Call of the Penguins by Hazel Prior
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Call of the Penguins has a cast of thousands, because Granny McCreedy has form in protecting the beloved birds. Her previous adventures are described in Hazel Prior’s first book, Away with the Penguins. Two years after she made a life-changing journey to rescue an endangered penguin colony, the eighty-seven year old returns to Antarctica with a film crew. Her nine-year-old friend Daisy goes too. Along the way the pair have adventures and make new friends. Veronica catches up with Pip, a brave Adélie penguin whose life she saved, and Daisy makes a penguin-style friendship bracelet for Petra, a perky Rockhopper.
I was given a copy of Call of the Penguins in return for an honest review. Penguin enthusiasts will adore this book. I also recommend it for subtle inter-generational humour, a quirky love story and an emotional family saga.
Veronica shares her passion for penguins with Sir Robert Saddlebow, a charming gentleman ten years her junior. He invites her to go with him on an island-hopping trip around the fringes of Antarctica, where she becomes his co-presenter on a BBC wildlife documentary. After Daisy wins a competition on a BBC television programme called I Wish, she and her mother join the party. Daisy is a delightful, funny child who is recovering from cancer. She refuses to allow the concern of adults to restrict her activities, and her energy is almost overwhelming. As Veronica says, ‘Daisy’s fervour borders on vandalism at times.’
Veronica is a very rich woman. Her wealth has not brought her happiness, but it allows her to give practical help to projects designed to protect penguins. Ballaheys, the large seaside house where Veronica has lived alone for years, provides a secure background for her gallivanting. Her assistant Eileen arranges her flights with the help of a lady in the travel agency in Kilmarnock, and sends emails to keep her up to date with local gossip. Eileen’s emails highlight the physical distance between Scotland and Antarctica. They also emphasise how closely they are linked by technology, and how easily the lifestyle of the developed world can damage natural environments.
Misunderstandings are the cause of both action and humour in Call of the Penguins. Veronica’s feckless but likeable grandson Patrick breaks up with his girlfriend because of a chance remark. As a result, he sets off on a journey to discover his long-lost father. Veronica is convinced that her memory is perfect, but she often forgets where she has left things. Also, like many people of her generation, she struggles with modern technology. ‘It seems to me there is a limit to what your endless googling can achieve.’
Author Hazel Prior has a genius for informing while she entertains. Her descriptions brought the landscape of Antarctica to life for me. I enjoyed learning about the different types of penguins, the variations in their appearance and the derivation of their names. It was fun to discover a link between Macaroni penguins and Yankee Doodle – or, as Veronica calls it, Yankee Poodle.