A new adventure series about the pivotal moments of discovery through the ages, bringing the past to life with a generous helping of fantasy, humour and delightful, black and white illustrations.

Shaman by name and shaman by nature – Billy just hasn't found his magic ... yet. His selfish, globetrotting parents abandon him for yet another summer in Charles Darwin's strange, museum-like house, where Billy stumbles across a 200-year-old giant talking tortoise named Charles Darwin, by the famous man himself. Charles D, the tortoise, knows every inch of the house and every artefact in it, and he's keen to help Billy realise his powers and set him on the path to adventure.

A beautifully carved Inuit ivory necklace is the first object that whisks him back in time to the shrieking chaos of an Arctic blizzard to meet its rightful owner, a girl called Ahnah, her shape-shifting grandmother and the mysterious explorer Pytheas.

A humorous, evocative journey through some fascinating discoveries of the past, ideal for readers of 7 or 8+ * The Guardian *
Chambers is a first-class storyteller, whose clear, suspenseful prose will appeal equally to more and less confident readers * The Daily Telegraph *
Quirky, skilful illustrations * The Sunday Times *
We found this book to be a fast-paced, historical fantasy blended with time travel and exploration through the ages. Unique, engaging and fascinating, we are already looking forward to the next instalment! * Mini Travellers *
A journey of exploration and discovery through the ages... adventure, learning and fun * Armadillo Magazine *
A fascinating and feel-good new series ... Chambers brings the past to life with a generous helping of fantasy and humour, alongside a gallery of delightful, black and white illustrations on every spread. * Lancaster Guardian *

Roland Chambers is an author and illustrator who lives on a tumbledown farm with his family and plenty of pigs near Dartmoor. He is the prize-winning writer of The Last Englishman, a biography of Arthur Ransome (Faber 2009) for adults. Roland is Writer in residence for First Story, England's leading creative writing charity for young people. rolandchambers.com Twitter: @RolyChambers