I thoroughly enjoy reading anything by Alex T Smith as his distinctive style of writing is a joy to read both for children and adults and lends itself well to those with dramatic tendencies for the rich opportunities for silly voices. From the internationally bestselling creator of Claude comes a hero like no other: Mr Penguin. Indiana Jones meets Hercule Poirot in this series from Alex T. Smith, ideal for 7+ readers of Dave Pigeon. LoveReading4Kids exists because books change lives, and buying books through LoveReading4Kids means you get to change the lives of future generations, with 25% of the cover price donated to schools in need. Join our community to get personalised book suggestions, extracts straight to your inbox, 10% off RRPs, and to change children’s lives. This time out Mr. Penguin is in full Indiana Jones mode, and the author makes no apologies for that. We have a handy leather satchel instead of a whip, but the gung-ho derring-do is identical. Indeed, possibly as a joke, we open with a ballroom scene about the recovery of an object that plays out very much like the Indiana "Temple of Doom" movie, so there may be a bit of a winking nod there. Once we get through that cold open the real plot starts and it is both easy for a younger reader to follow and inventive and fast paced. From the internationally bestselling creator of Claude comes a hero like no Mr Penguin. Indiana Jones meets Hercule Poirot in this series from Alex T. Smith, ideal for 7+ readers of Dave Pigeon.

Mr. Penguin and the Lost Treasure | BookTrust Mr. Penguin and the Lost Treasure | BookTrust

I also adore that Smith is dedicated to reviving a rich tapestry of quintessentially eccentric British vocabulary for another generation with such delights as 'kerfuffle' and 'skeddaddled' dotting through the otherwise nicely accessible with a touch of stretching vocabulary . We read this aloud and it is great for a range of ages even when Tinyfae was 2 as she was rapt by the story and would proclaim "Oh no!" Or "Mr Penguin!!" at appropriate moments and admonishing me if I wanted to take a break between chapters! The village has a problem. The secret big fortress on the mountain is being lived in. Hamsters and other rodents are disappearing. The yearly contest cannot go on (yes, less terrible I know, but for these people that was a big thing to look forward to). It is up to Mr. Penguin to figure out how the animals are stolen and what is happening at the fortress and I was all there for it! It was really exciting, but also featured enough moments that had me laughing so hard. I just adore the characters, especially Colin with his magical disappearing notebook. I love that we meet new characters and I do hope that we get to see them in other books because I don’t want to leave them.We read this aloud over several months. When asked to rate this book, my companion aged six proposed six stars (coincidence? I think not); while my companion aged seven proposed one to two stars, and then immediately asked to borrow the book so he could reread it himself. I’m not sure we’ve mastered the five star system. So, for me, this is a fine addition to the line and a satisfying and entertaining read on its own. Nicely done. I haven't read the first installment (my husband did) but I enjoyed reading this one aloud to my son. This bored me silly. Vagueness in where things are set, but I felt like it was supposed to map to the Himalayas, though the people were inexplicably Germanic. The few non-whites are either sinister or thieves. The illustrations were once again AMAZING. I love his art so much and I keep being stunned at how detailed it can go. The cogs and the machinery for instance, holy wow. It is just amazing and I so would love a print of it.

Mr Penguin Series by Alex T. Smith - Goodreads

The drawings, often overlooked or dismissed in books like this, are just right and deserve comment. They are amusing on their own, but of more importance they are inserted at just the right points in the narrative and complement the action in a fashion that guides the younger reader through the story. This isn't by any stretch a graphic novel, but is designed more like a novel that has graphics that actually help explain and illustrate the action. Hello Yellow - 80 Books to Help Children Nurture Good Mental Health and Support With Anxiety and Wellbeing - I would 100% recommend this book but if you have not read mr penguin 1 you should read that first otherwise this will book will not not make sense. I enjoyed it, although perhaps not as much as my 7yo and 10yo who were utterly enamoured with it. Mister penguin is a very likeable protagonist and the plot is fun if a little derivative (cough demon headmaster cough). The jokes are solid and it's nicely written. Probably a slight improvement on the first book. I love that despite them getting away with the stone and seemingly going into another adventure, the stone is still important. There is someone lurking in the shadows of Schneedorf-on-the-Peak, someone with the same symbol as the people in the beginning. I was just very eager to see how it would all tie together and if this mysterious stranger is good or.. evil.Indeed, what I most appreciate about these books, (apart from the charm and silliness of Mr. Penguin and the cool competence of the unflappable Colin), is how well it combines plot, action and a fast pace, while never outrunning the younger reader. Some elementary and early middle grade books are too simple and some are unnecessarily convoluted, but the Mr. Penguin books hit that sweet middle spot between those extremes. I really loved the cosy setting of Schneedorf-on-the-Peak for this one, and my son was obsessed with strudel throughout 😂