Golden Egg

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

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