Voyage of the Sparrowhawk (2025)

Book Reviewed on www.whisperingstories.com

In the aftermath of WWI Lotti is living with her vile Uncle and Aunt in a home that she owns but can’t take possession of until she is twenty-one, left to her by her deceased parents. She hates living there and feels more like a slave than a member of the family.

Ben is living alone on a narrowboat called Sparrowhawk. His adopted father Nathan died in a hospital bombing in France where he had gone to visit Ben’s brother Sam who was a soldier in the war and had been injured. There is no news on Sam and he is declared missing.

One day whilst been allowed some time out to play Lotti rescues a dog from a bully who had him locked in a cage, she hides in the narrowboat and is found by Ben. The two become firm friends, but when Lotti’s Uncle tells her he is sending her away to boarding school and the police come looking for Ben the two decide to run away on the boat to France in search of Ben’s brother and also Lotti’s Grandmother who she hasn’t heard from in over a year.

Will the children find what they are searching for and will they be able to cross the channel in a boat designed for canal travel only?

Voyage of the Sparrowhawk is a beautiful, poignant book about two children who have lost everything and who are clinging on to the hope that they could find a missing part of themselves in France. They feel like they have no-one who cares about them except each other and that although the crossing of the channel to France will be dangerous they feel like they have nothing to lose.

Lotti is a very clever young girl but quite impulsive where Ben is calmer and pragmatic. The two characters work well together, alongside their dogs Frederico and Elsie who have puppies on their crossing too.

The writing style of author Natasha Farrant took some getting use to at the beginning as it felt like she was talking to the reader about the children, however, after the initial first few pages this style grew on me and I settled in for the long journey with the children.

I simply adored this book. It is filled with adventure, bravery, love, friendship, and hope. We might only be in April and this might be a children’s book but I think I have found a contender for my favourite book of the year as once I started it I was lost within the pages and didn’t want it to end.

Unfortunately, due to the virus, the release of the book has been put back until September, however, this is a book worth waiting for.

une histoire d’aventures et d’amitié à laquelle j’accorde trois étoiles. c’est du jeunesse, j’avais envie d’évasion et j’ai été servie, mais je lui accorde trois étoiles pour les quelques longueurs/ passages que je lisais en diagonal.

VOYAGE OF THE SPARROWHAWK ~ NATASHA FERRANT

In the first spring since the Great War, two orphans become friends and set out on what seems like an impossible journey - from England to France in a narrow boat ⛵

Lotti lost her parents in a aeroplane accident and is now suffering under the guardianship of her uncle Hubert and aunt Vera, who is getting very comfortable in Lotti's family home. They pack her off to boarding school but she manages to get expelled. She dreams of funding her French grandmother who she used to communicate with through letters. But the letters stopped and Lotti doesn't understand why.

Ben was adopted by Nathan from an orphanage with an older boy, Sam. They lived together on a narrow boat, The Sparrowhawk. When Sam went to war and got injured, Nathan went after him to visit him in hospital but neither of them ever returned.

This was such a lovely feel-good story and I found it hard to put down. The setting was fantastic and now I want a narrow boat. It was the perfect palate cleanser and I have come to the conclusion that when it comes to children's books I enjoy historical fiction and fantasy the most.

4 🌟

Absolutely wonderful. A brilliant heart warming story.

The friendship and bond that Lottie and Ben form out of the hardship that they both endure is beautiful to read. The 2 gorgeous dogs really added depth. The calm and steady Elsie and the cheeky chappie Federico were a joy.

Highly recommend for both children and adults alike.

