This is a fun book looking at friendship and others issues for young children with a great format. I will be getting this for my Year 1 class. The puffin theme makes it adorable and young children will love it.

A lovely new story from Cath Howe aimed at younger readers. With short chapters and a fun animal adventure, this would be a great book for KS1 pupils. Telling the story of Muffin the Puffin who goes away to learn how to be an Unflappable, readers are drawn into a tale in which young puffins are called upon to rescue birds and eggs and are drawn into an adventure before their training is over. With clear pictures and puffin facts at the end of the book, this is a great story for young animal lovers.

Much ado about puffins as Cath Howe swoops in with an illustrated early chapter book that is big on heart and filled with delightful messages and important lessons.

Welcome to The Island of Egg, home to the Puffin Search and Rescue Team. It is a big day for young Muffin the puffin who is ready to leave the family burrow. She is hoping to follow in her dad’s webbed footsteps and prove she has what it takes to join the squad. Muffin knows how to react when she hears the emergency ‘cry’ and knows exactly what to do if an egg is alone.

At puffin cadet camp there’s lots to learn, skills to master and friends to make. And Muffin will need all her abilities when a young puffin goes missing and a rescue mission is needed. Is she up to the task…

What a fabulous, feel-good, puffin-tastic story to kick-off a new series. Cath has written wonderful books for children in key stage two and now younger children, especially those in key stage one, can enjoy her pitch perfect storytelling.

Young adorable puffins prove that positive attitude, trying your best, bravery and teamwork can absolutely help you achieve dreams and overcome anxieties as they get to grips with colony life and the different training drills. Puffin life isn’t too different from growing up as a child and young readers will easily empathise with Muffin’s worries about fitting in, making friends and concerns about being different.

Anyone familiar with the stories of Squishy McFluff will know all about Ella Okstad’s fabulous artwork. She has weaved her magic to bring The Island of Egg and its inhabitants to life delivering cuteness by the puffin-load.

Perfect from first page to last. I want to join #TeamPuffinSquad and cannot wait to take flight with Muffin and co again soon. This series is set to soar!

Recommended for 5+.

With huge thanks to Welbeck for the copy I received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have really enjoyed Cath Howe’s books for older readers, and was delighted to discover that Call the Puffins had been written with a younger reader in mind. It is just perfect for KS1 and Year 3, with a good balance of excitement and jeopardy. Children will enjoy finding out about Muffin and whether she makes it as a rescue puffin. Can she and Tiny help the bird they find? My class will really enjoy this story, and I’m looking forward to reading more in the series.

Call the Puffins
By Cath Howe
Published by Welbeck Publishing Group

Cath Howe has written a delightful new chapter book series for young readers 5+
About puffins, determination and teamwork, school children of all ages will be able to relate to the difficulties these Puffins stumble across everyday.

Welcome to the island of Egg - the training camp for young puffins to join a search and rescue team. The main character Muffin desperately wants to follow in her dad's footsteps, but those anxious feelings tumble around in her tummy.
Will she let her dad down?
Then meet Tiny, whose eyesight is a challenge and Forti who seems so over-confident but who is equally desperate to impress.

Beautifully written, with honest examples of difficulties; fitting in, making the right choices and challenging yourself.
These new recruits have many individual points to prove, but it is the team work and togetherness that helps all the birds on the island.
Successors need a team around them!!


Joanne Bardgett - teacher of littlies, lover of Children’s literature.

#Netgalley

Call the Puffins by Cath Howe, a NetGalley read. I read this to my daughter who as I’ve said before she’s 6 and really enjoying her reading at the moment. This is a new series and is aimed at readers that are 5+. In the first instalment in this series we are welcome to the island of Egg and this is there young Puffins go for training so they can join the search and rescue team. Muffin is one of those young puffins who is going to follow in his fathers footsteps and is very anxious that he will let him down. You also have Tiny whose had problems with his eyesight and Forti who come across as over confident. For and my daughter this was a lovely book, we enjoyed the characters, I liked that they weren’t perfect and all had there own struggles. Since my husband had his heart attack (thankfully he’s ok) my daughter has struggled with confidence and seems to worry about things and notices things perhaps she wouldn’t have before regarding both of our health. With that in mind it showed my daughter that everyone worries, everyone at times are anxious and that’s ok. We found the story fun and heartwarming, a very appealing read for the audience it’s aiming for. It enable me and my daughter to have discussions about worry and anxiety and why we feel that way, it covered loyalty and friendship in a fun and easy way. My daughter not only enjoyed the story but was a huge fan of the illustrations, which made her laugh and smile throughout. As a parent I’ve found it really hard to find books for this kind of middle transition, where they are to big for the babyish story’s, yet are still learning to read and I found that my daughter wanted something with a bit more substance, so this is a great middle ground, a light read of which my daughter said ‘I liked it and it was fun’ and was very excited to know that there may be more from the Puffins. I would recommend this to parents and my daughter has been telling her friends about it. Can’t wait to see what’s next. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Muffin the puffin as she ventures out into the world to begin her training. This reminded me so much of children embracing challenge and change when they start school. They begin to understand who they are and learn to get along with others who are like them and who are completely different. I do hope there will be more books in this series as this would be perfect for less confident readers who are looking for an enjoyable, slightly longer book.
I'll definitely be buying a copy for school.

