Spy Penguins

August 15, 2020
An endearing story for fans of the animated film Ice Age and Kate DiCamillo's Flora & Ulysses (2013). In this third installment of Hay's Spy Penguins series, Jackson and Quigley continue to try to prove that they should be hired by the FBI--the Frosty Bureau of Investigation. After hearing about a prison escapee on their radio transmitter, the duo sets out to track him down only to get derailed when Jackson's sick mother asks him to compete in the Rookeryville Golden Egg Games with his unhatched sibling, the Egg. When a rare sapphire, the trophy, and the Egg go missing, the sleuths are able--with help from a local news crew and a tracking device Quigley put on the Egg--to capture the criminal and find the Egg just in time for it to hatch. Allusions to popular stories like "Snow White" push the plot forward and provide clues to help readers solve the mystery before the young penguins do. A slew of amusing puns--Snow and Tell, webbed-site, bin-ice-ulars--contribute to the book's lighthearted charm. Cartoonlike black-and-white illustrations appear every few pages, and a short comic inserted in the text explains the origins of the town and the Golden Egg Games. Readers do not need to have read earlier entries in order to enjoy this one. The epilogue sets the series up for a fourth book. An entertaining romp. (Mystery. 7-12)

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August 21, 2020

Gr 3-5-Wannabe FBI-Frosty Bureau of Investigation-agents Jackson and Quigley return for their third adventure, packed with the same arctic puns ("snow and tell," "webbed-site"), wonky gadgets, and comic mishaps that make earlier entries in this series so appealing. The penguin pals' goal remains the same: Prove they have what it takes to be junior agents. The pair get another chance when notorious jewel thief Icejob breaks out of jail and is tracked to Rookeryville's Golden Egg Games, where Jackson is competing with his soon-to-be-hatched sibling. Hay keeps the action moving quickly, using Jackson's problem-solving skills and Quigley's talent for invention to evenly balance the narrative between the two main characters. Plot threads deftly come together in a raucous climax featuring an avalanche, helicopters, and a robot woolly mammoth. Jagucki's expressive black-and-white illustrations effectively convey characters' emotions and the novel's broad humor. A few less common terms ("plinth," "eidetic memory") may be momentarily distracting, but serve to expand the reader's vocabulary. This title ably stands alone but is a solid entry in the popular series. VERDICT A loving wink to a legendary literary spy who also fights crime in a tuxedo; give to readers who enjoy mystery, humor, and action.-Marybeth Kozikowski, Sachem P.L., Holbrook, NY

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 13, 2018
Jackson and his best friend, Quigley, two penguins in the town of Rookeryville, want nothing more than to join the FBI (“Frosty Bureau of Investigation”); they hope that their detective skills, coupled with Quigley’s knack for inventing gadgets, are the ticket they need to impress. But Quigley’s latest creation, a “super-speedy, ice-blasting spy getaway vehicle” lands Jackson in the middle of an FBI stakeout, angering rather than interesting the head of the investigation. When Jackson finds his FBI agent uncle’s radio, the pair learn of an investigation at the aquarium, where exotic sea creatures are disappearing. Thus begins their madcap adventure as they race to evade Jackson’s mom, solve the crime, and show the FBI just how valuable they could be. Penguin details (“Quigley puffed up his feathers”) and humor (“There was one tiny, krill-sized problem with this plan”) by Hay (the Undead Pets series) build the world alongside cartoon illustrations by Jagucki. A quick pace, an engaging mystery, and attempted inventions—a pair of invisibility suits made of sardines that uses “the same scientific principles” as the fish—will keep readers hooked on this series opener. Ages 7–10.

January 1, 2019
The City Aquarium's rare fish are disappearing, and the head keeper is a suspect. Penguins Jackson and Quigley, aspiring FBI (Frosty Bureau of Investigation) agents, find themselves in the middle of the investigation, giving the bird-boys ample opportunities to prove their crime-solving skills and put Q's spy gadgets to use. This humorous, cozy mystery is peppered with plenty of polar-animal puns and black-and-white illustrations.

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

September 15, 2018
Grades 2-4 Two young penguins angling for jobs with the FBI (Frosty Bureau of Investigation) solve a dastardly eco-crime in this Antarctic antic. There's something fishy going on in Rookeryville: it seems that the City Aquarium is suddenly missing a number of its rare, endangered residents . . . while down the street, the Shark's Pit, a new seafood restaurant owned by unscrupulous prima donna Chilla Coldfinger Belle, readies for a grand opening. Could there be a connection? In waddle Jackson (aka Secret Agent 00Zero) and his buddy Quigley, a talented but timorous techie with a bagful of inventions that sometimes actually work, if not as expected. Complicated by the challenges of slipping past Jackson's mom, herself a detective at Waddles' department store, the would-be agents dive into an investigation. Jagucki slips comical cartoon scenes featuring anthropomorphic penguins of diverse breeds into the well-leaded narrative. It looks like the FBI has a couple of new recruits (once they work off their parental punishment: scrubbing gull poop off neighborhood decks), and fans will flock to their future capers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)

September 1, 2018

Gr 2-5-Jackson and his best friend Quigley are sure they have what it takes to be part of the FBI, the Frosty Bureau of Investigation. After all, Quigley is a master inventor, constantly creating new, if sometimes dangerous, vehicles and gadgets. Jackson is brave enough to test Quigley's inventions, and good at coming up with clever plans on the spot. The two young penguins think they might finally have a chance to join the bureau when they stumble upon an FBI investigation into some missing rare fish from the city aquarium. Jackson and Quigley believe the thief must be Chilla Belle (aka Coldfinger), the owner of the new Shark's Pit Restaurant, but it will take all of their planning and inventing skills to get past Jackson's eagle-eyed mother, sneak into the restaurant, find the evidence they need, and convince the FBI to believe them. The first in a new series, this is chock full of penguin-themed wordplay, including a popular penguin pop star named Justin Beaker. Quigley's inventions, including an "invisibility suit" made of sardine poop, are quirky and fun, as are Jackson's attempts to distract his mom from discovering his spy exploits. VERDICT This light, funny adventure series will appeal to elementary school mystery fans.-Ashley Larsen, Pacifica Libraries, CA

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.