SATA
ENTRY TYPE:
WORK TITLE: Astrid and the Space Cadets: Attack of the Snailiens
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.alextsmith.com/
CITY: York
STATE:
COUNTRY: United Kingdom
NATIONALITY: British
LAST VOLUME: SATA 378
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born August 2, 1985, in Coventry, England; son of an education consultant; married, wife’s name Jemma.
EDUCATION:Coventry University, B.A. (first class honors), 2006.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Children’s book author and illustrator.
AWARDS:Best Emerging Illustrator Award shortlist, British Book Trust, 2008, and Coventry Inspiration Book Award, Coventry City Council, 2009, both for Eliot Jones, Midnight Superhero by Anne Cottringer; Dundee Picture Book Award, Dundee City Council, 2011, for Bella and Monty: A Hairy, Scary Night; Stockport Children’s Book Award, 2011; Richard and Judy Children’s Book Club selection, 2011, and Waterstones Children’s Book Prize shortlist, 2012, both for Claude in the City.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
British children’s book author and illustrator Alex T. Smith gained attention early in his career through his artwork for Eliot Jones, Midnight Superhero, a roundly acclaimed picture book by Anne Cottringer first published in the United Kingdom in 2008. Smith went on to create his self-illustrated “Claude” series featuring a naughty dog in a variety of adventures. Similarly, Smith’s “Mr. Penguin” picture books showcase a fish-sandwich-loving Penguin who finds himself tasked with solving improbable mysteries. In addition to these critically acclaimed series, Smith has self-illustrated a number of other titles, including Home, Little Red and the Very Hungry Lion, and How Winston Delivered Christmas.
Eliot Jones, Midnight Superhero centers on a mild-mannered, perfectly behaved little red-headed boy named Eliot, who remains quietly reading most of the day. Unbeknownst to his family, however, Eliot is merely storing up energy for his secret other life as a daring adventurer, crime-solver, wild-animal rescuer, and rocket scientist. A Children’s Bookwatch critic gave the picture book high marks, writing that Smith’s “delightful, whimsical illustrations lead the reader through all of Eliot’s fantastic adventures and safely back home again.”
Smith, who earned a degree in illustration from Coventry University, gained steady work after the success of Eliot Jones, Midnight Superhero, and his drawings for Angela McAllister’s My Mum Has X-Ray Vision also captured young readers’ imaginations. The central event in McAllister’s story concerns an elderly neighbor’s gardening mishap and the quick-thinking response of Matthew’s mom. The youngster had already begun compiling a dossier on his parent, and she continues to astonish him with her seemingly superhuman abilities. “Young readers will recognize this puzzled child’s analysis of an age-old mystery,” commented Mary Elam in her School Library Journal review of My Mum Has X-Ray Vision.
In Smith’s self-illustrated story Home, the titular address houses a quartet of very different housemates. When they decide to part ways and divide their abode, Reindeer wants to become a pirate, but finds himself adrift at sea circled by sharks; Bear finds life on a mountainside lonely, with no one to hear his yodels; Rabbit realizes that living in a cave is not very fun; and Badger yearns for a big-city non-stop party until he experiences the down-side of too much nightlife.
Published in the United States as Foxy and Egg, Smith’s self-illustrated story in Egg cemented Smith’s reputation as a clever picture-book moralist. After foxes devour the region’s chickens, a guileless egg—named Egg—does not notice the ominous chicken-themed décor when he arrives on the doorstep of vixenish Foxy DuBois one evening, seeking shelter. Foxy feeds Egg an enormous meal and then drifts off to sleep dreaming how she will cook him in the morning. The next day, however, brings a surprise, as one of the fox’s natural predators emerges from the egg instead of a baby chick. “Smith writes in a wry, ever-so-slightly sinister tone glossed with a chipper fairy-tale veneer,” noted Alyson Low in her appraisal of Foxy and Egg in School Library Journal.
