Pablo and Splash are two penguins, and even though they are very different in that Pablo loves his icy home and Splash is sick of the cold, they both agree that a holiday would be a good thing. But it’s tricky when you live at the bottom of the planet in Antarctica and warm places are too far to swim and without wings, you can’t fly.
But Antarctica means there are scientists nearby and surely they have a solution… And that's how they discover Professor O’Brain and her Timebender machine who sent them to the sunny beach they craved but they found themselves sharing it with dinosaurs. In this second episode of the series, they decide to visit Professor O'Brain again to see if she has mended the machine, but both are determined that they will not end up in some weird destination this time, especially as this time they know where the secret hole takes them.
However, instead of finding her in her lab as they expect, they discover the time machine has misbehaved again and this time it is the professor, herself, who has been stranded in the Ice Age. Clearly, Pablo and Splash must help her and so the brave penguin buddies set out on a rescue mission – destination 68,000 years ago! When a Neanderthal man accidentally wanders into their time machine, it's not just the professor who is stuck in the wrong time period. But luckily a scientific breakthrough for Pablo and Splash's endlessly upbeat approach to life's challenges helps save the day!
Graphic novels, time travel and familiar, appealing creatures on a rescue mission are the right ingredients for a story that will engage young readers and with its bright, full-colour illustrations that carry the story along with just speech bubbles as text there will be many who could be enticed to pick up a novel-length book for the first time.
As with the first one, it's an opportunity for the reader to think of where the next adventure might take place, who or what Pablo and Splash might encounter and perhaps research and write their own story. Perfect for the CBCA Book Week 2025 theme of Book an Adventure.
240 pages 9781526662804 Ages 7-10
Recommended by: Barbara Braxton, Teacher Librarian, New South Wales AUSTRALIA
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Join time-traveling penguins Pablo and Splash on a rescue mission to the ice age in this hilarious graphic novel, perfect for fans of Dog Man and Investigators.
When penguin besties Pablo and Splash go to visit Professor O'Brain in her lab, they discover that she's missing! Their friend has been left behind by her misbehaving time machine, so Pablo and Splash set out on a rescue mission…to the Ice Age! But when they accidentally send a Neanderthal man to the future, the penguin buddies find themselves racing to return TWO people to the proper time period. Can they save their friend before time runs out? Or will they get themselves stuck in the ice FOREVER?
This full color graphic novel is perfect for animal lovers, reluctant readers, and graphic novel fans!---from the publisher
Keywords: graphic novel, time travel, humor, penguins, fun, friendship, part of a series, chapter book, 7 year old, 8 year old, 9 year old, 10 year old
