The plot

The story opens with Maisie and her father, George, about to explore a cave in the coastline that is usually inaccessible, save at low tide. The water is only knee-deep, and her dad's cooking is a riskier proposition she feels. But her dad, being who he is, heads off to get some rope to link them together as an extra security measure. He instructs Maisie to stay where she is. But being who she is, and paying scant regard for her dad's many and seemingly bizarre rules, Maisie tries to jump from rock to rock and make the short distance into the cave mouth. Of course, the rocks are slippy with seaweed and such like and she slips, and is dragged under and out to sea by a sudden wave.

In a last-ditch attempt to save herself, she stops time and thus the water. But she is neither strong nor skilled enough, and her fate is sealed. That is until her dad steps in and hauls her out and to safety.

George's researching his new book, 'How to Find Buried Treasure'. An expedition in Bhutan has just made a discovery in a cave, so he is heading off to the Himalayas. The mention of treasure piques Maisie's interest. Not least because she thinks it will be great research for the pirate ghost adventure book she wants to write, featuring a pirate called Nyteshade. Alas, this is no pirate treasure, no pieces of eight. It is actually an archaeological discovery.

She manages to get her father to take her with him on the brief trip. But little do they know the trouble that awaits them at the site of the discovery.

When they arrive at the site, they are met by Tashi, a Tibetan guide. Next, they meet the person who has sponsored the research and invited Maisie's dad to visit, Mrs Oszynska. But she turns out to be someone else, Renata Kowalska. She was once a friend of Maisie's now-dead mum. Her presence, as well as the deception, does not please George one bit. He'd rather fly home and go elsewhere to do his research than remain with Renata.

Despite the obvious dislike for each other, something Maisie can't understand, the adventure continues. Donning hard hats and harnesses, and clipping on climbing aids called 'jumars' they hook onto a steel wire. They start to climb down a metal ladder bolted to the rock face that descends scarily deep into the Himalayas and a secret cave.

It is in fact a series of caves which hold the key to what lies ahead, both betrayal and revelations. Not forgetting the action, peril, and heart-stopping moments and personal discovery.


What did we think?

After the brilliance of Maisie's first outing in Maisie vs Antarctica (see our review HERE), we had very high hopes. Suffice it to say, the presence of this review is a testament to these having been satisfied and exceeded.

As with the first adventure, there is a real sense of the precipitous location, the weather and people. There is also the same delightful humour and rapport, and Maisie's irrepressible imagination. I think most adults reading this will enjoy the wit as much as the action.

The plot ably combines the time-stoping skills Maisie discovers that she and her dad possess, with the discovery of yet more skills, and not just for herself.

Pleasingly, and somewhat unexpectedly, we get to find out more about Maisie's mum, and her relationship to not only her father but also the antagonist in this story. But this new detail is brought slowly into the plot and adds a delightful edge by the end. It also creates interesting and exciting new possible directions for future books. It also adds to the literary magic rather than weighing it down.

I am so pleased the cover style/design, unique so far as I recall, has been maintained.

A big thank you to Jack Jackman for adding the two snow leopards on the cover and in the story. They are distant relatives who are but two of the wonderful creatures found in the Himalayas.

The cover's new colours and images are captivating and dynamic. They certainly made us want to buy this, and it always catches the eye as I wander by. After finishing this adventure found ourselves wondering where Mr Jackman, Maisie and her dad will end up next, and wagering an extra meal what images would be on the cover. Time will tell on that I'm sure.


To sum up

Sheer breath-taking, cliff-hanging, flying over a chasm by the seat-of-your-pants kind of adventure that will take your breath away.

A tale that not surprisingly given the start, had us racing at breakneck speed to the conclusion. I can see the same kind of magic, effervescence and originality in this series as Thomas Taylor created in the Eerie on Sea adventures.

A blast of Himalayan fresh air that is an absolute must-read.

Maisie and her father head off on a research trip to explore caves in the Himalayan mountains but quickly find themselves in a perilous situation over a search for stolen treasure. Maisie believes that she has the power to pause time, which she shares with her father, but when she encounters an old friend of her mother's, realises that her powers are far more than this, and she can mirror anyone's powers that she encounters.

Turns out there's more to Maisie than she even realised herself, but will Dad tell her truth? Or is this secret just too dangerous?

This ia an exciting, pacy adventure with a nefarious nemesis and plenty of intrigue & secrets revealed, all in quite an easy to read style. The young character is plucky and interesting and there's a nice classic/old fashioned feel to it all as well. Unusual for a JF adventure series where knowledge of vol 1 isn't totally essential, style is so accessible it brings you up to date and straight into the story without the need for context.