Little Red and the Very Hungry Lion finds Smith revisiting the classic tale of Little Red Riding Hood. His version is set in the present in Africa. A girl named Little Red outsmarts a Lion, who tries to trick her into being his next meal. After giving Lion a makeover, Little Red scolds him for trying to eat her and offers him doughnuts instead. A Kirkus Reviews writer suggested: “Great storytelling braided with lively color and a culturally affirming accent makes this book a real standout.” “It’s a spry and very funny retelling with a heroine whose savvy and take-charge attitude carry the day,” asserted a reviewer in Publishers Weekly. Booklist critic Paula Willey remarked: “This hilarious retelling is destined for repeat reads.” Joy Court, contributor to School Librarian, commented: “This is a wonderful version of Little Red Riding Hood.”
How Winston Delivered Christmas, divided into twenty-four and a half chapters for advent reading, features a tiny mouse on a big mission. When eight-year-old Oliver attempts to stick a letter in the mail for Santa on a windy day, it blows away and is discovered by Winston the mouse. Determined to help Oliver’s letter reach its proper destination, Winston sets out on a quest. His adventures include meeting new creatures, including a pigeon and a cat, as well as a trip to a toy store. Ultimately, both Oliver and Winston get the Christmas they hoped for. School Library Journal critic Amy Nolan took note of the book’s format, which allows for a chapter to be read each day in December until Christmas day. Along with the story of Oliver and Winston, chapters feature seasonal family activities, including recipes and crafts. Dubbing the picture book “excellent,” Nolan recommended it “as a gift or to add to a home library.” A Kirkus Reviews critic described Smith’s illustrations as having an “Edwardian look,” and recommended How Winston Delivered Christmas as “a Christmas cozy, read straight or bit by bit through the season.”
Claude in the City introduces a dapper, mischievous hound who leads an exciting life whenever his oblivious human guardians are at work. The beagle-like Claude wears a beret and cavorts around town with his loyal companion, a striped sock named Sir Bobblysock. Smith’s first “Claude” book was selected for the Richard and Judy Children’s Book Club, a popular daytime talk show airing in the United Kingdom, and it also turned up on the shortlist for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize.
Smith’s canine character returns in Claude at the Circus. This volume finds the dog taking part in classic circus performances, including walking on a tightrope and being shot from a cannon. “The climax has everything a child could want in a book,” asserted a Kirkus Reviews writer. Laura Scott, contributor to School Library Journal, commented: “There is lots of fetching humor for transitional chapter book readers.”
In Claude at the Beach, Claude and Sir Bobblysock pack for a day at the beach, bringing along a range of seemingly-unnecessary items, such as whipped cream and a tambourine. On the beach, Claude goes treasure hunting with pirates and saves a person’s life. A contributor to Kirkus Reviews commented: “Readers willing to go with Claude’s flow will enjoy reading this third adventure on the beach or on a hidden desert island.” Suzanne Myers Harold, reviewer in School Library Journal, called the book “a fun choice for children who enjoy absurdist humor, but probably best as a read-aloud.”
Claude and Sir Bobblysock go on a wintry adventure in Claude on the Slopes. Sir Bobblysock dons an array of bizarre outfits during their trip. A Kirkus Reviews critic suggested: “It’s hard not to love a main character who wears a one-man-band outfit to the library.” “The short chapters will keep young readers giggling and rooting for the dog with the giant nose,” predicted Michele Shaw in School Library Journal.
Claude in the Spotlight finds Claude and Sir Bobblysock unexpectedly becoming part of a variety show. They stop an imposter from stealing the prize awarded to the best act in the show and end up winning the prize themselves. Claude and Sir Bobblysock’s adventures continue as they befriend a rural cow named Mrs. Cowpat in Claude in the Country. They also accompany her to the county fair, where Claude finds himself in humorous situations involving livestock. Writing in School Library Journal, H. Islam commented: “Smith offers another strong entry in this delightfully odd series for picture book readers.”