Honestly i missed island hopping so much in our neighbouring countries like malaysia or thailand to just relax and sit on a boat to explore nature🏝🙈
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Ratings:🚢🚢🚢
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Thank you for the lovely arc @times.reads , this has been out since june 2020 in all local bookstores.
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The title of this story is "voyage of sparrowhawk" it is about 2 children who have lost everything they own and were just trying to hold on hope to patch back all the missing parts of their lives in France. The 2 main characters names are Ben and Lotti. She was a very smart girl but was very impulsive at times which was normal but Ben was the total opposite he was the calm go to person.
Each one of these characters have a horrible background which is why i said they lost everything. Ben's family was lost during the WWI they were either killed or missing so he lived alone in the boat. On the other hand Lotti loved with her uncle and aunt but was treated like a slave.
In their travels they had 2 companion dogs 🐕 Elise and Frederico like how cool are those names. They ain't those typical name like browny or something.
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I very much enjoy this touching story and like i always say middle grade books 📚 really know how to touch your heart ❤.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the time period which this is set in. I think it would be a perfect read for those warm summer days

I can’t help but give this 5 stars, it’s so wholesome, a great chase adventure, lots of daring and sneaky cleverness needed, helpful friendly adults are required to counteract the miserable unkind adults, there is a post war reality check and finally there is a naughty dog and puppies. What more could we ask for in a middle grade adventure story? Definitely recommend for both boys and girls year 5-6.

It's spring 1919, and Ben Langton, 13, feels like he's lost almost everything. His adoptive father Nathan was killed in a bombing in France during World War I when he visited Ben's older brother Sam, wounded in the war. Now, Sam is missing, presumed dead. But Ben refuses to give up hope that Sam will one day return to England and has decided to live on Nathan's narrowboat, the Sparrowhawk, thinking that is where Sam would head to when he comes home. After all, it had been home to the three of them and their dog Elsie for years.
Lotti St. Rémy, 12, is living in her parent's large house called Barton Lacey with her rather unlikable Aunt Vera and Uncle Hubert Netherbury when she isn't being shipped off to dreadful boarding schools only to get expelled. Her parents had both died in an accident and the Netherbury's were Lotti's guardians. What Lotti doesn't understand is why she hasn't heard anything from her beloved French grandmother since her parents death. Grandmother and granddaughter has always been so close.

Ben and Lotti meet onboard the Sparrowhawk after Lotti rescues an abused Chihuahua she promptly renames Federico. Naturally, her uncle threatens to have it shot when he discovers it and send her off to the most dreadful boarding school yet. Ben has been dodging the local constable, Albert Skinner, who doesn't believe Sam is coming home and wants to put Ben back into the orphanage he and Sam has lived in before Nathan adopted them.

Somehow, Lotti convinces her uncle to let a reclusive Clara Primrose tutor her and Ben. Clara has been waiting for the love of her life to return from the war, having promised to wait for him and earning her living as a translator.

But then Clara disappears from Great Barton, and since Ben and Lotti are both 'on the run' from authority figures anyway, they ultimately hatch a plan to take the Sparrowhawk across the English Channel to France to find Sam and Grandmother St. Rémy. There's just one problem. The Sparrowhawk is a narrowboat, it has a flat bottom meant only for smooth sailing through England's many canals, not the open sea. Ben and Lotti, now sporting short hair and boys clothing and calling herself Charlie, set off, only to discover that the constable coming after them. Enter Frank, skipper of the Secret Starling, and old friend of Nathan's, who agrees to help them cross the English Channel. But can the Sparrowhawk, Ben, Lottie, Frank, Elsie and Federico survive the rough currents of the Thames and the Channel?

Two lonely, friendless children, one broken-hearted tutor/translator, one adventurous narrowboat skipper with an emotional connection to Nathan, and two dogs are all tied together in this heartwarming adventure story and what an adventure it is. The overriding theme of this story is family and home and how the loss of one member can make someone feel less than whole and less at home with themselves. Each character, even the constable, has suffered a loss because of WWI that has sent their lives off course and each is looking for a way to set the course straight again and the Sparrowhawk certainly serves as a nice metaphor for this theme.

The story is told from the third person points of view of several characters, giving readers insight to what is going on with all of them. Ben and Lotti/Charlie meet several secondary characters on their journey, who of whom are willing to help them for their own reasons. Readers may find there are lots of coincidences or lucky breaks throughout, but, hey, that's the stuff of middle grade fiction and it works really well here because there are also enough obstacles to overcome.

