Middle Grade

Ghosts of the Pacific, the fourth volume in the best-selling Submarine Outlaw series, begins with Alfred and his crew of Seaweed the seagull and Hollie the dog undertaking a harrowing journey through the icy gauntlet of the Northwest Passage on the way to the South Pacific. Alfred wants to see those dark places of the earth where horrendous events have taken place. He sets his sights on exotic Micronesia – a beautiful place, but home to the nuclear testing of Bikini Lagoon; the Suicide Cliffs of Saipan; the airfields of Tinian, where the Enola Gay lifted off with the atomic bomb; and the Marshall Islands, which may conceal secrets to the mystery of Amelia Earhart’s final days. Yet even with these past tragedies in mind, Alfred discovers that the world is facing an even greater threat today. As they sail into the hot, hazy world of the Pacific, they encounter the ruthless killing practices of shrimp trawlers and an island of plastic the size of Texas. Along the way, Alfred, Hollie and Seaweed befriend the crew of an environmental protection ship, who help to inspire him to take on a new goal: to protect the oceans of the world.

“[Ghosts of the Pacific] will capture the heart of any explorer, environmentalist, adventurer or history buff. A must for any classroom library, and a real treat for the avid readers in your school!” – Canadian Teacher Magazine

“Roy’s writing keeps getting better and better. He has a fun, original concept. Ghosts of the Pacific is a page-turning adventure with depth. Roy has done his research, and he has a brilliant plot device with which to work. Alfred is a thoughtful, practical, sympathetic narrator. The book is packed with information-geographical, historical, political-but it never feels didactic . . . an excellent series to have in the classroom. Suspenseful, exciting, thought-provoking and fun . . . for any age. Highly recommended!” – CM Magazine

“This is an award-winning series that will appeal to young readers, particularly boys who are drawn to adventure stories. . . . Readers who follow the entire series will see real growth in Alfred as a character-from a single-minded fourteen-year-old who just wants to explore to a sixteen-year-old world traveler who has learned the beauty and dangers of the sea, witnessed firsthand man’s destruction of the oceans, and pledges to do something about it by becoming an environmentalist.” – VOYA Magazine

“Like a great adventure, Ghosts of the Pacific does not allow the reader the opportunity to be distracted or bored. . . . The plot is relentless, always enriched with unexpected subplots, steeped in a multifaceted landscape of cold and warmth, hardness and softness.” – CanLit for Little Canadians

“[Ghosts of the Pacific] will draw in boys as well as girls, and perhaps even reluctant readers as Roy’s writing is clean and simple while the story is gripping and full of adventure.” – Resource Links

In this sequel to the prize-winning young adult novel Submarine Outlaw, the sea of myth and legends beckons young Alfred once again, and the intrepid young explorer answers the call. With his loyal crew of a dog and a seagull by his side, Alfred sails across the Atlantic in his homemade submarine and enters the Mediterranean in search of the fabled lost island of Atlantis. Ziegfried, genius and master builder of the sub, cautions Alfred to be careful and practical. Yet Sheba, friend and island enchantress, whispers to Alfred: “Trust your feelings.” Indeed, Alfred must trust his premonitions many times on this ambitious and far-reaching adventure. From a daring rescue of drowning fishermen, to a skirmish between the Canadian coastguard and Spanish fishing trawlers; from escaping an exploding WWII sea mine, to colliding with a submerged container filled with toys; from turning the chase on bumbling pirates, to an unscheduled camel trek into the Sahara, Alfred’s submarine voyage brings him closer and closer to the legendary island until one moonless night he finds himself a little too close for comfort.

“Philip Roy’s confident, refreshing Journey to Atlantis avoids the tendency now to write such stories as complicated grand narratives set in magical secondary worlds, and provides a lean, linear, episodic tale [that] has an odd credibility about it, and appealing characters: as for whether it is a ‘boys’ book,’ it seems more a mostly male world that doesn’t preclude female participation or readership.” – Canadian Literature

“An excellent read that takes no time at all; you will not want to put Journey to Atlantis down as the action pulls you forward through the Atlantic Ocean. If you’re looking for an underwater adventure that completely delivers, Journey to Atlantis is definitely worth the read.” – What If? Magazine

“Philip Roy presents another exciting adventure story. . . . Roy covers a neatly fused set of events and topics in an informative and non-didactic way. Journey to Atlantis would be useful in the classroom, especially when read along with a geography or social studies unit on modern ocean travel, the Mediterranean area, or ancient Minoan society. Beyond its practical applications, Journey to Atlantis is really interesting!” – CM Magazine

“This novel will appeal to students who are interested in the history of Atlantis, or who are interested in nautical adventures.” – Resource Links

“Roy has crafted an adventure tale that readers will relish. . . . It is an altogether charming read that will capture the imagination of any young reader who has ever dreamt of exploring the world.” – Atlantic Books Today

“Confident, refreshing . . . compelling . . . echoing the myths and legends, knowledge of seafaring and sea lore. Like Treasure Island‘s Jim, Alfred is old enough to pursue his quest . . . young enough to retain a sense of wonder . . . it has an odd credibility about it, and appealing characters. Philip Roy . . . embraces a more comprehensive definition, resulting in another fabulously rich tale of adventure.” – Canadian Literature

“Journey to Atlantis kept me biting my nails as Al and his crew of dog and seagull tackled peril after peril. Al’s a rare thing these days, an intelligent hero driven by intellectual curiosity, a courageous hero in the face of both physical danger and ethical choices, a hero we’d all want to be. The story plunges from one tense moment to another yet still has time for fun, for thoughtfulness, and for wonder at the world above and below the sea.” – K. V. Johansen, author of The Warlocks of Talverdin