Mr. Penguin and the Fortress of Secrets

Funny , interesting story about a detective, mostly interested in his fish fingers and fish paste. Like Gordan and Mr. penguins other friends, who added to the story

My 3rd grade twin boys LOVE these books! The writing is clever and the characters are well developed.

I read this book to my kindergarten class, and found myself constantly reading ahead because I just had to know what happened! The kids loved it just as much as I did.

This is the second book in the Mr. Penguin series, which now stands at three books but could probably go on for another dozen or so without anyone minding. The first book devoted a good deal of page time and effort to introducing Mr. Penguin, his spider sidekick Colin, and their detective agency. This book takes off like a rocket from page one and the details are filled in on the fly. It would be perfectly fine to start the series here, but I do have a bit of a soft spot for how neatly and elegantly and amusingly Mr. Penguin was first introduced to us.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.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.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.So, for me, this is a fine addition to the line and a satisfying and entertaining read on its own. Nicely done.(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.)

This is the second book in the Mr. Penguin Mystery series. These are early chapter books that would be great for anyone, but especially reluctant readers. It is a fun story with enough illustrations to add much to the story. Mr. Penguin and his friends Colin the spider, Edith and Gordon the pigeon are trying to keep a rock/gem safe from a trio of baddies. They hop on a plane and it crashes on a snowy mountain. They are saved by a pair of twins and taken to their town, Schneedorf-on-the-Peak. Dieter had written to Mr. Penguin to come and help find his hamster, Mr. Tufytbum alonw with some other rodents who have disappeared. He thought that was why The Adventurers were there. That was not reason, but they decided to help while waiting for a way to go home. Putting themselves in danger, they end up saving the day. This group of Adventurers bumble through the case, have some luck thrown their way and with Colin the Spider's plans and quick thinking, they solve all the mysteries and tie things up before heading home.I read this book to my grandson and he really enjoyed the antics of Mr. Penguin and his friends. He laughed along with their adventures and said this one was even better than the last one. He is hoping there will be another Mr. Penguin Adventure. I have to say, he loved Mr. Tuftybum's name, but he is a 7 year old boy, so of course he did. This book could be read aloud or independently (children ages 8 to 9). I recommend this one, especially for classrooms and family libraries.

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…Set in Schneedorf-on-the-Peak, a town prided on its annual rodent races, this story is much like the book version of a silly cartoon such as Phineas and Ferb or Scooby-Doo. This book is geared towards younger readers, ages 8-12 in my opinion, because of the large font and playful feel, but older readers can equally enjoy the funny characters and silly plot. I would give this book 5 stars because it is funny and adorable with great illustrations. A fun, light read.Reviewed by Sabina E., age 11, Greater Los Angeles Mensa

Another fun and humor-filled adventure for Mr. Penguin and Colin in book 2 of this adorable series. In this Indiana Jones inspired character, children of all ages will enjoy the cute illustrations and quirky adventures of Mr. Penguin and his companion. It has just enough illustrations throughout the book for those children still transitioning from picture books to chapter books. A perfect addition to your home or school library, and a must-read series for your reluctant readers! You'll want to keep a few copies of each title in your school library. Recommended for ages 7 and up!*A DRC was given for an honest review.

My almost-nine-year old loves this book and so do I! The story is a great adventure-mystery and the characters are funny and endearing. We particularly like Colin the spider who can’t speak so writes everything he thinks or says down on a pad. He also does some impressive Kung fu kicks to get them out of various scrapes with baddies.The illustrations are beautiful and are so well integrated into the pages - it’s just a lovely book to own and keep.We have already read the first book and rate that too. We’ll be getting the third book soon and hope that is the same quality. Definitely recommend!

I would recommend this book because it's funny and silly. Also Colin is funny because it's not all the time you read about expert genius Kung fu spiders that bonk giant snakes on the nose. I also like this book because you have to try and work out the mystery before the characters do. The funniest moment is at the end when the secret shadowy figure tells them he is from the B.U.M. agency.By Elsie (age 12)

We have this and other 2 Mr. Penguin bioks and they get read often by my 9 year old. Written to make children laugh. One of our favourite books.

What great books these are...witty, clever writing, lovely illustrations, great for reluctant readers, full of adventure.

My class LOVE Mr Penguin (although I think they love Colin more). Reading this to them at the end of school day is a true highlight. They are always giggling at Gordon’s silliness and the action keeps them interested. They sigh and grumble when I tell them it’s time to go home! Onto book three!