Voyage of the Sparrowhawk is an exciting, poignant tale with a cast of some very likable characters and some real scoundrels. I should mention that while the war is the cause of everyone's unhappiness, it is really a postwar tale so readers may find Farrant's descriptions of France somewhat graphic, though not overwhelming so. For American readers who may not be familiar with narrowboats, there is an illustration at the front of the book, as well as a great description of the boat's interior at the beginning of the story. There is also a map and timeline of the journey Ben and Lotti undertake.

This is middle grade adventure at its best!

This book is recommended fro readers age 9+
This book was an eARC received from Edelweiss+

Amazing storytelling. Beautifully paced. Fully formed characters. Evocative, descriptive language. Just perfect. Exactly what historical fiction should be. The aftermath of The Great War in England and France seen through the eyes of Lotti and Ben, two kids determined, at almost any cost, to find what everyone tells them they’ve lost.

The Sparrowhawk is a small houseboat where two preteen orphans, Ben and Lotti, become rebellious runaways in search of their lost relatives. The story is set in England and France shortly after World War I. It’s a classic good versus evil adventure story, with both children becoming defiant until they discover happy endings. Lots of adventure, including puppies born on the houseboat. For ages 9 and older.

A rip-roaring adventure with heartwarming moments and great characters make this a delightful read.

Another lovely found-family adventure story by Natasha Ferrant, with just enough challenges for the characters to overcome while keeping a hopeful, uplifting tone throughout.

Une aventure très touchante, avec des passages doux et réconfortants qui atténuent le contexte parfois lourd de la lecture. Deuxième livre de Natasha Farrant que je découvre avec beaucoup d'enthousiasme.

Voyage of the Sparrowhawk was pretty good. I thought it was cool how it took place after WWI because I've mostly read books about during the wars so this was a nice change. I thought it was a nice journey and the story was really entertaining.

Adventure story with lovely friendship

In the aftermath of World War One, Lotti's horrible aunt and uncle want to send her away to boarding school, and the police won't let Ben stay alone in his narrowboat when his older brother is declared missing in France, presumed dead. Lotti and Ben hatch an ambitious plan to sail the Sparrowhawk across the Channel to France to find his brother. Along the way they have to contend with bad weather, suspicious lock keepers, quite a lot of dogs, and a determined police officer, tracking them every step of the way.

Voyage of the Sparrowhawk is a heartwarming, Enid-Blyton style adventure about friendship and family.

I may have liked more The Children of Castle Rock but this new Farrant's novel is absolutely great. The adventures of Ben and Lotti, their friendship, the after WW situation, the (many) dogs - every page of the Voyage of the Sparrowhawk (that's a narrowboat) is an impressing (and often moving) jump in kid's world - full of reminiscences of classic literature of this genre described with a vivid while soft style that won't let you easily close the book, before its end.

À LA CLAIRE FONTAINE!!!!
also 100th book of the year :D

http://www.esmeraldaviaggielibri.it/c...

Cosa c’è al di là del mare di Natasha Farrant, libro per ragazzi pubblicato da Il battello a vapore il 22 giugno.

Cosa c’è di più bello di un libro per ragazzi ricco di avventura con due protagonisti indimenticabili e i loro amici a quattro zampe? Pochissime cose al mondo direi. Con queste poche parole sono certa di avervi già convinti ad acquistarlo per i vostri figli/nipoti, ma anche per voi se, come me, amate particolarmente questo genere. Io non potrei vivere senza e la storia di Ben e Lotti mi farà compagnia per moltissimo tempo.

