We all like to read different genres of books, but when it comes to children’s books, younger readers love to read stories packed with adventure. Adventure stories are an excellent gateway for middle-grade readers, whether it’s following their brave heroes into unknown lands or even different worlds, solving ancient mysteries or whodunnits, or confronting perilous dangers, they all help young readers dream big. And when it comes to adventures for readers, the best of them don’t just focus on the action and adventure but also delve into friendships, loyalty, and personal growth. The Spirit of Adventure by Rob Keeley captures these qualities within a tale that blends history, fantasy and supernatural mystery into the mix.
Rob Keeley’s The Spirit of Adventure is the seventh book in The Spirits Series and takes young readers on a time-travelling adventure all the way back to medieval times. The story follows the present day friends Ruby, Jayden and the Victorian ghost Edward Fitzberranger. Edward has been invited to visit his medieval ancestor Sir Francis and his wife Tina at Fitzberranger Castle so he brings his friends Ruby and Jayden with him. When they transport through time for their visit, they soon find themselves on a dangerous quest, with Sir Francis on behalf of King John, to fetch a mystical relic from an ancient and abandoned church. The group set out and venture though an eerie forest, cross a treacherous river and encounter magical guardians before being faced with challenges that will test them and their worthiness. But will they survive the challenge and the powers of the spirit word?
Overall, I have never read any of the previous books in The Spirit Series so was unaccustomed to Ruby, Jayden, their 10 year ghost friend, Edward, and their time-travelling exploits, but really loved The Spirit of Adventure. It was as easy-going read with fast-paced storytelling. The medieval setting feels alive and the historical element doesn’t feel educational, although young readers will learn a bit about life in the middle-ages.
The story blends in a bit of sci-fi time-travelling, supernatural spookiness, fantasy and adventure with some excellent characters, including the meeting of Robin Hood and his Merry Men. While the characters are fun and relatable, the backdrop against which the story is set is wonderful – castles that aren’t as grand as you would imagine, spooky forests that feel alive, a treacherous river that is a challenge to cross and an abandoned church that holds a mysterious ancient relic that is guarded by the spirit world. While there are some supernatural elements, after all it does feature a ghost as a main character, it isn’t written to frighten young readers but adds just enough tension to keep young readers entertained and engaged.
What I liked about the characters was the way that they seamlessly blend well together – Ruby and Jayden are present-day kids, while Edward the ghost is younger and has Victorian mannerisms and speech, and this it is all taken back to a different time again with medieval characters.
The story is very easy to read with clear language and short manageable chapters (perfect for confident and not-so-confident readers). With each stage of their quest they are met with new obstacles and challenges that they must overcome, which creates a wonderful sense of momentum. It has everything that young readers will love: ghosts, time travel, knights and plenty of action as well as hidden dangers and unexpected twists.
The Spirt of Adventure is a fun middle-grade fantasy novel that is full of adventure, history, mystery, suspense and heart. It delivers and exciting read for young page turners. It has a superb atmosphere that blends different genres well and really captures the imagination.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £11.99 (Paperback) / £3.99 (Kindle)
For more information, visit www.robkeeley.co.uk. Available to buy from Amazon here.
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