The Doldrums

“A dreamy charmer of a book, full of clever wordplay that practically demands it be read out loud.”—New York Times Have you ever wanted to hold a little piece of the impossible? Lavishly illustrated in full color, The Doldrums is an extraordinary debut about friendship, imagination, and the yearning for adventure from author-artist Nicholas Gannon. A modern classic in the making, The Doldrums is for readers of inventive and timeless authors such as Brian Selznick and Lemony Snicket. Archer B. Helmsley wants an adventure. No, he needs an adventure. His grandparents were famous explorers . . . until they got stuck on an iceberg. Now Archer’s mother barely lets him out of the house. As if that would stop a true Helmsley. Archer enlists Adelaide—the girl who, according to rumor, lost her leg to a crocodile—and Oliver—the boy next door—to help him rescue his grandparents. The Doldrums whisks us off on an adventure full of sly humor, incredible detail, and enormous heart. With approximately twenty pieces of breathtaking full-color artwork, as well as black-and-white spot illustrations, and gorgeous, literary writing, Nicholas Gannon proves himself to be a distinctive new voice with his middle grade debut. Be in it for the limitless imagination. For the characters who capture your heart. For the rich world you’ll want to settle into. But most of all, be in it for the friendship. That, after all, is the true adventure. One boy longing for escape. Two new friends with secrets of their own. A Trio of Unlikely Friends: Archer Helmsley needs a crew, but all he has is Adelaide, a girl with a mysterious wooden leg, and Oliver, the cautious boy next door who would rather stay home. A Grand Quest: To rescue his famous explorer grandparents—who are stranded on an iceberg in Antarctica—Archer must first figure out how to escape his own house.