Himalayan Heist
From looking at the cover of the book I wouldn’t normally have chosen to listen to this audiobook. However I am pleased I did.
It is very interesting learning about Nepal and the characters surviving in the Himalayas. I didn’t like James's character because he farts a lot at the beginning and is mostly talking about food at inappropriate times. However I liked Alex's character and I liked the other main characters. I liked how Alex was so knowledgeable about animals and plants and ecological and animal welfare.
I think Jane’s voice is really good and the book is well read and easy to understand and enjoyable to listen to. Her reading is a lot better in my opinion than some other audiobooks I have listened to on audible and the library app.
The photos in the accompanying PDF really help the listener to visualise what some of the things and places in the book would look like and is a helpful addition. On the PDF I learnt that Jane had taken most of the pictures herself and written what they are. This validates her knowledge of Nepal and the animals and culture.
This book has an enjoyable story but also a serious animal welfare theme and interesting setting.
Himalayan Kidnap
A combination of Hardy Boys adventures and Rudyard Kipling’s mysterious, jungle-inhabited prose, this Himalayan adventure had me on edge of my seat! I couldn’t put the book down.
Jane Wilson-Howarth’s rich descriptions draw you in and take you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions, as you journey with two young boys in search of their kidnapped parents in the Nepalese jungle.
Wilson-Howarth’s clever prose and skillful descriptions of the ecology of Nepal in this book deserve worldwide recognition. I learned so much about the creatures of the Himalayan terrain as well as the villagers and the culture of the region - and I was left wanting even more at the end.
Fortunately, a sequel is already available called Chasing the Tiger :-) ... the next book on my spring reading list. This series is destined to be a classic and fully deserves five spectacular stars!
Heather Herzog, children's author
Himalayan Hostages
This is an exciting adventure (for readers over the age of eight features) two scruffy English boys and their fiesty no-nonsense Nepali friend Atti. The children have the huge challenge of rescuing the boys' parents from kidnappers and as they chase the grownups through the jungle, they encounter all kinds of dangerous animals - beautifully drawn by Betty Levene.