4.2 Stars
One Liner: Maisie does it again!

After the excitement in Antarctica, Maisie travels with her dad to the Himalayas to research for a book titled How to Find Buried Treasure. Maisie sure finds the treasure, but also gets into many tussles and attracts unwanted attention as a thief while dodging dangerous explosions.
Looks like there are many secrets Maisie doesn’t know about. Will Dad tell her about them, or will it be too late by then?
The story comes in Maisie’s first-person POV.

My Thoughts:
This is the second book in the series, and it will be better if you read the first one. It does work as a standalone, but if you are into proper character development and backstories, read both. And honestly, you’ll love them.
Since the book is from an eleven-year-old kid’s POV, prepare for it to be filled with vivid imagination, sass, impulsiveness, and recklessness. Don’t look for adult maturity in it, though she can surprise you in unexpected ways.
The day Maisie would keep her promise would probably be declared an international promise day or something (yeah, not gonna happen). As an adult, there were (many) instances I wanted to shake sense into that kid. I’m sure her dad feels the same.
Unlike the previous book, this has very few characters and is set in just a couple of nearby locations (the caves and the adjacent hotel). However, this doesn’t restrict entertainment or adventure even a little. You can trust that kid to get into trouble even in the safest place, and an old cave is hardly safe!
We get a little more detail about her dead mother, which, as you can guess, makes the kiddo super happy. She’s a lonely little girl wanting adventures and to spend more time with her dad, who has a superpower but writes boring books.
Continuing the pattern, each chapter is titled as some sort of ‘How to…’. There can be some spoilers here, so skip the chapter titles if you are particular. I think kids will enjoy the creativity.
I love that ‘little fire god’ comment. So cute and aligns with what we’d say!
Once again, I wish the book had at least two or three illustrations. The ones from the cover could have been divided into individual illustrations and added to the file.

To summarize, Maisie vs the Himalayas is an entertaining, adventurous, and humorous continuation of the series. Be prepared, as it will give kids many ideas that can give you a headache or high blood pressure, lol.
Now that I know where the next adventure will be, I can’t wait to read it!
Thank you, NetGalley and NosyCrow, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

This is an enjoyable adventure with Maisie and her father, as they explore the Himalayas as part of the research for Maisie's dad's new book. Maisie is a delightful character, with oodles of humour and cheeky charm.

But there are many secrets at play here - some of which Maisie is completely unaware of. Will the trip bring a different kind of enlightenment for her than this region is traditionally known for?

Be that as it may, it will certainly bring some *very* unexpected adventures, so strap in for a bumpy ride! This is a worthy follow up to Maisie vs Antarctica, and will be enjoyed by readers in the target group. It gets 3.5 stars.

I have such fond memories of reading the first book (Maisie Vs Antarctica) so when I saw the second one was out, I couldn’t not pick it up! It was chock full of all the adventure and cheeky Maisie charm I remember from the first, and I’m so glad it’s turned into a series!

Maisie is a character that’s hard not to love. She’s strong-willed, opinionated and a force to be reckoned with. She’s powerful to boot and in this one, we follow her on an epic new adventure to the Himalayas. As we’re starting to see, following her dad on his trips to write his books often turn into a twisting tale of events..

They’re so easy and entertaining to read - you will be half way through the book before you know it! It’s perfect for the attention span of little readers and me (as an adult) also loved this book and kept me entertained throughout. It’s well worth a read and a solid addition to any young (or older) bookworms shelf.

I loved the first book in this series - Maisie vs Antarctica - and even though I'm three times the recommended reading age, I was really looking forward to the next installment.

It is a children's book, it's full of magic, fantasy, and adventure. It's full of family, love, exploration, and trust.

Because everything was set up in the first book, it means this one gets straight in so there's no preamble. I would say it could be read as a standalone but I thoroughly recommend reading the first book before this one as you'll get more from it.

It's a bit more contained than the first one. For about 80% of the book, we have our two main characters, Maisie and her dad (plus a new character) all in one location - a cave. This has the potential to be quite boring because it's the same characters in just one setting but it works. It means we can focus on the characters and their relationships more.

I loved the development of the characters, Maisie in particular. Wee meet her in the first book and she's a bit lonely, she wants adventures, she wants to be with her dad, but she is quite naïve. Whereas this one, she is still a child and still wants adventures but she's braver in this one, she stands up for herself more. She knows who she is now, what she can do, and what she wants.

Like I said at the start, I am more than three times the reading age, but I still really enjoy this series. It's quick and easy to read, it's fun and quirky, it's got tension in it, and there are some serious topics working into the adventure story which is good. I don't know how long he intends to make this series but I for one will definitely be keeping an eye out, and it's definitely one I will be recommending to the kids in my family.