabulary make for the story appropriate for a wide array of audiences. The Race to Kangaroo Cliff and the School Ship Tobermorny series would be great to get students interested in science and geography as it provides a fun environment to introduce these topics. There is some non-fiction information in the back of the book including a glossary that could be used to prompt discussion.

Reviewed by Kathleen Powers, Winslow Public Library, Winslow, ME