Ben è rimasto solo, suo padre adottivo Nathan è morto durante la guerra e suo fratello Sam, ferito, non ha mai fatto ritorno, lui però crede che sia ancora vivo e non ha nessuna intenzione di abbandonare lo Sparviero certo che se così facesse ritrovarsi sarebbe ancora più difficile. Il segreto è non far sapere a nessuno che è rimasto solo e far credere che il fratello sia di ritorno. Un giorno trova sulla sua chiatta una ragazzina e un cagnolino, la ragazzina si chiama Charlotte, detta Lotti e si sta nascondendo perché il cagnolino che è con lei non è esattamente di sua proprietà, ma non ce la faceva più a vederlo rinchiuso in gabbia e malnutrito così ha deciso di rubarlo. Lotti ha dodici anni, è rimasta orfana quando era molto piccola e i suoi genitori l’hanno affidata agli zii, certo non potevano immaginare che per lei sarebbe stata una prigione. È tornata da poco dal collegio dopo che è stata espulsa e adesso aiuta la zia o, a seconda dei momenti della giornata, cerca di tenersi il più lontano possibile da loro visto il fastidio che arreca la sua presenza. A loro interessa solo poter disporre dell’eredità di Lotti e fare una vita agiata che possa permettergli di entrare nelle grazie dei nobili in modo da rimanervi anche una volta che tutto passerà nelle mani di Lotti al compimento dei ventun anni. Le storie dei nostri piccoli protagonisti sono strappalacrime però molto diverse, Lotti ha conosciuto l’amore dei suoi genitori, ma il destino ha deciso di porre fine a questa bellissima vita che aveva, mentre Ben è stato fortunato a trovare Nathan e Sam e da quando sono entrati nella sua vita ha conosciuto il significato di famiglia.

la recensione prosegue sul blog

Ben and his brother Sam were adopted by a kindly sailor named Nathan who stumbled across their plight. They had a happy home for a while aboard the Sparrowhawk, but then WWI came and Sam enlisted and got hurt. Nathan went to tend to Sam in hospital, and in a late airstrike, Nathan died and Sam was lost, presumed dead. Ben has been trying to get by on his own and keeps holding out hope that Sam is still out there. Lottie had a charmed childhood with two parents who adored her, but then there was an accident and since she was handed over to her uncle's care her life has been miserable. After getting herself kicked out of her latest dreadful boarding school, Lottie crashes into Ben's life when she uses the Sparrowhawk to avoid the police after rescuing the town rough's poor little abused dog. Ben and Lottie become fast friends, and in a time of desperation decide to set out for France. Ben is going to look for Sam, while Lottie needs to see if her beloved Grandmother is still alive. But it is a long trip for a boat that hasn't sailed for years, neither of them is very experienced boaters, and the local police constable is on their trail.

This is a heartwarming story of strong friends, daring rescues, faithful dogs, and the tenacity to never give up on those you love. I just loved the tone and voice this was written in. It also brings to life what post-WWI life was like for those left behind in England and France, something that isn't often explored in middle grade literature. Everyone Lottie and Ben knows has either lost someone or seen someone they love gravely injured. They come across cities in France which are just piles of rubble. It is sobering, but the book is ultimately hopeful and upbeat. Highly recommended to historical fiction and adventure fans.

Notes on content: Some colorful British expressions which shouldn't get readers in trouble, but may raise eyebrows. About 5-6 minor swears. No sexual content beyond holding hands. As mentioned, just about everyone mentions people they lost in the war or other incidents. Grief is real but doesn't seem to be completely burying anyone (well, one character, but running into the kids helps her snap out of it). There are very few details of any wounds and most of the deaths are mentioned rather than described.

The Voyage of the Sparrowhawk is an exciting, fast-paced adventure. The heroes of the story are Ben and Lotti who are both 13 years-old and orphans. They set out to find Ben’s brother who has been declared missing in France, following the aftermath of World War I. They are also running away from their current living arrangements which are less than satisfactory.

Lotti’s aunt and uncle moved into Lotti’s parental home following the death of her parents. They never had children themselves and their only interest in Lotti was her wealth. They sent Lotti off to boarding school until she orchestrated her expulsion so she could come home, much to the chagrin of her aunt and uncle. Lotti had a grandmother in France who she visited regularly when her parents were alive but she hasn’t heard from her for some years.

Ben spent the first four years of his life in an orphanage until he and another orphan, Sam, were adopted by Nathan. Nathan had become a signwriter following a boatyard accident which damaged his leg. The three of them lived happily on the boat, The Sparrowhawk until the war took Sam to France where he was injured. Nathan travelled to France to see Sam but is killed in a bombing attack. Ben was left in the care of a neighbour but following news of the death of her husband, she decided to go and live with her sister. She offered to take Ben with her, but he told her that he had received a letter from the War Office and expected Sam home soon. There was no such letter. The local policeman, concerned about a minor living on his own, decided to investigate and it was time for Lotti and Ben to make their escape.

