I think we have a new favourite genre of story in our house.
Inventive adventure stories!
Bea has fallen head over heels in love with Harley Hitch.
She wants to meet her and failing that she wants to BE her! We are working on that for World Book Day in a few weeks time!
Bea and I both love the combination of science and stories. We love that through these wonderful adventures we are learning about ecosystems and that the moon controls the tides. We are also learning about always trying your best and knowing that things cannot always be perfect.
Harley Hitch is a brilliant character. We first meet her in Harley Hitch and the Iron Forest.
She is huge-hearted and her intentions are always good. She tries to do her best but things just keep on going wrong. Harley has the love and support of her two Grandpas and a growing friendship with my favourite character, Cosmo. Harley also has an awesome robot dog for a pet, Sprocket! (Brilliant name!)
Harley lives in Forgetown, Inventia. She attends Cogworks school where she is desperate to be ‘Pupil of the Term’. She has an ongoing rivalry with Fenelda who has a knack of making things go from bad to worse for Harley. Cosmo is the best friend that Harley desperately needs but theirs is not a straightforward friendship.
Forgetown is a place where families have robots as servants, companions and pets. There is a forest of iron that grows mechanical spare parts and a river of rust filled with fortune telling metal fish. In the first inventive adventure the forest is infected with a dangerous fungi and in the second the moon has disappeared!
“When the circus comes to town, Harley’s curiosity gets the better of her – and she accidentally breaks a cabinet that makes things magically disappear!
Soon after, everyone realises that the Moon has gone missing. Time is speeding up, wildlife is getting disorientated by the darker nighttime, the wind is getting stronger, and there’s no more tide. Is Harley to blame? Can she sort out the mess before it’s too late?”
This is such a wonderful series for young readers. Harley is a brilliant protagonist and a true member of the Strong Girls Club. She is creative, has her own unique style, she is true to herself, friendly and confident. She works hard and she takes ownership of and responsibility for her failures. I think she is a brilliant role model and the perfect character to get little readers excited about science, STEM, inventing, creating, solving problems and taking action.
The books are brilliantly written with heart and humour. I really hope that there will be more books in the series. We are HUGE Vashti Hardy fans and this series is one we will be recommending and buying for friends and family. Brilliant books with gorgeous illustratrations by George Ermos and an awesome map!
Bea read these books independently of me and devoured them both in just a few days. The books can be read independently of one another and would make great class or family readalouds. Bea’s favourite of the two books so far is Harley Hitch and the Missing Moon. I think that this one is my favourite too.
Literacy Shed have some resources linked to the first book and Scholastic have printables for the second and there is also a virtual author event with Vashti coming up for schools and educators on the 16th March. We are already signed up and cannot wait to take part in that. I know that Bea is going to ask the question … Will there be a Harley 3 and what will it be called?