In Claude All at Sea, the dog and the sock encounter quirky characters, including a sea monster named Nigel, Captain Poopdeck, and Cindy Seaweed. Max Rutherford, reviewer in School Librarian, suggested that the book “will have little ones laughing out loud.” Claude on the Big Screen finds the dog and his sock friend accidentally barging into the set for a movie. Through a string of accidents, they end up acting in the film. Julia Smith, contributor to Booklist, commented: “Smith’s endearing duo will easily hold the attention of young readers through their camaraderie and silly escapades.”
Smith comes from a dog-loving family: he and his wife have four of their own, including two Chihuahuas, but it was one of his parents’ dogs that inspired him to create the doodle that evolved into Claude. “The dog, wearing a beret, was sitting in a cafe having a drink and it was like he had been waiting in my mind,” he told in Tamzin Lewis in an interview in the Newcastle Journal. Claude’s rapscallion personality, however, is directly based on that of Smith’s grandfather, “who was always bumbling into funny situations,” as the artist added. “He was Head of English at a secondary school and used to write radio plays. After he retired he would write me a story every day.”
Mr. Penguin and the Lost Treasure is the first book in another series by Smith. The titular protagonist and his spider friend, Colin, are asked to solve a mystery on behalf of Boudicca Bones, proprietor of the Museum of Extraordinary Objects. A Kirkus Reviews writer described the volume as a “quirky, sharply illustrated chapter book.” “The book is beautifully produced,” asserted Lesley Martin in School Librarian. Reviewing the volume in School Library Journal, Maria B. Salvadore commented: “Fresh and funny, fans of the author’s ‘Claude’ series will be delighted to meet Mr. Penguin and companions.”
Mr. Penguin returns in Mr. Penguin and the Fortress of Secrets. Colin once again joins Mr. Penguin along with crafty human Edith Hedge and pigeon Gordon for a mission. In an attempt to find the Enigma Stone, the group crashes their plane in a strange village. Among the many odd instances that occur, rodents vanish and a fortress comes back to life. The group searches for connections in what a Kirkus Reviews critic described as a “second caper” that is “as silly as the first.” The critic predicted that “fans will be happy more adventures are in the offing.”
Mr. Penguin, Colin, Edith Hedge, and Gordon are ready for a relaxing vacation in Mr. Penguin and the Catastrophic Cruise. Unfortunately, things go awry and the team finds themselves decoding messages, confronting pirates, encountering a sea monster, and meeting a shifty secret agent in a trench coat. “The twisty roller coaster of a plot doesn’t lack for genuine suspense,” determined a Kirkus Reviews critic. Noting that readers do not have to be familiar with previous works in the series, the reviewer dubbed Mr. Penguin and the Catastrophic Cruise “ridiculously charming.”
[open new]The feathered detective and his coterie take on the ancient pyramids in Mr. Penguin and the Tomb of Doom, which finds Edith Hedge getting kidnapped during a tour in the Egyptian desert. Following clues onto a train that proves inhospitable, Mr. Penguin, Colin, and Gordon make essential friends in young boy Farooq and his one-eyed cat Iris. Advancing into the Valley of Peril proves as perilous as can be. A Kirkus Reviews writer reveled in this “spine-tingling, rib-tickling … twisty mystery,” which delivers “enough laughs and lively illustrations (containing subtle clues) to keep pages turning to the silly close.” The reviewer commended the fourth “Mr. Penguin” book as “delightful slapstick sleuthery.”
