The Crossing of Ingo
Encyclopedia
The Crossing of Ingo is a children's
fantasy novel by Helen Dunmore
, first published in 2008. It is the fourth and final volume in the Ingo tetralogy
.
It was longlisted for the 2008 Booktrust Teenage Prize
.
------------------
Sapphire, Conor and their Mer friends Faro and Elvira are ready to make the Crossing of Ingo- the most dangerous journey young Mer have to face. No human has ever been chosen to made the Crossing, and the future of Air and Ingo depends on their success. But Ervys, his followers and new recruits, the sharks are determined that Sapphire and Conor must be stopped - dead or alive....
The book starts out with Faro seeing Saldowr and Ervys blow the conch and start the Call. Then the book goes to Sapphire's house. Her mom and her boyfriend Roger are in Australia leaving Connor and Sapphire alone. They have moved back to their old house, but Rainbow and her stepbrother visit often. One day Sapphy and Connor hear the Call. They both realize that they must answer it. But then, a few days later, Connor notices seagulls nesting on their house. Later, Connor goes up on the roof and comes down with a fish egg. He wants to feed it to a neighbors cat, but Sapphire wants to throw it back in the ocean. A few days later, Sadie is attacked by the gulls. Connor and Sapphire take her to the vet's office. Then, Granny Carne, who knows the children must answer the Call, takes Sadie to her house.
When Saphire and Connor go to their cove, they realize they can't go through. Saphire sees Faro, but she wonders why he is not helping them. After they swim free, Faro tells them that Ervys has made their home into a Porth Cas, making it extremely difficult for them to get through. However, they all go to the assembly chamber to answer the Call. They are all chosen with Elvira.
They go outside the Chamber and leave right away. A shark sees them and injures Sapph, but dolphins save the day. The children leave the dolphins and head north instead of south.
-Summary Unfinished-
The Liverpool Echo
described the book as a "wonderful text", with "a dramatic and spellbinding climax". The Book Bag said that it was "just as beautiful as the first three books", adding that "Ingo comes to life in elegant, delicate strokes"; they gave it five stars, comparing it to Narnia
, and named it a future classic. Write Away felt it was "full of adventure and action" and that the ending was "particularly well done and bitter sweet", adding that overall it is "an exciting story, well told". Amanda Craig
of The Times
made it a half-term reading selection—describing it as "a dramatic climax" to the series—and, later, a summer reading selection, when she called it "the most action-packed and satisfying of the four stories".
Children's literature
Children's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...
fantasy novel by Helen Dunmore
Helen Dunmore
Helen Dunmore is a British poet, novelist and children's writer. Educated at the University of York, she now lives in Bristol....
, first published in 2008. It is the fourth and final volume in the Ingo tetralogy
Ingo tetralogy
The Ingo tetralogy is a series of four children's novels by British author Helen Dunmore. The four books are, in chronological order, Ingo, The Tide Knot, The Deep and The Crossing of Ingo. The last book was nominated for the 2008 Booktrust Teenage Prize.-Characters:Sapphire Trewhella Known as...
.
It was longlisted for the 2008 Booktrust Teenage Prize
Booktrust Teenage Prize
The Booktrust Teenage Prize is an annual award given to young adult literature published in the UK. The prize is administered by Booktrust, an independent charity which promotes books and reading.-List of Prize Winners:...
.
Plot summary
Sapphire and Conor have been called to make the dangerous Crossing of Ingo, a journey to the bottom of the world, and it has been prophesied that if they complete it then Ingo and Air will start to heal. They have their Mer friends, Faro and Elvira, to help them, but their old enemy, Ervys, is determined to make sure they don't succeed. They have many adventures going around the world and Sapphire finds new abilities.------------------
Sapphire, Conor and their Mer friends Faro and Elvira are ready to make the Crossing of Ingo- the most dangerous journey young Mer have to face. No human has ever been chosen to made the Crossing, and the future of Air and Ingo depends on their success. But Ervys, his followers and new recruits, the sharks are determined that Sapphire and Conor must be stopped - dead or alive....
The book starts out with Faro seeing Saldowr and Ervys blow the conch and start the Call. Then the book goes to Sapphire's house. Her mom and her boyfriend Roger are in Australia leaving Connor and Sapphire alone. They have moved back to their old house, but Rainbow and her stepbrother visit often. One day Sapphy and Connor hear the Call. They both realize that they must answer it. But then, a few days later, Connor notices seagulls nesting on their house. Later, Connor goes up on the roof and comes down with a fish egg. He wants to feed it to a neighbors cat, but Sapphire wants to throw it back in the ocean. A few days later, Sadie is attacked by the gulls. Connor and Sapphire take her to the vet's office. Then, Granny Carne, who knows the children must answer the Call, takes Sadie to her house.
When Saphire and Connor go to their cove, they realize they can't go through. Saphire sees Faro, but she wonders why he is not helping them. After they swim free, Faro tells them that Ervys has made their home into a Porth Cas, making it extremely difficult for them to get through. However, they all go to the assembly chamber to answer the Call. They are all chosen with Elvira.
They go outside the Chamber and leave right away. A shark sees them and injures Sapph, but dolphins save the day. The children leave the dolphins and head north instead of south.
-Summary Unfinished-
Reception
This book has had excellent reception with fantasy fans.The Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
The Liverpool Echo is a newspaper published by Trinity Mirror in Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It is published Monday to Saturday, and is Liverpool's evening newspaper while its sister paper, the Liverpool Daily Post, is the morning paper...
described the book as a "wonderful text", with "a dramatic and spellbinding climax". The Book Bag said that it was "just as beautiful as the first three books", adding that "Ingo comes to life in elegant, delicate strokes"; they gave it five stars, comparing it to Narnia
The Chronicles of Narnia
The Chronicles of Narnia is a series of seven fantasy novels for children by C. S. Lewis. It is considered a classic of children's literature and is the author's best-known work, having sold over 100 million copies in 47 languages...
, and named it a future classic. Write Away felt it was "full of adventure and action" and that the ending was "particularly well done and bitter sweet", adding that overall it is "an exciting story, well told". Amanda Craig
Amanda Craig
Amanda Craig is a British novelist. Craig studied at Bedales School and Cambridge and works as a journalist. She is married with two children and lives in London....
of The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
made it a half-term reading selection—describing it as "a dramatic climax" to the series—and, later, a summer reading selection, when she called it "the most action-packed and satisfying of the four stories".