The Doldrums

“A dreamy charmer of a book, full of clever wordplay that practically demands it be read out loud.”—New York Times

Have you ever wanted to hold a little piece of the impossible? The Doldrums is an extraordinary debut about friendship, imagination, and the yearning for adventure from author-artist Nicholas Gannon. With the hardcover edition lavishly illustrated in full color, The Doldrums is a modern classic in the making, for readers of inventive and timeless authors such as Brian Selznick and Lemony Snicket.

Archer B. Helmsley wants an adventure. No, he needs an adventure. His grandparents were famous explorers . . . until they got stuck on an iceberg. Now Archer’s mother barely lets him out of the house. As if that would stop a true Helmsley. Archer enlists Adelaide—the girl who, according to rumor, lost her leg to a crocodile—and Oliver—the boy next door—to help him rescue his grandparents. The Doldrums whisks us off on an adventure full of sly humor, incredible detail, and enormous heart.

With approximately twenty pieces of breathtaking full-color artwork, as well as black-and-white spot illustrations, and gorgeous, literary writing, Nicholas Gannon proves himself to be a distinctive new voice with his middle grade debut. Be in it for the limitless imagination. For the characters who capture your heart. For the rich world you’ll want to settle into. But most of all, be in it for the friendship. That, after all, is the true adventure.

Archer B. Helmsley has grown up in a house full of oddities and treasures collected by his grandparents, the famous explorers. He knows every nook and cranny. He knows them all too well. After all, ever since his grandparents went missing on an iceberg, his mother barely lets him leave the house.

Archer B. Helmsley longs for adventure. Grand adventures, with parachutes and exotic sunsets and interesting characters. But how can he have an adventure when he can't leave his house?

It helps that he has friends like Adélaïde L. Belmont, who must have had many adventures since she ended up with a wooden leg. (Perhaps a crocodile ate it. Perhaps not.) And Oliver Glub. Oliver will worry about all the details (so that Archer doesn't have to).

And so Archer, Adélaïde, and Oliver make a plan. A plan to get out of the house, out of their town entirely. It's a good plan.

Well, it's not bad, anyway.

But nothing goes quite as they expect.

“[Gannon’s] warm-toned, fine-lined illustrations, full of delicately quirky details, help carry the offbeat atmosphere and whimsical story. Hand to fans of Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events.” - ALA Booklist

“[A] warm and witty debut…What begins as an adventure…turns out to be, at its heart, a tale of true friendship. Each [friend] breaks out of his or her own prison in unusual ways so that together the trio accomplishes far more than they could have on their own.” - Shelf Awareness

“The art throughout is stunning, moves the story forward, and creates a beautiful package…This whimsical coming-of-age story has a touch of mystery that will endear it to fans of Roald Dahl.” - School Library Journal

“Newcomer Gannon reveals himself as a skilled storyteller, both in his writing and artwork… It’s a tender tale of friendship, untapped courage, and accidental adventure, filled with the spirit of exploration.” - Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“A dreamy charmer of a book, full of clever wordplay that practically demands it be read out loud.” - New York Times Book Review

The Doldrums is delightful! What a wonderful ride of a book! - Jennifer L. Holm, NY TIMES-bestselling author of The Fourteenth Goldfish

“Archer, Adélaïde, and Oliver make the best trio of friends in a middle grade novel since Harry, Hermione, and Ron in the Harry Potter series.” - Clara Martin, Lemuria Books, Jackson, MS

“You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll root for them, and when it’s over, you’ll want to turn the page back to the beginning and read it all over again. This is one of those books that everyone should read.” - Candice Huber, Tubby & Coo’s Mid City Book Shop, New Orleans, LA

“Amusing, heartwarming, and zany. ... The debut author also provides delicate, full-color illustrations throughout. Readers will eventually sigh in relief with Archer and his friends.” - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)