This is an early chapter book that would be great for anyone, but especially reluctant readers. It is a fun story with enough illustrations to add much to the story. It is quite funny with some great characters and just a bit of bathroom humour. Who would have thought another world lay beneath the Museum of Extraordinary Objects? What librarian (retired in this case) wouldn't love a penguin who loves to read? Mr. Penguin enjoys adventure books so much that he opens his own "Adventure Business" and advertises in the paper. His first case is to find the treasure that the great-great-great-grandfather of Boudicca Bones has hidden on the Museum Grounds. With his trusty sidekick, Colin the spider, the adventure begins. It is a bit like Indiana Jones with alligators, waterfalls, scheming jewel thieves and so much more. The illustrations show what's going on in the story, so they are both amusing and helpful in understanding and following the action. I read this book to my grandson over a few days and he really enjoyed the antics of Mr. Penguin and his friends. He asked what a few of the expressions meant as they were British slang, but this did not diminish his enjoyment. He laughed along with their adventures and wanted to know if I had another book about Mr. Penguin. This book could be read aloud or independently (children ages 7 to 9). I recommend this one, especially for classrooms and family libraries. I need to find out if there will be more Mr. Penguin books.

While not quite as funny as the Claude books from Alex T Smith, I enjoyed it just as much. The story isn’t very unpredictable, but how many books are at this level? Penguins are my all time favorite creature in real life and I am mortified at the sight of even the smallest of arachnids. I was able to push past that and really enjoyed the illustrations.

I hope to see Mr Penguin and Colin again! Well done!

A book from the creator of Claude? What's not to like. While Mr. Penguin lacks the off-the-wall humor of the Claude series, it's solidly plotted and has a strong sense of adventure. Mr. Penguin, Colin, and Boudicca face dangers and solve clues. It combines a hint of mystery with a hunt for treasure. Just enough danger to keep it exciting without ever becoming truly frightening for a child. I'll be interested to see what direction Smith takes this series.

The story line was okay story but I think very predictable for me. I already knew who the bad guy is. Unfortunately, the copy provided by NetGalley had blurry pictures, which was very annoying.

What an adventurous and adorable story about a penguin and a spider teaming up to solve a mystery! This story is smart and witty and such a refreshing read! Mr Penguin and Colin head out to solve their first mystery at the museum, in search of missing treasure! I highly recommend this cute little chapter book!
Thank you to Myrick Marketing Media and Peachtree Publishing for this advanced copy.

Smith hit a home run with this one! Mr. Penguin, a penguin from the South now living in the Northern city of Cityville, loved reading adventure stories and one day decided to invest everything he had in becoming an adventurer. He had the office, the hat, the faithful partner, but the only thing he didn’t have were clients.

Miss Bones phoned and was in quite a state. She must find the treasure buried in the museum and Mr. Penguin is the only one she could turn to for help. She needed an adventurer!

As soon as Mr. Penguin and his spider partner, Colin, arrived at the Museum, Colin heard banging. Now, as an adult reading the book, it was quite apparent that Miss Bones and her brother, Montague, were probably not who they claimed to be (especially after hearing that two escaped convicts were also interested in the treasure), but that is part of the book’s fun. How long would it take for Mr. Penguin to discover that Miss Bones was not Miss Bones?

After discovering a secret basement world created by the museum’s founder, Mr. Penguin and Colin faced danger at every turn. A close friend came to the rescue and everyone got what they deserved in the end.

All of the characters are fantastic, full, lively, and accentuated by illustrations. Adults and children of all ages will love Mr. Penguin and root for him. I cannot wait to read another adventure.

Thank you NetGalley and Peachtree Publishing for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy.

Cheerful and Smart

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.

This time out our heroes are the newly minted Adventurer/detective Mr. Penguin and his bowler-hatted spider sidekick, Colin. We're off to search for treasure in an old museum building, and maybe to foil some would be robbers.

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.

The drawing supports all of that wonderfully. The lines are crisp and clear, and color is understated. The drawings illustrate what's going on in the story, so they are both amusing in their own right and helpful in understanding and following the action. Whimsy is in the eye of the beholder, but at least to me these characters just come across as fun and friendly.

"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.

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".

(Please note that I received a free advance will-self-destruct-in-x-days Adobe Digital copy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)