Smith has pursued the Christmas spirit further in a second Winston book, How Winston Came Home for Christmas, and retellings of classic stories including The Nutcracker. He himself translated The Grumpus and His Dastardly, Dreadful Christmas Plan from the original North Polish. Smith gives a playful twist to a popular carol with The Twelve Days of Christmas; or, Grandma Is Overly Generous. Brown-skinned with old-time attire, Eloise recounts what her grandma mailed to her on each day of Christmas. The presents are familiar until the sixth and ensuing days bring the likes of snorkeling squirrels, balancing bears, and at last a pragmatic punchline of a gift. A Kirkus Reviews writer enjoyed how the original carol’s curious gifts “get even quirkier in this clever U.K. import.” Affirming that the “colorful illustrations are comically energetic, enhanced by the inclusion of Edwardian-esque stamps and postage marks,” the reviewer hailed Smith’s retelling as “delightful.”[close new]
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, March 15, 2011, Diane Foote, review of Foxy and Egg, p. 63; May 1, 2011, Diane Foote, review of My Mom Has X-Ray Vision, p. 94; July 1, 2016, Paula Willey, review of Little Red and the Very Hungry Lion, p. 60; October 15, 2017, Julia Smith, review of Claude on the Big Screen, p. 49.
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, June, 2011, Deborah Stevenson, review of Foxy and Egg, p. 490.
Children’s Bookwatch, March, 2010, review of Eliot Jones, Midnight Superhero.
Horn Book, May-June, 2011, Susan Dove Lempke, review of Foxy and Egg, p. 76.
Journal (Newcastle, England), July 30, 2011, Tamzin Lewis, “Mind Games of Dog on an Adventure” (profile of Smith), p. 35.
Kirkus Reviews, July 15, 2009, review of Eliot Jones, Midnight Superhero; February 1, 2011, review of Foxy and Egg; February 15, 2011, review of My Mom Has X-Ray Vision; August 15, 2013, review of Claude at the Circus; March 1, 2014, review of Claude at the Beach; September 15, 2014, review of Claude on the Slopes; April 15, 2016, review of Little Red and the Very Hungry Lion; January 15, 2019, review of Mr. Penguin and the Lost Treasure; July 15, 2019, review of Mr. Penguin and the Fortress of Secrets; August 1, 2019, review of How Winston Delivered Christmas; August 15, 2020, review of Mr. Penguin and the Catastrophic Cruise; April 1, 2022, review of Mr. Penguin and the Tomb of Doom; September 1, 2024, review of The Twelve Days of Christmas; or, Grandma Is Overly Generous.
Publishers Weekly, February 15, 2010, review of Home, p. 127; May 16, 2016, review of Little Red and the Very Hungry Lion, p. 53.
School Librarian, fall, 2010, Diana Barnes, review of My Mum Has X-Ray Vision, p. 156; spring, 2011, Frances Breslin, review of Egg, p. 30; winter, 2015, Joy Court, review of Little Red and the Very Hungry Lion, p. 222; fall, 2016, Max Rutherford, review of Claude All at Sea, p. 158; spring, 2018, Lesley Martin, review of Mr. Penguin and the Lost Treasure, p. 44.
School Library Journal, September, 2009, Laura Stanfield, review of Eliot Jones, Midnight Superhero, p. 118; May, 2010, Judith Constantinides, review of Home, p. 92; March, 2011, Alyson Low, review of Foxy and Egg, p. 135; April, 2011, Mary Elam, review of My Mom Has X-Ray Vision, p. 147; December, 2013, Laura Scott, review of Claude at the Circus, p. 104; June, 2014, Suzanne Myers Harold, review of Claude at the Beach, p. 93; September, 2014, Michele Shaw, review of Claude on the Slopes, p. 113; November, 2015, Lindsay Persohn, review of Claude in the Spotlight, p. 91; March, 2016, H. Islam, review of Claude in the Country, p. 125; March, 2019, Maria B. Salvadore, review of Mr. Penguin and the Lost Treasure, p. 104; November, 2019, Amy Nolan, review of How Winston Delivered Christmas, p. 54.
ONLINE
Alex T. Smith website, https://www.alextsmith.com (March 8, 2025).
Arena Illustration website, http://arenaillustration.com/ (February 24, 2014), author interview.
Forest, https://www.theforestbooks.com/ (April 16, 2019), author interview.
Alex was born in 1985 and has drawn and written stories since he could hold a pencil.
After considering several career options (space traveler, cake maker, professional rabbit) and working as a production assistant for an outdoor theatre events company, Alex decided to train to do the job he’d wanted to do since he was five - an illustrator specialising in the world of children’s publishing.
