3.5* I have loved Bren's other incredible middle grade books and was keenly awaiting the release of Across the Risen Sea. It took me ages to be hooked into the story, but once I was (at about the 1/3 mark), it was an action packed adventure with some delightful characters. As with all Bren's middle grade novels, there are strong environmental themes in this book; I particularly love the idea of 'living gently'. In hindsight, I think I would have enjoyed this book more in one or two sittings as o...

Another wonderful MG dystopia from MacDibble, with a strong voice and plenty of action weaved into a rather bleak post climate disaster world. A great one for fans of adventure/action.

In a world devasted by climate change with the destruction of all coastal and low-lying cities due to rising sea levels, we meet one group of survivors living a gentle, sustainable island life. Until one of their group gets kidnapped. Our heroine, Neoma, sets out to rescue her best friend and encounters crocodiles, sharks, pirates, and floating cities. This is an absolute gem of an adventure embodying courage and friendship with lovely messages on looking after our planet and one another. And, d...

A thrilling adventure with a bold main character and awesome voice. Early midgrade dystopian with a dash of humour. If you loved How To Bee you will love this one too.

This story has it all for readers who love adventure. Crazy pirates, crocs, sharks, sailing about on a catamaran on the risen sea... a futuristic Valley of the Sun and a people who live gently on this earth. There is mystery and friendship, great character arcs, and community. The story is told in the youthful unschooled voice of Neoma, which both added authenticity and made it slightly more challenging to read. The challenge pays off, as we really feel connected to her and her fishing folk worl...

Bren MacDibble is a kiwi author, who has been claimed by Australia, and who is the author of How to Bee and The Dog Runner, as well as In the Dark Spaces writing as Cally Black (for YA readers.)How to Bee, The Dog Runner and Across the Risen Sea are all dystopian style novels, but aimed at a younger audience than the usual YA.I loved How to Bee; I confess I struggled with The Dog Runner; and I have just finished the amazing Across the Risen Sea. It is definitely my favourite so far, full of edge...

"We each do all we can to live low – impact lives. Our electric stove tops are no worse than your water – drawing windmill there. Let’s not lose sight of what really matters here, old friend. Living gentle lives."I would highly recommend this dystopian text for middle schoolers / intermediate aged children. The water levels have risen, as a result of climate change, and people are now living on islands, in what looks like Australia. We meet a community living a post-apocalyptic life. Life is rel...

Couldn't stand the unrelenting Ocker they speak in the Ockery Islands :/Post climate change, technology is bad, people live in small groups without it. Then the feisty girl goes on an adventure and finds you can live with technology without ruining the planet.

http://jessjustreads.comAcross the Risen Sea is the latest middle grade adventure novel by Bren MacDibble, set within a small island community surrounded by a rising sea. Strangers arrive unannounced, carrying secrets with them, and then protagonist Neoma must embark on a solo mission across the ocean to rescue her best friend Jag.In this somewhat dystopian setting, the rising sea has formed an inland sea with small islands. Communities on these islands do not deal with currency or money — they

Original, insightful and thought provoking, along with lots of action. Full review will be posted on my blog soon!

Another great novel from Bren MacDibble, this time it's set in a dystopian community on an island in an inland sea formed by rising sea levels. There is plenty of action in this book - terrifyingly large sharks, a lazy old croc, a wily old sea pirate - but there are also some lovely messages towards the end about community and looking after the planet and one another. Very, very enjoyable and hard to put down.

The theme of the book is good, and there is lots of adventure. I love dystopian novels and this post climate change apocalypse plot is excellent. But I found the tortuous English very difficult to read and had to translate it into English in my mind in order to finish the book.

The world has changed. Oceans have risen, high waves gobbling up land. The sun is merciless, and storms form quickly. More than a decade has passed since Cyclone Summer - a time when vicious storms overcame the walls rich coast dwellers had built against the rising sea. Others had moved inland but the wealthy fought for their seaside multi story buildings. Now they are left flooded and empty, to be picked over by anyone on salvage missions.Neoma lives with her family in a small settlement in the...

Very good dystopian book where the sea levels have risen and main character Neoma has to journey across the risen sea to rescue her best friend Jag.

The publisher calls this “another thrilling adventure” from Bren MacDibble and they’re not wrong. I found this utterly captivating, there was a sense of danger brewing constantly in the background that will keep young readers gripped. Neoma has to set off on a daring solo mission over the risen seas to uncover truths and make amends for a rash act. I love Uncle Croc, the crocodile that, once a terrifying sight on the end of her boat, becomes ensnared in Neoma’s nets and hangs on for dear life, a...

How have I not read any of Bren MacDibble’s books before? I have clearly been missing a trick as I have really enjoyed her third book ‘Across the Risen Sea’ which the publisher Old Barn Books very kindly sent me.The isolated and gentle world of the peaceful Ockery Islands is one day invaded by the three tall strangers from the mysterious Valley of the Sun with their ‘Teknology’ which the islanders have chosen to leave behind. Naoma, an adventurous and independent spirit and her friend Jaguar wan...

What an excellent take on the potential post apocalyptic future of climate change for younger readers. Set in a small village that has formed up near the Sunshine Coast in Australia (much of the coast being underwater), the people live a simple life, although they seem pretty happy. They fish, they plant, they travel to other villages on the water for trade. They can still scavenge the sky scrapers of the destroyed city, from time to time - many floors are underwater due to the risen sea. There

Catching up on missed reads. Love this thrilling adventure, with a narrator that is fearless and funny.

We all know it's happening - climate change is causing the seas to rise. Bren MacDibble has written a future where the seas have risen so much that seaside skyscrapers are half submerged and hilly land around is now islands. I'm imagining Australia's Sunshine Coast, though I don't know enough to tell if place names are referencing it. However, we have saltwater crocodiles and massive sharks and the author lives in Australia so it's somewhere up there or further north. And it's fully believable t...

I love Bren's dystopian Australian settings, in this and earlier books. The characters are strong and believable and Uncle Croc was a fun inclusion!