I am happy to share that my wife, Diana, has been working on a middle-grade eco-adventure novel through multiple UNICEF country postings.
Since retiring, we have both been working on promoting the book, which is now ready for publication! It’s been a huge learning curve to publish and market it, but now it’s finally ready to be born!
Tim Schaffter
STORY DESCRIPTION:
Two unlikely teammates
on a continent-hopping race
to photograph 7 endangered animals . . . and solve a mystery.
When twelve-year-old Armando stumbles on his mother's old race journal and convinces his quirky grandmother to join the Amazing Animal Race––the same race his mother disappeared on––his summer explodes into a wild global adventure. Armed with night vision goggles, bear spray, and support from his tech-savvy friend Jinny, Armando ventures across the icy Arctic to the steamy Amazon.
What starts as a race to help endangered animals spirals into a treacherous quest to unravel a mystery that will change Armando's family—and his life––forever.
.png)
In addition to exploring issues related to environmental justice, climate change and endangered animals, Armando spends time with a skills development project in Cairo, assisting children living on the street.
This fast-paced book is now available on Amazon worldwide and in bookstores for pre-order for its launch on 20 May 2025. It will be available in ePub format at the time of the launch.
Amazon Canada: https://tinyurl.com/3z8jftcp
Amazon USA: https://tinyurl.com/29p6p357
Amazon UK: https://tinyurl.com/5myyrcr8
Amazon India: https://tinyurl.com/rzc2963c
We hope you will buckle up and join this page-turning, continent-hopping race—an ideal summer reading gift for retirees, teachers, children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews—and any young person who loves a thrilling adventure, mystery, and animals.
For ages 8 to 108.
Regards,
Tim Schaffter
Reviews:
“…a whirlwind of an environmentally minded tale ...”
—KIRKUS REVIEWS – “Our Verdict: √ GET IT!”
“. . . fantastically engaging . . . super fun as well as poignant. . .”
—JENNIFER REES, editor, The Explorer Academy series, National Geographic
“. . . will resonate with anyone who yearns for adventure . . .”
—MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW
“Whimsical . . . intricate, thoughtful coming-of-age novel . . .”
—Foreword Clarion Reviews (four stars)
From the first page to the last, this book cast a spell on me. I buzzed through this adventure in two days. The clever and unexpected plot twists kept me up all night. It’s filled with travel adventure. Intrigue. Good guys vs bad guys. Bizarre, endangered animals I’ve never heard of, and predictable family challenges. I laughed and cried.
I know it was written for middle grade, but the story kept this intellectual senior citizen fully engaged and completely entertained. I loved the positive quips from Granny D. And the noble purpose of the race…to save animals from extinction. Don’t miss the fabulous finish!
—75-year-old retiree
What Kids Say About the Book
“I liked the suspense and the adventure, and the characters are funny. Granny D’s expressions are some of my favorite things. I like how Armando is courageous and always wants to do the right thing and help people.”
––Leif W. (Canada), age 9
“I liked Armando’s curiosity and love for animals. My favorite animal was the jerboa. It’s so cute! I never heard about it before. I liked Brazil and Greenland the most. I could feel like I was walking in the rainforest and going on a dogsled!”
––Lily G. (Japan-Canada), age 10
“The story is very realistic, and I can picture the Amazing Animal Race actually happening. I love the race and its purpose to raise awareness about endangered animals.
––Milly D. (Australia), age 11
“Last night, I was up until midnight reading. I could not stop, and in the end, every question got answered. I like Jinny a lot because she reminds me of my best friend, who always talks about climate change and who cares a lot about animals.”
—Junia V. (Sweden), age 12
“I couldn’t put the book down. I felt like I was actually with Armando the whole time, and the imagery was insane. I could picture everything so clearly.”
––Ayla D. (Australia), age 13
Comments
Post a Comment
If you are a member of XUNICEF, you can comment directly on a post. Or, send your comments to us at xunicef.news.views@gmail.com and we will publish them for you.