Adventure is his middle name!: MR. PENGUIN AND THE LOST TREASURE by Alex T. Smith

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're joining Peachtree Publishing Company, Inc for a stop along their current BLOG TOUR featuring the latest from author and illustrator Alex T. Smith.  Perhaps you recognize the name from your own reading adventures or even from this very site, but rest assured if you don't already know him/his work, you're doing yourself a grave disservice.  Well then, now that that's been said, let's dive into something NEW, something CURIOUS, something filled with ADVENTURE, DANGER, SLEUTHING, and WHATNOT!  Ready...set...here comes today's book of choice...

Mr. Penguin and the Lost Treasure

Mr. Penguin, Book 1

by

Alex T. Smith

9781682631201

Peachtree Publishing Company, Inc

RELEASE DATE:  04/01/2019

About the book...

From the international bestselling creator of Claude, comes a brand new hero - Mr Penguin, adventurer and penguin.

Indiana Jones meets Hercule Poirot in this new Alex T. Smith series with plenty of slapstick humour, mystery and adventure. Highly illustrated throughout with a striking black and orange design.

It has been weeks since Mr Penguin's last adventure and he's been stuck at his desk, twiddling his flippers ever since. That is until the phone rings!

Mr Penguin and Colin (a spider and Mr Penguin's silent right hand man) are called in to find the missing treasure somewhere in the Museum of Extraordinary Objects. The quest finds them solving secret codes, fighting ferocious beasts, eating fish finger sandwiches and travelling deep below the museum to a lost jungle...

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Once upon a time, a penguin longed for more than cloudy blue skies and icebergs upon which to float.  He sought bigger things than catching his next meal or escaping the clutches of predators.  He dreamed of being the one that did the catching...but not with teeth and claws, but rather skill and powers of deduction.  Yes, my friends, our dear Mr. Penguin had aspirations of being the next big thing in the world of detectives, and he wasn't going to let anyone or anything stop him...that a boy, Mr. Penguin!  You show the world what's for!  The thing is, sometimes the thing we wish for doesn't turn out EXACTLY as expected...and when the adventure he and his partner land on turns into something BIGGER, something more MYSTERIOUS, something with more proverbial TEETH than at first realized...things get a little dicey.  Will they make it through the unknown unscathed, returning as heroes whose skills are known throughout the city?  Or will they meet a bitter end...totally devoid of fish finger sandwiches?

*dun dun dunnnn*

Right from the start, I knew I had to check this one out.  I mean, come on!  It's written/illustrated by the creator of Claude (and we can't forget Sir Bobblysock!), and while, yes, for a slightly older audience than that particular series, it just gives readers young (and young at heart!) something to grow with.  Now, this story is definitely filled with danger, mayhem, good guys and bad, mysterious thumps, and jungles that crop up out of nowhere, but all the twists and turns, all the highs and lows, all the progress and missteps, add up to one GRAND ADVENTURE...and really, that's all Mr. Penguin asked for!  Paired with the ferociously fun story are some amazing illustrations and while sparse in color variety, the style and palette used make it instantly identifiable as Mr. Smith's work.  Hey, it takes talent to make minimum spectrum images pack a punch, and these certainly do the job intended.  Also...be sure to read ALL areas of the book...even some you may not have inspected that closely.  There may be a few surprises in there for you.

In the end, it was certainly a wild and woolly first adventure for our Mr Penguin, Adventurer and Penguin, along with his kung fu chopping sidekick, Colin (totally loved Colin!  The amazingly strong and silent one!)! Readers beware...dangers await as lost treasure is sought, but you're in good hands...err, rather flippers!

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About the author...

After briefly considering careers in space travel, cookery and being a rabbit, Alex T. Smith finally decided to become an illustrator. He graduated from Coventry University with a degree in Illustration and won second place in the Macmillan Prize for Children’s Illustration. Alex lives in England.

SITE  |  TWITTER

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Special thanks to Elyse at Peachtree Publishing Company, Inc for the chance to bring this tour to you as well as the copy for review.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the author, or the publisher, feel free to click through the links provided above.  This title is set to celebrate its BOOK BIRTHDAY April 1st, 2019 (as of this post), so mark your calendar or pre-order your copy today!

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!



Claude at the Beach by Alex T Smith

Hi there!

Welcome back to the site that’s never said no to a book simply because the target audience was below their reading level (Hello?!  It’s called imagination guys!)….Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we’re skipping over to the Children’s Fiction side of things, with a new addition to a chapter book series you have you simply have to read.  It stars a beret wearing pup and his trusty sidekick as they explore the seashore and all it has to offer.  Grab your swimsuits and shades, it’s time to greet today’s book of choice…

Claude at the Beach

By

Alex T. Smith

9781561457038

Peachtree Publishers

It’s SUMMER!

The perfect time to take in the cooling ocean breezes and warming sun at a favorite hotspot… for most that equals a trip to THE BEACH!  Claude is not immune to a good dose of cabin fever  and thus embarks on a new adventure with his trusty companion and friend, Mr. Bobblysock but as often does with this enormously amusing pair, what starts as a simple day trip to take in some rays, and some stellar waves, turns into something a little bit MORE.  Can anyone say buried treasure, or PIRATES?  Oh yeah.  Hi ho, hi ho, it’s over the seas we go!  Who’d have imagined coming across pirates on the beach?!  Goodness….one truly never knows what adventure will you’ll undertake with this fun pair in tow.  One thing you CAN count on though…it will be fun with a capital “F”. 

This is another great addition to the Claude book series.  Aimed at younger readers just stepping out on their own, they hold qualities enjoyable by a much wider age group.  Little ones will definitely enjoy the illustrations…Claude with his little red beret, Claude decked out in Mr. Shineyshoes’ boxers (What? He had to have a bathing suit at the beach…where else was he going to get one in a pinch?), and of course, Mr. Bobblysocks sporting a killer pair of shades while working on his tan.  The target audience will enjoy the images breaking up the story into smaller, bite sized pieces, allowing them to further practice their reading skills.  Older readers….well, I’d say they’d enjoy the whole kit and caboodle, or at least I know I did.  The color scheme consisting of shades of red, white, pink and black remains a the same as in previous releases, continuing to amaze with how well it all works together.

So, in conclusion, an adventure tail…I mean, tale….for young and old-er alike with it’s multi-faceted appeal.  It’ll bring a smile to your face and a warmth to your heart with every turn of the page.  Trust me, it’s as cute as the cover leads you to believe with just as much whimsy and a touch of wisdom.  A great read, indeed.

Review copy received courtesy of Niki at Peachtree Publishers.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the growing series of Claude’s adventures, or any of their other bookish wonders, be sure to stop by the official site, catch them on their blog, like them on Facebook, or follow along on Twitter.  This title is available now, so be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf near you.

Until next time…happy reading!