Alex graduated with a 1st Class Hons degree in Illustration in 2006 and having won second place in the Macmillan Prize for Children’s Picture Book Illustration in his final year, Alex begin working on his first commission as he put his degree show up!
Since then Alex has gone on to work for a wide variety of clients not just in the publishing industry, as well as writing and illustrating his own picture books, many of which have won prizes and have been read on TV during the Bedtime Hour on the CBeebies channel.
Alex is also the creator of the CLAUDE fiction series for early readers. The first title,CLAUDE in the City was selected for the Richard and Judy Children’s Book Club 2011 and was shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize in 2012. The first three books in the series are now published in fourteen languages across the world and a further three books will be hitting the shelves from October 2012.
When not working Alex enjoys doodling in his sketchbook, reading, people watching and eavesdropping. He is also a big fan of cake and a nice cup of tea. He lives with and under the constant ‘supervision’ of his canine companions - two very tiny, very naughty chihuahuas (Coco and Mr. Bongo) and an ancient and very bossy Yorkshire Terrier - Lucy Locket.
He is represented in the UK and USA by Arena Illustration
www.arenaillustration.com
You can also follow Alex on Twitter
@Alex_T_Smith
Selection of Awards and Nominatons:
Highly Commended - Macmillan Prize for Children’s Picture Book Illustration 2005
2nd Prize -Macmillan Prize for Children’s Picture Book Illustration 2006
Shortlisted, Best Emerging Illustrator - The Book Trust 2008
Longlisted - The Greenaway Medal, 2009
Nominated - Blue Spruce Award (Canada)
Winner, Picture Book Category - Coventry Inspiration Book Awards
Winner - Dundee Children’s Book Award 2011
Winner - Stockport Children’s Book Award 2011
Shortlisted- Sheffield Children’s Book Award 2011
Longlisted - The Greenaway Medal, 20013 (Two Books)
Shortlisted: AOI Illustration Awards 2013 (Children’s Book category)
Publishing Clients Include:
Faber Children’s Books
Hodder Children’s Books
Macmillan Children’s Books
Meadowside Children’s Books
NordSud Books (Europe)
Scholastic Children’s Books
Simon and Schuster Children’s Books (UK)
Other Clients Include:
Bookstart
Penny Black
Scholastic Education
The Guardian Guide
Woman’s Weekly
Waitrose
Alex T Smith
UK flag (b.1985)
Alex T. Smith is an English author and illustrator of children's books, including Primrose, Egg, Ella, and the Claude book series. He was the illustrator for World Book Day 2014 in September 2013.
Genres: Children's Fiction
New and upcoming books
October 2024
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Murder! By Narwhal!
(Grimacres Whodunnit, book 1)2025
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Danger at the Black Lagoon!
