A Hilarious Full-Colour Adventure: Read Our Review of Pablo and Splash by Sheena Dempsey

Join time-travelling penguins Pablo and Splash on an unexpected adventure to the age of the dinosaurs in this brilliantly funny full-colour graphic novel. Perfect for fans of Bunny vs Monkey and Bumble and Snug.

Antarctic penguins Pablo and Splash are polar opposites and besties for life. Pablo is a home-bird and a careful planner. Splash is easily bored and hungry for adventure.

Sick to her flippers of the harsh, freezing weather, Splash persuades Pablo to go on a holiday with her. But far from the luxury beach destination that Splash has in mind, the pair end up in a time-travel machine that takes them back to the age of the dinosaurs! Suddenly their icy homeland doesn’t seem so dull…

Sheena Dempsey is a Kent-based illustrator and author who’s brought to life a range of adorable children’s books with her quirky and distinctive illustrative style. She’s absolutely nailed this adventurous graphic novel for younger middle-grade readers! It’s a bright, colourful, imaginative and utterly immersive world that young readers will revel in.

Pablo and Splash is pure fun and joy. The main characters, Pablo and Splash, are just fantastic. I mean, they’re penguins, so of course they’re adorable, but they’re also such lovable little individuals, each with their own strengths and foibles. I also love the eccentric pink-haired scientist they meet on their journey – she’s the perfect twist on the mad scientist trope, sure to inspire a few budding, Antarctica-loving women in STEM!

With a big-screen cartoony feel, punchy episodic chapters, and most of the text presented in speech bubbles as funny and accessible quips, Pablo and Splash would make a great choice for young readers, aged 6 and up, who are new to longer reads. As we always say here at BR Kids, graphic novels absolutely count as novels! They’re a wonderfully engaging way to get your child comfortable with independent reading and, most importantly, enjoying the time they spend with their nose in a book.

This is the first book in a series, with further time-travel adventures awaiting Pablo and Splash. I can’t wait to see where these two adorable friends end up next!

Buy a copy of Pablo and Splash here.