#Booky100Keepers Day 85: The books of Alex T. Smith

Another creative mind worthy of inclusion in our #Booky100Keepers list is none other than Mr Alex T. Smith, creator of the fantastic "Claude" series, and of course a brilliantly funny middle grade author of the superb "Mr Penguin" books.

We were lucky enough to meet Alex at a book signing and he's a truly lovely guy but his work is something else.

With the "Claude" books, these were some of the early readers that C really took to when she began her solo reading journey. Breaking up chapter-length texts with superb (and quite often saucy) illustrations, Alex drives each story along beautifully. The stories of Claude - a pooch filled with a wonderful sense of joie de vivre - and his floppy sidekick Sir Bobblysocks, are always brilliantly funny, almost like a clean version of "Carry On" movies for kids. Claude seems to always end up at the centre of a weird mystery or bizarre theft, or sometimes just a baking competition or a talent show. But with his Tardis-like beret, packed for every occasion with anything an adventuresome pup might need in an emergency, he's like a more sassy version of Paddington, seemingly always in the right place at the right time for a grand adventure.

We also really loved the Mr Penguin books. You'll believe a diminutive black and white flightless bird could become a competitor to Indiana Jones, hurling himself into dangerous situations and crazy quests - not just for fortune and glory, but to make the world a better place.

These books are again perfect for readers who feel confident enough to read on their own but still like a good dose of illustration throughout their stories.

We've covered Alex's collaborations on the blog too, with such luminaries as Caryl Hart (another hugely talented and favourite author of ours), the late Richard Adams (he of Watership Down fame), and Anne Cottringer.

He's also a superstar on Twitter (let's face it, Bake Off wouldn't be Bake Off without ATS's tweet-alongs).

He truly has the midas touch when it comes to kidlit, so check out the links below for a metric ton of reviews of Alex's work (blimey, HOW many Book of the Week wins?!)

Original Review Links: 

Booky Advent Calendar Day 4 - "Santa Claude" by Alex T. Smith (Hodder Children's Books)

ReaditDaddy's First Book of the Week - Week Ending 6th November 2015 - "Claude Doodle Book" by Alex T. Smith (Hodder Children's Books)

A Jolly Booktastic Outing to London's 'Discover Story' venue with an awesome group of bloggers to see the truly brilliant Alex T. Smith

ReadItDaddy's First Book of the Week - Week Ending 10th June 2016 - "Claude All At Sea by Alex T. Smith" (Hodder Children's Books)

Chapter Book Roundup - March 2015 with Claude, Matilda and Kittens!

Claude in the Spotlight by Alex T Smith (Hachette Children's Books)

Foxy Tales - The Cunning Plan by Caryl Hart and Alex T. Smith (Hodder Children's Books)

"Princess Primrose" by Alex T. Smith (Scholastic Children's Books)

ReadItDaddy's Chapter Book Roundup - August 2015 - "Monsters, Penguins, Bobbly Socks, Wild Woods, Dorks and Stone Circles"

ReaditDaddy's Second Book of the Week - Week Ending 11th March 2016 "Claude - Going for Gold by Alex T. Smith (Hodder Children's Books)

ReadItDaddy's Book of the Week - Week ending 25th October 2013. "My Mum Has X Ray Vision" by Angela McAllister and Alex T. Smith (Scholastic Books)

"Claude: Anyone for Strawberries?" Based on the Claude stories by Alex T. Smith (Hodder Children's Books)

ReadItDaddy's Third Book of the Week - Week Ending 9th November 2018: "Mr Penguin and the Fortress of Secrets (Mr Penguin Book 2)" by Alex T. Smith (Hodder Children's Books)

The Adventures of Egg Box Dragon by Richard Adams and Alex T. Smith (Hodder Children's Books)

ReaditDaddy's Chapter Book of the Week - Week Ending 6th October 2017 - "Mr Penguin and the Lost Treasure" (Mr Penguin Book 1) by Alex T. Smith (Hodder Children's Books)

Booky Advent Calendar Book of the Week - Week Ending 21st December 2018: "How Winston Delivered Christmas: An Advent Story in Twenty-four-and-a-half Chapter" by Alex T. Smith (Macmillan Children's Books)

Foxy and Egg by Alex T. Smith (Hodder Children's Books)

Foxy Tales - The Road to Fame and Fortune by Caryl Hart and Alex T. Smith (Hodder Children's Books)

ReadItDaddy's Chapter Book of the Week - Week Ending 29th November 2019: "Mr Penguin and the Catastrophic Cruise" by Alex T. Smith (Hodder Children's Books)

Eliot Jones, Midnight Superhero by Anne Cottringer and Alex T Smith (Scholastic Children's Books)

Bella and Monty in "A Hairy Scary Night" by Alex T. Smith (Hodder Children's Books)