(Astrid and the Space Cadets, book 3)
Series
Tom & Matt (with Anna Maxted)
The Baddie (2010)
The Horrible Princess (2010)
Pirate Mermaid (2013)
Stolen Dinosaur (2013)
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Claude
Claude in the City (2011)
Claude On Holiday (2011)
Claude At the Circus (2012)
Claude in the Spotlight (2013)
Claude At the Beach (2014)
Claude All At Sea (2014)
Lights! Camera! Action! (2015)
Claude On the Slopes (2016)
Claude in the Country (2016)
Claude Going for Gold! (2016)
Santa Claude (2016)
Claude On the Big Screen (2017)
Claude Adventures (2018)
All About Keith (2019)
Anyone For Strawberries? (2019)
Camp Claude (2020)
Claude Comic Capers (2020)
Claude at the Palace (2020)
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Foxy Tales (with Caryl Hart)
1. The Cunning Plan (2014)
2. The Road to Fame and Fortune (2014)
3. The Great Jail Break (2015)
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Mr Penguin
1. Mr Penguin and the Lost Treasure (2017)
2. Mr. Penguin and the Fortress of Secrets (2018)
3. Mr Penguin and the Catastrophic Cruise (2019)
4. Mr Penguin and the Tomb of Doom (2021)
Mr Penguin 4 Books Collection Set (2022)
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Winston
1. How Winston Delivered Christmas (2018)
2. How Winston Came Home for Christmas (2021)
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Claude TV Tie-ins
Dream Bun (2020)
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Astrid and the Space Cadets
1. Attack of the Snailiens! (2024)
2. Race from Planet Peril (2024)
3. Danger at the Black Lagoon! (2025)
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Grimacres Whodunnit
1. Murder! By Narwhal! (2024)
aka Astrid and the Space Cadets
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Novels
The Grumpus (2022)
The Nutcracker (2023)
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Novellas and Short Stories
The Twelve Days of Christmas (2020)
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Series contributed to
World Book Day 2019
Claude Best in Show (2019)
Alex T. Smith
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Alex T. Smith
Alex T. Smith in 2017
Alex T. Smith in 2017
Born 2 August 1985 (age 39)
Coventry, Warwickshire, England
Occupation Author, Illustrator
Alma mater Coventry University
Website
www.alextsmith.com
Alex T. Smith (born 2 August 1985) is a British author and illustrator of children's books, including Primrose, Egg, Ella, and the Claude book series. He was the illustrator for World Book Day 2014 in September 2013.[1] His books have been published in several languages including Welsh,[2] French,[3] German,[4] Swedish,[5] Italian,[6] Hungarian[7] and Chinese.[8]
Education
He graduated in 2006 from Coventry University with a degree in illustration.[9]
Claude series
Claude is a dog. Claude is a small dog. Claude is a small, plump dog. Claude is a small, plump dog who wears a beret and a lovely jumper...
— Alex T. Smith
The adventures of Claude were published in a series of 10 books from 2011 to 2016. Recurring characters include Sir Bobblysock who accompanies Claude, and Mr & Mrs Shinyshoes, Claude's owners.
Claude was chosen as one of Clara Vulliamy's five favorite fictional characters [10] and appears on gift cards produced by National Book Tokens.[11]
In October 2013, it was announced that Claude had been optioned by Sixteen South for television[12] aimed at boys and girls aged 4–6, and premiered on Disney Junior in June 2018.[13]
Bibliography
Eliot Jones, Midnight Superhero (2009) - illustrator; text by Anne Cottringer
Home (2010)
My Mum has X-Ray Vision (2010) - illustrator; text by Angela McAllister
Bella and Monty: A Hairy, Scary Night (2010)
Egg (2011)
Fantastic Frankie and the Brain-drain Machine (2011) - illustrator; text by Anna Kemp
Ella (2012)
Eliot, Midnight Superhero (2012 revised edition) - illustrator; text by Anne Cottringer
Happy Birthday, Bunny! (2012) - illustrator; text by Anna Schaub
Primrose (2013)
Catch Us If You Can-Can (2013)
Hector and the BIG BAD KNIGHT (2014)[14]
Little Red and the Very Hungry Lion (2015)
Grave Matter (2017) - illustrator; text by Juno Dawson
How Winston Delivered Christmas: A Christmas Story in Twenty-Four-and-a-Half Chapters (2019)
The Twelve Days of Christmas: Grandma is Overly Generous (2020)
The Grumpus (2022)
The Nutcracker: And the Mouse King's Christmas Shenanigans (2023)
How Winston Came Home for Christmas (2024)
Murder! By Narwhal! (2024)
Tom & Matt Series
The Baddie (2010) - illustrator; text by Anna Maxted
The Horrible Princess (2010) - illustrator; text by Anna Maxted
Claude Series
Claude in the City (2011)
Claude on Holiday (2011) (republished as 'Claude at the Beach')
Claude at the Circus (2012)
Claude in the Country (2012)
Claude in the Spotlight (2013)
Claude on the Slopes (2013)
Claude at Sea (2016) (picture book)
Claude: Lights! Camera! Action! (2016)
Claude Going for Gold (2016)
Santa Claude (2016)
Claude at the Palace (2020)
Mr Penguin Series
Mr Penguin and the Lost Treasure (2017)
Mr Penguin and the Fortress of Secrets (2018)
Mr Penguin and the Catastrophic Cruise (2019)
Mr Penguin and the Tomb of Doom (2021)
Astrid and the Space Cadets Series
Astrid and the Space Cadets: Attack of the Snailiens! (2024)
Astrid and the Space Cadets: Race from Planet Peril! (2024)
Astrid and the Space Cadets: Danger at the Black Lagoon! (2025)
Astrid and the Space Cadets: Calamity on Planet Shivers! (2025)
Smith, Alex T. MR. PENGUIN AND THE TOMB OF DOOM Peachtree (Children's None) $16.99 6, 14 ISBN: 978-1-68263-459-2
It's foolishness on the Pyramid Express and a tour of the Tomb of Doom.
