Bea is really looking forward to seeing him these holidays because on the last day Byron's was there the previous summer he gave her an intriguing antique book. It wasn't just any book, it had a map that caught their fascination, a map to a mysterious island called Somewhere. This map showed the island is off the coast nearby and Byron promised Bea that this summer they would go and find Somewhere, they would sail there.

There is a problem lurking, Byron has not arrived yet and it looks like he is not going to make to Bea and her family this year. Talking with her friends she wonders why and why mystery has happened that he has not arrived yet.She really wants to find this island called Somewhere, so she reads the clues that Byron left which brings her in touch with a new friend called Arabella.

Bea and Arabella continue the adventure and try to solve the mystery this beautiful summer. The adventure is beautifully written with  a good central theme, descriptions and grammar, linking hope, family and the joy of the sea. It has just the right amount of intrigue for it to be a good page turner, a throughly enjoyable mystery adventure for the age group. Ideal for school holiday reading or after school homework.

The author

Ashleigh Barton is a children's author and copywriter. Before writing full time, she pursued her love of books (children's books especially) by working in some of Australia's biggest publishing houses, running marketing and publicity campaigns for globally renowned authors and illustrators. Ashleigh is the author of eight successful and highly acclaimed picture books and two junior fiction series, and has been recognised on the CBCA Notables and/or Shortlist in 2021, 2022 and 2023. Her picture book Dinosaur in My Pocket was a 2025 CBCA Notable Book. In 2025  Ashleigh lives in Sydney with her husband, three children and their dog.