My Name is River

Book excerpt: Dylan's mum thinks he's on the school Geography trip. Dylan's teacher thinks he's at home with the flu. In fact he's 30,000 feet up in the air on the way to Brazil. When Dylan's farm is snatched away by a huge global company, he can't just sit back and watch. But the journey to rescue his home takes him deep into the heart of the Amazon. With Floyd, a friend he's not sure of, and Lucia, a street kid armed with a thesaurus and a Great Dane puppy, he uncovers dark and dangerous secrets, and learns some surprising truths. 'Wow! What a book! It's riveting, it's moving, it's topical, it's superb! ... superb writing, brilliant characters, a glorious adventure and the warmest of heart. Amazing!' Malachy Doyle 'Emma Rea has written a beautifully researched adventure which encompasses the Welsh countryside and the Amazon. The unfolding friendship between Welsh Dylan and Brazilian Lucia is fabulous, and the clever plot sweeps along like a boat in a current.' Sue Wallman 'When nature-loving Dylan, 12, discovers his family farm in Wales (beautifully evoked) is being bought by a conglomerate based in Brazil, he plans to go there secretly to plead for the purchase to be abandoned ...This is the kind of adventure everyone likes to imagine when young, about being ingenious and brave and outwitting adults.' Nicolette Jones, Sunday Times Children's Book of the Week ' My Name is River... is a fantastically original adventure about a boy whose idyllic Welsh home is bought by an evil corporation. Desperate to save it, he travels from Birmingham to Brazil with his best friend. Rea's flight of imagination has two sympathetic heroes risking everything while lying their heads off. Packed with ecological indignation, it is both funny and timely.' Amanda Craig, New Statesman