Spy Penguins: Golden Egg

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.