In Call of the Penguins we meet 87-year old Veronica and her much put upon housekeeper Eileen, who are living in Veronica's huge Scottish house along with 9-year-old Daisy, who is recovering from having chemotherapy. To help keep Daisy positive, Veronica has been telling her about her previous adventures in the Antarctica (Away with the Penguins), where she met orphan penguin chick Pip.
When national treasure and documentary filmmaker Sir Robert Saddlebow invites Veronica to co-host a TV programme on seabirds, she is thrilled - even though it means travelling across the world to Australia and the Falkland Islands. However, as Veronica and Daisy set off on their adventure, Veronica's grandson Patrick is heading in the opposite direction, arriving from the Antarctic after falling out with his 'penguinologist' girlfriend Terry. Wondering if irresponsibility is in his genes, Patrick decides to find out more about his father, who abandoned him when he was a baby.
Call of the Penguins is a warm-hearted, witty, thoroughly uplifting story about family, finding your true 'family', and friends who become like family - with all the associated arguments and misunderstandings that go with that! In Veronica's case, her 'family' also includes penguins and she is very passionate about their environment and survival. A reoccurring theme is climate change and the effects of single-use plastic on wildlife. Veronica is a fabulous character, even when (particularly when?) she is being interfering, bossy and/or annoying. I love her!
Thoroughly recommended, particularly if you loved Away with the Penguins and books such as Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. One of my favourite reads this year.
Thank you to Hazel Prior and Transworld/Penguin Random House for my copy of this book, which I received via the publisher and reviewed voluntarily.
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