The Doldrums

By: Nicholas Gannon

Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot

Archer B. Helmsley longs for adventure. But how can he have an adventure when he can’t even leave his house?

Archer B. Helmsley has grown up in a house full of oddities and treasures collected by his grandparents, the famous explorers. Archer longs for grand adventures but ever since his grandparents went missing on an iceberg, his mother barely lets him leave the house. So, along with his best friends, Adélaïde L. Belmont and Oliver Grub, Archer forms a plan to get out of the house and set off on a grand adventure with crocodiles and parachutes and danger. It's a good plan. Well, it's not bad, anyway. But nothing goes quite as they expected…

Critic reviews

“The Doldrums is delightful! What a wonderful ride of a book!” –Jennifer L. Holm, NY TIMES

“Archer, Adelaide, and Oliver make the best trio of friends in a middle grade novel since Harry, Hermione, and Ron in the Harry Potter series.” –Clara Martin, Lemuria Books, Jackson, MS

“You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll root for them, and when it s over, you’ll want to turn the page back to the beginning and read it all over again. This is one of those books that everyone should read.” –Candice Huber, Tubby & Coo's Mid City Book Shop, New Orleans, LA

“Amusing, heartwarming, and zany. … The debut author also provides delicate, full-colour illustrations throughout. Readers will eventually sigh in relief with Archer and his friends.” –Kirkus Reviews (starred review)"