Kate and Jol Temple are experts on the wacky, funny, and heart-felt, and their latest collaboration is no exception.
The world’s richest man, Mangus McAloon, just exploded into a million pieces in a rocket accident! He left his entire fortune (squillions of bucks) to his four beloved pet guinea pigs: Lunk (a tennis pro), Hot Head (a fashionista), G-Chip (a world-renowned DJ), and Big Pig (who is actually a capybara… but don’t tell him that!). The rest of the McAloon family are NOT HAPPY about being cut out of inheriting the family fortune. And they’ll do whatever it takes to get it, and get rid of those Mega Rich Guinea Pigs!
From bestselling children’s authors Kate and Jol Temple comes the first installment in their latest laugh-out-loud middle grade series, Mega Rich Guinea Pigs. This exciting tale is perfect for independent readers, or as a read-aloud book for the whole family.
The story is told in a modern, wry conversational style (almost reminiscent of narration in Lemony Snicket’s or Roald Dahl’s stories), setting up the reader with behind-the-scenes information and witty opinions that move the adventure along at steady pace. The absurdity of the story will delight young readers (and adults too!), and quickly draws them into the world of the four central characters as they battle with the McAloons for the family fortune.
While “pampered pets vs greedy humans” may seem like a tired trope, the Temples manage to avoid the pitfalls and install enough comedic creativity to keep this story delightfully engaging. The guinea pigs’ individual personalities and strengths make them an endearing team worth cheering on and giggling over. The narrative is exciting, packed with slapstick, family drama, problem-solving, and plot twists, so that you just don’t want to put it down.
This story is filled with positivity and fun, which makes it a great addition to home libraries or school reading lists. Jol has also included several small illustrations – his first time illustrating one of the Temple team’s books. Scattered throughout the pages, the quirky character drawings add delightful humour and bring the story to life. These little highlights can really help younger readers, who are moving into reading their first independent novels, connect to the story. The language is simple without being condescending, with enough extended vocabulary to elevate the story’s humour and support language and literacy development (the phrase “mankiest microclimate” prompted a fun discussion in our house!).
An engaging novel for early readers, Mega Rich Guinea Pigs is a perfect balance of adventure, comedy, and heart that is sure to delight everyone. It wouldn’t be surprising if this was eventually turned into an animated television series. This is a recommended feel-good book that is just… FUN.