What a delightful story about puffins training to be able to help other birds when they face danger. It is original, funny but also has some strong messages about helping others.

Call the Puffins is a lovely story about Muffin the puffin who is about to leave home. She is hoping to begin her training to become a member of the Puffin Rescue Team on Egg Island but is worried about her unusual feet and that the other puffins may not like her. Children will be able to relate to Muffin and her fears are the same ones that many of us face when we are starting something new. Muffin’s first days are not easy and not everything goes to plan but with her new friends around her, she finds that it is worth stepping out of your comfort zone and that being different is actually pretty good.

Hmmm… Gentle early chapter book, featuring a puffin that wants to become a heroic rescue bird like her father was. The thing is, this so much wants to open a series, that we have to have the introduction to the bird and her entire world, and a new best friend, and a training montage, and then the drama when it comes is almost crammed out of proceedings, so little space is left for it. Like a pancake, the first one is always the limpest and weakest – there is evidence this could be a reasonable set of dramas when complete, but this opener is, while unable to leave a bitter taste, still not satisfying enough.

This is super cute. I really enjoyed it and can see me recommending it repeatedly in the shop. Fabulous

Such a sweet story and the illustrations are a delight! Perfect for those just moving on to chapter books. The puffin facts at the back are a terrific addition.

Call The Puffins! is a new young fiction series for 5-7's and we instantly fell in love with it. Short and accessible, this simple story follows Muffin the Puffin as she heads to the island of Egg and begins her training to become part of the search and rescue team...

Muffin is about to follow in her parents footsteps and begin her training on the island of Egg. But starting a new chapter is tricky, especially when it involves making new friends and rising to new challenges.

Worried that her turned up feet may hamper her dreams of becoming a search and rescue puffin, Muffin struggles with her anxiety. Does she have what it takes to fit in and become part of the team?

Perfect for bird and nature lovers, this is a gorgeous concept for a young fiction series. Although the story is simple, the world-building is delightful, the plot has high stakes and Muffin is a very relatable character for young children who may be about to start school or join a new club and step out into the world. There's a strong emphasis on teamwork and a focus on how to cope with and overcome anxiety. I particularly loved the inclusive feel of the text and the representation of characters with disabilities. Muffin has upturned feet, which actually help not hinder her, and Muffin's friend, Tiny has problems with his eyesight. Together, however, they make a formidable duo and the daring ending showcases that there is going to be a lot of exciting things to come from future books in the series.

I am writing this review with my 7 year old daughter.

Call the Puffins is a very sweet chapter style book. The story is a meaningful tale of a young puffin finding their way in the world and learning about themselves. I think it would be a useful book for any little one who may be feeling a bit unsure of themselves, particularly any child who may have something a little bit 'different' about them, as the protagonist of the story has a difference to the other puffins, as does her other puffin friend.

There are lovely illustrations throughout the book. My daughter loved to look at them to identify the scenes of the story.

This is a great book and we would definitely recommend it as a book to both to be read to children and by children.

I saw the cover of this book and just knew I would love it and was overjoyed to be proved right. The bairns will be caught up in the marvellous idea of the search & rescue team with the delightful puffins from the island of Egg.

The illustrations completely charm you, and the message of the story is just perfect for a world that needs more kindness and appreciation of our differences that make us unique.

An absolute joy from start to finish, I can't wait to read more adventures of Muffin and her friends. Howe & Okstad are a winning combination.

Call the Puffins is the first in a lovely new series for younger readers. Full of bravery and friendship and gorgeous illustrations, it is the perfect heartwarming read for those moving onto chapter books.

A cute book about Muffin the puffin who joins the Puffin Rescue crew! Even though she is self conscious about her wide feet, they end up helping her save the day!

A really cute story with cute illustrations! There are also some puffin fun facts at the end.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is such a fun children’s book! The illustrations are adorable and the overall story is engaging an exciting for young readers!

Cath Howe has written an adorably lovely book telling the tale of Muffin the Puffin who leaves her family to become part of the Puffin Rescue team. Muffin and her friend Tiny have to carry out a variety of training activities but this is interrupted to search for a missing baby bird. Muffin and Tiny will appeal to young readers and story listeners with their sense of adventure, camaraderie and hint of mischief. The messages of loyalty, friendship and working as a team are clear and will be perfect for discussion with KS1 learners . This is an ideal story for the classroom and bedtime or for an independent young reader. Ella Okstad’s illustrations bring a warmth and delight. Highly recommended and one I’ll be sharing with colleagues in primary schools and family.