The Jedera Adventure

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Often, when YA novelists allow their characters to venture into foreign climes, an exotic locale serves little purpose but as a quaint backdrop. But fortunately for readers, Alexander makes the most of any territory Vesper Holly sets out to conquer. In her latest escapade, Vesper and her loyal guardian Brinnie journey to the North African country of Jedera in order to return a book to the library in the remote desert city of Bel-Saaba. In the course of their journey, the intrepid Philadelphians are sold into slavery, rescued by a fierce, blue-skinned Tawarik warrior and reunited with old friends from The El Dorado Adventure . Not surprisingly, they are also reunited with an old nemesis, the fiendish Dr. Helvitius, the mastermind behind the nastiness they've unearthed, whom Vesper vanquishes (temporarily, no doubt). Once again, the author succeeds in combining impeccably paced adventure with a thoughtful, compassionate evocation of a foreign land. All Vesper Holly's adventures enhance American readers' perceptions of life outside their own country: in addition to being solid entertainment, the books have the power to create a host of well-informed armchair travelers. Ages 10-14. (Apr.)

Children's Literature

The fourth of Newbery Award-winning Lloyd Alexander's "Vesper Holly Adventures" finds our eighteen-year-old heroine back on the road again. This time her errand is to return a library book (a rather special, illuminated tenth-century Arabic work) to its rightful home in the mythical North African country of Jedera. Jedera has the feeling of a nineteenth-century Morocco, and the expedition of 1874 proceeds under the wing of Vesper's long suffering guardian and narrator, Brinnie. Vesper makes a very pretty damsel in distress, and soon her admirers—a young Arab acrobat/magician, as well as the leader of a band of "blue men" of the desert inspired by the legendary Tuareg—outnumber the villains. Vesper blithely plows over all obstacles in pursuit of her mission, possibly saving the world in the process. It's a light, amusing tale that should charm its readers. 2001 (orig. 1989), Puffin, $13.95 and $5.99. Ages 10 to 14. Reviewer:Kathleen Karr

School Library Journal

Gr 6-10-- Number four in the Vesper Holly adventures, this time our always - intrepid heroine must return an overdue library book--a rare, valuable, very overdue library book--to the famed library at Bel-Saaba, in the North African country of Jedera. There's something here for everyone: a mysterious desert chieftain, a forbidden love, even an early flying machine. Following his formula in his own pleasant way, Alexander sees Vesper and her guardian Brinnie through encounters with slave traders, desert wars, and the evil Dr. Helvitius, Vesper's arch rival. As in the previous titles, Alexander does a nice job in giving a sense of reality to foreign (and fantastic) locations, filling them with ``local'' color. Light-hearted and breezy (although for more sophisticated readers because of the high reading level), this is easy to booktalk and sure to be popular with fans of the earlier Vesper Holly escapades. --Janice M. Del Negro, Chicago Public Library