Secret Agent Derek ‘Danger’ Dale

Secret Agent Derek ‘Danger’ Dale: The Case of the Animals Behaving Really, Really Badly by Michael Gerard Bauer, illustrated by Joe Bauer (Omnibus Books for Scholastic Australia)
PB RRP $12.99
ISBN 978-1-74299-065-1
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

 Secret Agent Derek ‘Danger’ Dale is the superhero drawn by Eric Vale when he is bored in class at school. And here finally is a full length adventure for all his fans. The Case of the Animals Behaving Really, Really Badly sees Agent Dale of Secret Agents ‘r’ NOT us up against Dr Evil McEvilness.

From the opening of the story, with Agent Dale facing certain death at the hands of Countess Krystal, to the end when he bursts through Archibald Boss’s office door after defeating McEvilness, Danger Dale is placed in seemingly impossible predicaments. But being the hero that everyone knows him to be (especially his creator, Eric Vale!) he manages to bumble his way out of every dangerous situation.

The Case of the Animals Behaving Really, Really Badly is a quick and easy read. Fun and light, it combines handwritten text and wordless comic strips on every page. It has the silliness young boys will love, great sarcasm, dry humour and a wonderful mix of ridiculous names.

This book is a spin off from the Eric Vale series for slightly younger readers, 8 plus, but any fan of Eric Vale will enjoy reading this.