Title: Mr. Tinfish series
Author: Chris Wardle
Publisher: Lulu (self-published) 4.99GBP RRP (available for shipping to Australia and other countries)
Format: Paperback
ISBN: N/A
For ages: 8 - 12
Type: Novel
About:
Book 1: The Lighthouse of Mr. Tinfish. The animals discover that their home is in danger from being too close to the sea, which is rising at a great rate. They head off to investigate a new location to inhabit, and make new friends along the way.
Book 2: Mr. Choli’s River Trip. The food in their new home, the woods, is running out. The animals must go in search of more plants to eat, but will Mr. Choli the cat’s laziness get the better of him?
Book 3: Mr. Vinegar and the Frozen Sea. It is winter and the coldest season always brings it challenges, and never more so than with the recent climatic changes. The animals must find a way to get fish from the sea that is frozen over.
The books of the adventures of Mr. Tinfish and his friends are a series of fantasy novels (where else but in the imagination could a cat, a penguin, a walrus, a parrot and a bear all live together?) that are fun, lighthearted reading for children.
Amongst all the adventure, investigation and loveable characters, they also deal with the more serious topic of climate change. Using animals that talk and strategise together, we see the effects of global warming through the eyes of the creatures it impacts the most.
Survival issues such as food and shelter are raised, giving children the chance to think about the reasons for looking after this planet we all share.
My only criticism of the Mr. Tinfish series is in the presentation, something that can be a pitfall of self-publishing. The text is small and the paragraphs are at times far too large, making adults and children alike think twice before tackling them. It becomes far too tempting to skim through pages with large blocks of small, cluttered text.
Presentation aside, these are lovely, well-written books with an important storyline and characters that children will love.
These books are available online
Book series website
