Pablo and Splash are two penguins, living in the icy waters of Antarctica - best friends but very different because Splash loves adventure while Pablo is more content in his familiar world. Since falling down a hole in the ice into the clutches of Professor O’Brain and her Timebender machine and finding themselves on a beach which they shared with dinosaurs, and then having to rescue the professor from being trapped in the Ice Age, they have become friendly with her so when they are challenged by Benji to go back in time to the Roman Empire and prove that they can travel through time and that they do indeed visit Rome by bringing back a gladiator's helmet during a lesson about the era, it's a dare they can't resist, even if Pablo is a little reticent to begin with.
While Splash wants to explore the sites and sensations, and Pablo just wants to get the helmet and get back, they run into trouble when meet an emperor with a passion for collecting exotic birds, only some quick thinking - and emergency time travel - can save them from the fate that awaits them in the Colosseum!
With its graphic novel format, endearing characters and factual information mixed with time-travel adventure and humour, this is a series that both entertains and educates, as its young readers learn about past practices and traditions as well as how some birds, and indeed animals, became endangered or even extinct. There is further information about some of the things the friends encounter at the end of the book, inspiring those with an interest to delve deeper.
Full colour illustrations which cleverly convey the characters, expressions and emotions of birds that are usually portrayed as the opposite, and the fast-paced plot carried along entirely in dialogue and speech bubbles, this is one that will entice not only the reluctant reader to immerse themselves in a book but also show those who believe history has no place in the present or future to discover that there is much to discover!
This review can also be found here. ’
Recommended by: Barbara Braxton, Teacher Librarian, New South Wales AUSTRALIA
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Join time-travelling penguins Pablo and Splash on an adventure through ancient Rome in this hilarious graphic novel, perfect for fans of Dog Man and Investigators.
When a friend tells Pablo and Splash that he doesn't believe their stories about time travel, our two penguin besties set out to prove him wrong . . . by time traveling to Ancient Rome and stealing a gladiator's helmet to bring back! Their friend Professor O'Brain agrees to lend them her time machine, as long as they agree not to do ANYTHING that will mess up history.
Two penguins in togas running wild in Ancient Rome . . . What could possibly go wrong???
This full color graphic novel is perfect for animal lovers, reluctant readers, and graphic novel fans!---from the publisher
240 pages 978-1547617623 Ages 6-10
Keywords: graphic novel, penguins, humor, travel, time travel, Ancient Rome, action/adventure, part of a series, 7 year old, 8 year old, 9 year old, 10 year old
