Synopsis: The paradise of Palmbeachia beckons with all its tropical splendour, but first the Darlings must sail past the Republic of Nananagua. A hot, smelly dictatorship, with a secret police force of nannies and surrounded by sharks. Sounds like a horrible place to run aground? It is.

Review: A worthy successor to Lemony Snicket, Llewellyn has created her own family of ‘small but deadly’ heroes. In this tale, we find the Darlings’ ship has run aground in a strange land policed by mean-spirited nannies. Forget Mary Poppins; these nannies lock their wards in rooms and force them to watch TV informing them that everything they want to do (horse-riding, eat ice-cream etc) is a) bad for them and b) not safe. Now that’s a nanny state if ever there was one! This needs serious investigation and who better to overthrow ‘the Great One’ who is running the show, than the Darling children? I laughed out loud at this clever tale, which is packed with entertaining detail – have you ever knocked out a guard with a ‘concussion cream’ or known someone called Senorita Pumpkinita? The supremacy of the children’s rule over their weak father is hilarious to observe and the humour of the Chief Engineer’s teddybear obsession will appeal to most children. Like much popular culture, the book is carefully pitched to amuse both adults and children. Llewellyn’s direct addresses to the reader are reminiscent of Snicket but are carefully timed and infrequent, so do not become predictable. A rip-roaring read that provides plenty of opportunity to explore author’s use of humour.