Mr Penguin of Cityville is a clever and spirited penguin looking for adventure. Everyone knows that any self-respecting professional adventurer has a trusty side-kick; in Mr Penguin’s case it’s Colin – a spider in a bowler hat who’s terrific at delivering ferocious Kung Fu kicks when necessary! Unfortunately, when this awesome duo accepts the urgent (and dangerous) case to find the museum’s lost treasure, things go awry.

I loved this wacky Indiana Jones-esque tale of derringdo, adventure and friendship. It’s got an outlandish, fast-paced plot with a terrific twist in the end, delightful characters, dastardly villains and a lovable hero. Lots of energetic black-and-white line illustrations (with spots of colour) bring an extra layer of fun to a story that will have readers laughing.

The creator of the much-loved Claude books has done it again! This is the first book in another madcap adventure series guaranteed to keep young readers turning pages. Highly recommended for readers aged 7+.

Athina Clarke is the children’s book buyer at Readings Malvern.