Bumbling adventurer Mr. Penguin (an actual penguin) and his band of assistants, Colin (a kung-fu spider who communicates via writing on his notepad), Edith Hedge (human BFF), and Gordon (Edith's omnivorous pigeon) return for a fourth spine-tingling, rib-tickling mystery adventure. Ostensibly arriving in the Egyptian desert town of Laghaz for a rest, Edith sets off with Gordon for a tour--but doesn't return. When Cynthia, her unexpected (to Mr. Penguin and Colin, at least) twin sister, shows up, the group discovers Edith has been kidnapped from the local library. Gordon has a clue to her whereabouts but, of course, he has attempted to eat it. They hop on a train full of possible suspects headed for Wadi al Khatar, the Valley of Peril. The excitable Mr. Penguin has several freakouts about mummies and bandits until one of his fears actually pans out, and he and Colin find themselves tossed from the train. Thankfully, a young fan of Mr. Penguin's previous um detective successes, a boy named Farooq, along with Iris, his eye-patch-wearing cat, have been following the group. They rescue the adventurers and get them to the valley, which, it turns out, is aptly named. Fans of the series will enjoy this twisty mystery with enough laughs and lively illustrations (containing subtle clues) to keep pages turning to the silly close.
Delightful slapstick sleuthery. (Adventure. 6-11)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2022 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Smith, Alex T.: MR. PENGUIN AND THE TOMB OF DOOM." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Apr. 2022. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A698655973/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=b86b383b. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.
Smith, Alex T. GRANDMA IS OVERLY GENEROUS Macmillan Children's Books (Children's None) $12.99 10, 15 ISBN: 9781035051984
A whimsical version of a classic Christmas song.
Brown-skinned Eloise, an Edwardian-era girl wearing a red hair bow and a dress with a white collar, receives very unusual presents from Grandma, mailed to her daily over the course of 12 days. Initially, the text hews closely to the lyrics of the time-honored song, except that instead of "my true love" doing the sending, "my grandma" is the benefactor. It's a sure bet that readers familiar with that ditty will sing the words instead of reading them, because they're fun to croon and the presents are so over-the-top. They get even quirkier in this clever U.K. import: After the sixth day, the gifts begin to differ sharply from those in the original as Grandma sends Eloise "seven squirrels a-snorkelling," "eight bears a-balancing," and more very odd items, until the last day, when something unexpected arrives in a large, striped carton. (Hint: No animals are involved this time!) Readers will hoot with pleasure, just as Eloise does. (She appreciates this gift, which is much more practical than the others.) The colorful illustrations are comically energetic, enhanced by the inclusion of Edwardian-esque stamps and postage marks in the corner of almost every right-hand page, signifying the cities and companies from which the presents came. Eloise's thank-you note to Grandma appears on the final page, as does brown-skinned Grandma.
Be generous this holiday season: Display this delightful book widely at Christmastime. (author's note)(Picture book. 3-8)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Smith, Alex T.: GRANDMA IS OVERLY GENEROUS." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Sept. 2024. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A806452904/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=2b3118d9. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.