The Polar Bear Explorers' Club
5 primary works
Book 1
It sounded like a respectable and worthy enough death for an explorer - tumbling from an ice bridge to be impaled upon a mammoth tusk - but Stella really, really didn't want that to happen, just the same.
Join Stella Starflake Pearl and her three fellow explorers as they trek across the snowy Icelands and come face-to-face with frost fairies, snow queens, outlaw hideouts, unicorns, pygmy dinosaurs and carnivorous cabbages . . .
When Stella and three other junior explorers get separated from their expedition can they cross the frozen wilderness and live to tell the tale?
A gorgeously imaginative middle grade fantasy adventure combining the best of Peter Pan, Lemony Snicket, Northern Lights and Alice in Wonderland.
'A magical adventure of friendship, bravery and derring-do in a richly imagined world.' The Bookseller
'A fantastic frosty adventure.' Sunday Express
'Wintry, atmospheric, highly imaginative fantasy.' Metro
'The most huggable book of the year . . . An (iced) gem.' SFX
Book 2
The second title in this gorgeously imaginative middle grade fantasy adventure series combining the best of Peter Pan, Lemony Snicket, Northern Lights and Alice in Wonderland.
Stella Starflake Pearl is eagerly anticipating her next expedition. Suddenly disaster strikes when Stella's father, Felix, is snatched by a fearsome witch. Stella must bring her magic ice princess tiara to Witch Mountain or she will never see Felix again! But no one ever returns from Witch Mountain . . .
Stella, Ethan, Shay, Beanie and reluctant Jungle Cat explorer, Gideon, set off into the unknown. They will face chomping pumpkin patches, vampire trolls, poisonous rabbits, outraged vultures and deranged broomsticks in their quest to rescue Felix.
Praise for the series:
'A magical adventure of friendship, bravery and derring-do in a richly imagined world.' The Bookseller
'A fantastic frosty adventure.' Sunday Express
'Wintry, atmospheric, highly imaginative fantasy.' Metro
'The most huggable book of the year . . . An (iced) gem.' SFX
Book 3
In the third magical Stella Starflake adventure the explorers meet gargoyles, sea-gremlins, mermaids, red devil squids - even a Gentleman Flamingo!
Ice princess Stella Starflake and her father Felix are in trouble: President Fogg has expelled them from the Polar Bear Explorers' Club, and banned them from going on any further expeditions.
Stella's not going to be put off by rules and regulations though. She knows her friend Shay is in danger of turning into a witch wolf himself, since receiving a deadly bite on their last adventure. It's vital that Stella and her friends set out to find the spellbook that could save his life, even if it means travelling over the cursed Black Ice Bridge.
It's a formidable and dangerous task, and their journey takes them on a breathtaking, page-turning adventure!
Praise for the series:
'A magical adventure of friendship, bravery and derring-do in a richly imagined world.' The Bookseller
'A fantastic frosty adventure.' Sunday Express
'Wintry, atmospheric, highly imaginative fantasy.' Metro
'The most huggable book of the year . . . An (iced) gem.' SFX
Book 4
In this fourth explorers adventure we meet Ursula, a part mermaid girl who is determined to follow in Stella's footsteps and help her to defeat the Collector!
Ursula knew the submarine wasn't designed to go this deep, but what choice did they have? No one wanted to get swallowed up by a colossal sneezing jellyfish!
In a distant watery corner of the Explorers Kingdom, a submarine engineer, Ursula, is determined to become an explorer. Unfortunately, she hides an extraordinary secret, which makes her the sworn enemy of the Ocean Squid Explorers' Club were they ever to find out . . . But when The Collector threatens the Club, Ursula throws caution to the wind and leads an expedition through treacherous waters, filled with gremlins, aboard the Blowfish submarine - and joined by her friends Max, Genie and Jai - and even her idol Stella!
Thrilling, heart-pounding adventure with exquisite detail throughout. Alex Bell's world-building is second to none.
Praise for the series:
'A magical adventure of friendship, bravery and derring-do in a richly imagined world.' The Bookseller
'A fantastic frosty adventure.' Sunday Express
'Wintry, atmospheric, highly imaginative fantasy.' Metro
'The most huggable book of the year . . . An (iced) gem.' SFX
Book 5
In their fifth thrilling adventure, the explorers journey deep into the Bubble Ocean on their quest to stop the evil Collector, but time is running out . . .
The Poison Tentacle Sea was home to the powerful Bone Current. As they had feared, it gave a sudden surge and pulled them in.
Half-mermaid Ursula Jellyfin has always longed for adventure, and this time the stakes are higher than ever. The Collector is holding a group of children prisoner on Pirate Island, and it's up to Ursula and her friends Jai, Max and Genie to set them free. Armed with a magical mermaid trident, and with new recruit Zara the pirate fairy on board, their mission is filled with danger. The explorers must face zombie skeletons, make a daring rescue from a whirlpool and travel through a dinosaur graveyard. But even if they do make it to Pirate Island, can they fool the Collector and get in to an impenetrable fort?
Fast-paced, magical storytelling in a breathtaking underwater world. Alex Bell's inventiveness and attention to detail is a joy to read.
Praise for the series:
'A magical adventure of friendship, bravery and derring-do in a richly imagined world.' The Bookseller
'A fantastic frosty adventure.' Sunday Express
'Wintry, atmospheric, highly imaginative fantasy.' Metro
'The most huggable book of the year . . . An (iced) gem.' SFX