The Curse Of The Werepenguin

"Imagine Mary Shelley had a preoccupation with zoos, a sense of humor and bad allergies, then commiserated with Roald Dahl and Mel Brooks to write a story for upper elementary school kids, and you would have The Curse of the Werepenquin. Bolt Wattle’s trek from his dismal orphanage to mysterious Brugaria to meet (he thinks) his mother and father leads him straight to … 12-year-old Baron Chordata? And the prospect of becoming a werepenguin himself. It’s funny, it’s ridiculous, it’s solidly spooky without being too scary and it leaves me with the impression that stale French bread may be a pretty good weapon against the Greatest Bandit in the World. (For ages 8 to 12)"