Spinner, the father of 12-year-old twins Will and Annalie, has gone into hiding. The Admiralty, the mighty navy that rules their world, is searching for him, and all their lives are therefore in danger. Will and Annalie don’t know where their father has gone, but that doesn’t stop them and some friends from setting off in their sailboat, the Sunfish, to find him. They think Spinner might have gone to his old friend, who lives in a remote lighthouse on the far-flung Moon Islands. On the way they have several close calls with pirates, cannibals, treacherous weather and the persistent Admiralty and its huge fleet of ships. It can only be a matter of time until the navy catches the small Sunfish with its crew of children.

This delightful adventure is set in a world that has recently experienced dramatic flooding in all low-lying coastal regions. Climate change has finally hit with a vengeance. Mardi McConnochie’s tale of a world dramatically changed by rising sea levels could be prophetic. Whether it is or isn’t, this is an enthralling adventure with plenty of heart-in-the-mouth moments that keep the reader turning the pages.

Reviewed by Wendy Noble
Age guide 9+