A terrible virus has wiped out much of the human population and Scotland is now a wasteland, overrun by wild dogs. Toby's little sister Sylvie is dangerously ill and his family set out in a boat along the Aberdeenshire coast in desperate search of medicine. On their journey they battle for food and fuel, try to outwit lawless pirates and struggle to stay one step ahead of the ever-more powerful dogs and their mighty leader Cerberus. But will they find a cure for Sylvie before it's too late?
Review
'An adventure of immense pace and imagination, with a young hero, Toby battling against terrible odds with a courage and intelligence every reader will envy and admire.' -- Roger McGough 'A thrilling adventure set at a time of total devastation. Red fever is sweeping the earth. Almost everyone is dead and those that remain are struggling to cope with the aftermath. When Toby's sister falls dangerously ill, he and his father set off on a mad mission by boat to save her life. Can they find the medicine they need? And how will they stay safe from the pirates?' -- Julia Eccleshare, LoveReading4Kids '[Red Fever] is a great book and I really enjoyed it. Being able to link with the places in the book as they are located in Aberdeen and being able to visualize the setting really added to the book. Having a good local author is a great luxury. Not only was the setting a great aspect of the novel, but the storyline was gripping. There was so much happening that I just wanted to keep reading on to find out what was going to happen next; it was a book I just couldn't put down. Also I felt like I personally knew the characters, as I slowly grew attached to them, and that made the story even more interesting as I couldn't stop reading because I wanted to find out what happened to the characters.' -- Greig Torpey, aged 15, Aberdeenshire 'I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I love how the author has made lots of problems for the characters to solve, instead of just one ... This book is great for children from 9+ who love adventure stories. I definitely think Caroline Clough should write more children's books, maybe even some more about Toby.' -- Harriet Johnson-Gibbs, aged 10 'An atmospheric beginning to this story hooks the reader into a tale of survival against all odds for Toby and his family in this end of the world thriller... This is an excellent read with incisive narrative and sharp dialogue.' -- Just Imagine 'This blood pumping story gives you a rush of adrenaline and the only medicine is to read it right to the last page.' -- Owen Roberts, Carousel, Summer 2011 'This gripping story of a post-epidemic world will keep readers spellbound. Mum's dead, and Dad and Toby are sailing secretly, avoiding pirates while they try to find medicine for ailing little sister Sylvie. The red fever has changed everything. On land, dogs now rule under Cerberus's command. The risky rescue of a boy and his Pyrenean mountain dog is risky, but may prove an advantage. The dramatic tale makes fine reading; the North Sea setting with Scots characters and dialect add interest.' -- The Yellow Brick Road 'Wow! Here a deadly virus is knocking off the people on earth. And Toby's sister has now come down with it. His family takes to the coast searching for a cure before it is too late. They battle the storms on the water, fight off pirates that are chasing them and encounter packs of dogs that are very very hungry. It seems that the odds are all against them. Toby does find that even thought his world has completely changed, his family has not. As a matter of fact they are getting closer still.' -- Crazed Mind
About the Author
Caroline Clough was born and raised in Yorkshire but has lived in the Aberdeen area for 30 years. Since giving up her animal behavioural consultancy to concentrate on writing, she has had success with adult short story competitions and has recently written a children's book for The Refugee Council. After completing a Writers' Factory Screenwriting Course, she became involved in writing, directing and producing short films. She lives with her husband, two children, and a menagerie of pets, in rural Aberdeenshire outside Turrif.
Description:
A terrible virus has wiped out much of the human population and Scotland is now a wasteland, overrun by wild dogs. Toby's little sister Sylvie is dangerously ill and his family set out in a boat along the Aberdeenshire coast in desperate search of medicine. On their journey they battle for food and fuel, try to outwit lawless pirates and struggle to stay one step ahead of the ever-more powerful dogs and their mighty leader Cerberus. But will they find a cure for Sylvie before it's too late?
Review
'An adventure of immense pace and imagination, with a young hero, Toby battling against terrible odds with a courage and intelligence every reader will envy and admire.' -- Roger McGough 'A thrilling adventure set at a time of total devastation. Red fever is sweeping the earth. Almost everyone is dead and those that remain are struggling to cope with the aftermath. When Toby's sister falls dangerously ill, he and his father set off on a mad mission by boat to save her life. Can they find the medicine they need? And how will they stay safe from the pirates?' -- Julia Eccleshare, LoveReading4Kids '[Red Fever] is a great book and I really enjoyed it. Being able to link with the places in the book as they are located in Aberdeen and being able to visualize the setting really added to the book. Having a good local author is a great luxury. Not only was the setting a great aspect of the novel, but the storyline was gripping. There was so much happening that I just wanted to keep reading on to find out what was going to happen next; it was a book I just couldn't put down. Also I felt like I personally knew the characters, as I slowly grew attached to them, and that made the story even more interesting as I couldn't stop reading because I wanted to find out what happened to the characters.' -- Greig Torpey, aged 15, Aberdeenshire 'I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I love how the author has made lots of problems for the characters to solve, instead of just one ... This book is great for children from 9+ who love adventure stories. I definitely think Caroline Clough should write more children's books, maybe even some more about Toby.' -- Harriet Johnson-Gibbs, aged 10 'An atmospheric beginning to this story hooks the reader into a tale of survival against all odds for Toby and his family in this end of the world thriller... This is an excellent read with incisive narrative and sharp dialogue.' -- Just Imagine 'This blood pumping story gives you a rush of adrenaline and the only medicine is to read it right to the last page.' -- Owen Roberts, Carousel, Summer 2011 'This gripping story of a post-epidemic world will keep readers spellbound. Mum's dead, and Dad and Toby are sailing secretly, avoiding pirates while they try to find medicine for ailing little sister Sylvie. The red fever has changed everything. On land, dogs now rule under Cerberus's command. The risky rescue of a boy and his Pyrenean mountain dog is risky, but may prove an advantage. The dramatic tale makes fine reading; the North Sea setting with Scots characters and dialect add interest.' -- The Yellow Brick Road 'Wow! Here a deadly virus is knocking off the people on earth. And Toby's sister has now come down with it. His family takes to the coast searching for a cure before it is too late. They battle the storms on the water, fight off pirates that are chasing them and encounter packs of dogs that are very very hungry. It seems that the odds are all against them. Toby does find that even thought his world has completely changed, his family has not. As a matter of fact they are getting closer still.' -- Crazed Mind
About the Author
Caroline Clough was born and raised in Yorkshire but has lived in the Aberdeen area for 30 years. Since giving up her animal behavioural consultancy to concentrate on writing, she has had success with adult short story competitions and has recently written a children's book for The Refugee Council. After completing a Writers' Factory Screenwriting Course, she became involved in writing, directing and producing short films. She lives with her husband, two children, and a menagerie of pets, in rural Aberdeenshire outside Turrif.