There is quite a lot of backstory and Natasha Farrant does well to keep the early part of the story moving. The adult characters who come and go throughout the story keep the focus on the children, though it does lead to a sense of “head-hopping.” The story ends well and the children find security for their futures.

The Voyage of the Sparrowhawk, is a story of hope and perseverance, taking risks and rising to challenges. Ben and Lotti are likeable and relatable which makes for an enjoyable read.

Thanks to Christian School Supplier for providing a free book for review.

This book is one of those rare middle grade gems set after WWI and features how the children left behind, who lost in some cases their entire families, coped.

The main character, Ben, lives on the Sparrowhawk. It’s a houseboat, with a flat bottom, intended only to travel the relatively gentle locks and canals that make up the English countryside’s transportation system. WWI took Ben’s older brother, who is missing and presumed dead in battle in France. Because his father has also passed away, Ben tries to fool the local authorities into thinking his older brother will return soon. But deep down, he knows that isn’t the case. And he’s headed for an orphanage if his deception is discovered.

Enter Lotti, a young girl who lives with an abusive aunt and uncle who are using her for her deceased parents’ fortune. She spots and liberates a little abused and neglected dog from a local crime magnate. But she can’t keep the dog safe if she goes off to boarding school, as her aunt and uncle intend.

Ben’s boat is a fantastic hiding place for all three. Until a local constable figures out that Ben’s older brother is not coming home, and Lotti’s aunt and uncle and the crime lord come looking for her.

With all these adults hot on their heels, the kids make a pivotal decision: to untie the Sparrowhawk and cross the Channel and "sail" to France (the boat has no sails). They have no experience sailing (boating?) and little to sustain them other than their hope. Lotti hopes to find her grandmother to escape her aunt and uncle for good, and Ben secretly hopes his older brother is alive and he'll find him, once they get to France.

The constable tracking them is no Sherlock Holmes, but the kids leave a pretty obvious trail of where they’re headed.

I won’t reveal how it ends, just know there were tears. Pull up a box of tissues for this one. Enjoy.

Looking for more book suggestions for your 7th/8th grade classroom and students?

Visit my blog, The Fabric of Words, for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/

Review: Voyage of the Sparrowhawk - Natasha Farrant

Does anyone else love a children fend for themselves story? I always have and Enid Blyton was forever feeding my imagination with stories of children holidaying on their own and running away to live on uninhabited islands when I was a kid.

Natasha Farrant also seems to understand the value of a good children fend for themselves story but she wisely peppers it with the reality of the fact that it's often not a very good idea.

Ben is living alone on his little boat The Sparrowhawk, desperately hoping his brother will come home after the Great War.

Lottie is on the run with a stolen Chihuaha. The authorities are closing in so the children set off on a journey to find lost loved ones and a place to call home.

Though this book didn't explore the complex family relationships that the Children of Castle Rock does, it did explore childhood grief and the uncomfortable realities of having to grow up faster than most would wish.

The adventure is crazy, but believable and the characters are fleshed out but fallible. There are also some explorations into the aftermath of The Great War that are seldom seen in a children's book.

My only slight niggle is that our antagonists were very much antagonists for the stories sake and were quite simple characters.

But I loved the story overall and this cover could make me daydream all day long, as with TCOCR it seems like a classic adventure cover updated in a fun and vibrant way.

Let me start by saying I am both quite impressed with the author’s writing of what can only be considered a victorian adventure story for kids. (except it was post world war one, so that was well after the Victorian era had ended.) and also surprised that she tried to do it at all.

Think of The Railway Children by E. Nesbit, or any of Dickens stories, and you get the general idea. Plucky orphans, and coincidences, and great adventures. All packed in this fun but strange middle grade novel.

The basic story is that World War One has just ended and Ben needs to find his brother Sam who was wounded in the war, and never found, presumed dead. Lotti’s parents are also dead, and her guardians hate her guts, so she wants to find her grandmother in France.

So, they set out with a narrow boat, the Sparrowhawk, to cross the English Channel, something that is not done. Narrow boats are made for canals.

