Mr Penguin and the Lost Treasure: Book 1

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Mr. Penguin is new to the Adventure business, and untested, but he proves his mettle in this tale. Smith excels at creating characters who are a bit innocent and inexperienced, but full of good instincts, good intentions, and the right stuff. I think these are great sorts of main characters for kids books. Mr. Penguin isn't foolish or sappy or cowardly or "silly". Like the book's readers, he's keen to have adventures, have experiences, do right, and "grow up". That you can have all of that with some excitement and a lot of laughs is just super extra bonus time. 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 . I am normally not a fan of giving the spotlight to villains, I just don’t like villains so much to get up and close with them. But I did quite like the diary parts that we got in this one. It gave a glimpse into the villain, and besides I couldn’t really see them as a big villain. More as a kid who was treated crappily by their parents because of their powers. 😐 It is no wonder they went craycray. With twenty three short chapters, lots of illustrations, a funny cast of characters and an exciting adventurous story, this is certainly a winner. Best of all, there is a second book in the series planned; “Mr Penguin and the Fortress of Secrets.”

Mr. Penguin Book Series (In Order 1-4) Mr. Penguin Book Series (In Order 1-4)

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. 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 advertises in ‘The Cityville Times,’ looking for adventure and this comes when he gets his first call, from Boudicca Bones at the Museum of Extraordinary Objects. Ms Bones is desperate to find the treasure that her great-great-great-grandfather buried somewhere in the museum and Mr Penguin is sure he can help her. The ending was just fab! It made me wonder if it would all be good in the end, it hypnotised me, it made me laugh, smile, giggle, and I was just delighted to see it all tie together. I am also glad for the villain of the book (and yes, I won’t be saying any more than that, teehee).Smart" might seem to be an odd word to use to describe a funsy chapter book, but that's one of the distinguishing aspects of this book. The vocabulary isn't unfairly demanding, but Smith sometimes uses words that offer just enough challenge to engage an older reader and to broaden the reading experience. ("The sun was just peeking up above the roofs of the skyscrapers and sparkling off their windows. It made the entire town look like it was covered in sequins.") Sentences are complex, and there's enough subtle irony and deadpan humor mixed in to make the text a bit more sophisticated than seems usual to me. 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 fact that our author, Alex Smith, is responsible for the amusing "Claude" series was all I needed to interest me in this book, the first in a new "Mr. Penguin" series. This one seems aimed at a slightly older crowd, but has the same charm and appeal as the "Claude" books. So, I thought this was both good-natured fun and a quality reading experience, and I was delighted to have this new step up from "Claude".

Mr. Penguin Series - Penguin Random House

First up a BIG BIG thank you to Santa, aka my husband, for gifting this one for Christmas! I am so hyped to get further in this series as the first book was just so much fun! So, for me, this is a fine addition to the line and a satisfying and entertaining read on its own. Nicely done.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. Mr. Penguin is a penguin.” Makes sense, right? But… that’s not the whole story. He is also an adventurer. With his friends Colin the spider, Edith, and Gordon the pigeon, he solves mysteries and fights bad guys! This book is the second installment in the Mr. Penguin series by Alex Smith. In this book, a lovable penguin named Mr. Penguin and his friends crash land on Schneedorf, and are welcomed into the city of Schneedorf-on-the-Peak, where a mystery of missing rodents awaits… 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. Hello Yellow - 80 Books to Help Children Nurture Good Mental Health and Support With Anxiety and Wellbeing - Armistice Day: A Collection of Remembrance - Spark Interest and Educate Children about Historical Moments