Spy Penguins by Sam Hay (review)

Jackson wants more than anything to be a secret agent with the FBI (the Frosty Bureau of Investigation) and his best friend Quigley, an ambitious—yet rarely successful—inventor, will be right by his side as the two young penguins try to impress FBI brass by solving the case of the exotic fish stolen from the aquarium. Readers shouldn't expect anything resembling legitimate detective work or a coherent mystery here; rather, the story predictably follows formula to walk the line between eyerolls and giggles—with its IcePhone smart devices and pop stars like Justin Beaker—as its story progresses at a relatively fast pace, with brief chapters and generically cartoonish illustrations adding to the nonsensical hijinks of Jackson and Quigley. Though the writing is often flat, the groan-worthy penguin puns and cold weather wordplay may keep kids' interest up. The novel ends with Jackson's mom putting her foot down when it comes to the kids' working with the FBI, but Jackson and Quigley have secret plans of their own, which may hint at future adventures. WJ