Along the way they meat a whole cast of characters, and there are amazing coincidences, and it is generally a feel good adventure story.

You just have to suspend your disbelief and take it for what it is.

Thanks to Edelweiss for making this book available for an honest review.

Somewhere between Swallows and Amazons (but on a narrowboat) and Enid Blyton's Adventure and Famous Five series, with a spoonful of Morpurgo realism thrown in for good measure, is this highly entertaining read about runaway orphans setting off for France in search of lost relatives during the first Spring after the end of World War One.

It was very refreshing to find a book for children that is, for the main part, just good old fashioned entertainment, although there are elements of reality, about the effects of war particularly, that did make it thought-provoking at times.

It's not perfect: rather insubstantial adult supporting characters come and go in the blink of an eye, just when the children need them most. And the ending is a little bit cliched, although you can't really argue that it doesn't give us what we want! But Farrant doesn't let the plot slow down at any point, so young readers should be be carried along with enthusiasm and enjoyment. I certainly was. And I am way beyond the age of the target audience.

And through it all, the themes of friendship and of hope shine through.

A practically perfect middle-grade novel; historical fiction with a grand adventure and all the feelings – plus dogs. There’s nothing groundbreaking here – it’s classic storytelling, very well done – and I found it immensely satisfying. I believe THE VOYAGE OF THE SPARROWHAWK will appeal to boys and girls. The young protagonists are delightful, their motivations clear and believable, and the relationships they forge with each other and with the other characters in the book are compelling. Though the protagonists do accept adult help along the way, their motivations and decisions drive the action which is always satisfying to young readers. The pacing of the book is spot on with clear and rising stakes that keep you turning the page to find out what happens next. The story takes place just after World War I and though the loss and destruction of war is conveyed, it is never graphic. The warm heart of the book is community and found family (including the sweet dogs). This is a positive, exciting, and enjoyable read.

Probably 3 - 3 1/2 stars for me, but the target age group will like it better than I did, so it might be 4 for them.

Set in England at the end of WW1. Ben's foster brother Sam is missing in France, and his foster father is dead.
Lotti's parents died years ago, and she has since been under the guardianship of her horrid aunt and uncle. Fleeing the boarding school they've placed her in, she joins forces with Ben, travelling across the English channel to France in search of Sam and for Lotti to be reunited with her grandmother.

It was all tied up a little too quickly, easily and neatly for me, but with a bit of adventure, being chased by police, their tutor finding love, one nice dog and one sh*tty dog (sorry, I despise chihuahuas - couldn't have picked a worse dog for this part), ages 8/9+ will like it more than I did.

Voyage of the Sparrowhawk

I was given this book for my Christmas and lockdown has given me lots of reading time. This book is about Ben, a 13 year old boy and Lottie, a 13 year old girl. They have to solve clues to find Ben's missing brother and figure out why Lottie's grandmother wasn't writing any more letters. To find the answers, they have to travel across the English Channel, the Thames and lots of canals. With a policeman and Lottie's uncle on their tail, this won't be easy.

My favourite bit was when the sparrowhawk crossed the English Channel. I was really scared that the boat was going to sink, after all it was a narrow boat!

You should read this book if you are interested in seafaring, boats and mysteries.

🌟🌟🌟🌟

When unpleasant relatives and a local constable try to ship them off to boarding school and an orphanage, two English orphans team up on an ocean adventure to seek missing family in France in the wake of WWI.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from the publisher in order to write this review.

This novel about courage and found-families follows in the grand tradition of middle grade stories about plucky young orphans embarking on zany adventures. The quirkiness of the narrative voice, along with the historical setting, lend the book a classic feel while the cast of compassionate characters keep the tone hopeful through even its suspenseful moments. A fun choice for upper-elementary readers!

This is a wonderful book telling the tale of two children who venture to France - after the war - to find missing relatives. The story is told with heart and the two main characters of Lotti and Ben are credible and fully formed. This is an old fashioned adventure story in one sense but more contemporary in another sense through the ways in which it deals with bereavement and the aftermath of war. There is a cast of intriguing characters and by the end of the book you wonder if this is the end of the story. A great book for year six learners or all who are young at heart and want to escape into another time.