Finn O’Rourke is much happier on a screen with a packet of chips at his side than being in the outdoors. So a school hiking trip in the French Alps is way out of his idea of any type of comfort zone.

School has never been a favourite place of Finn’s or even tolerable in his opinion, so he’s not that bothered when he falls behind his class as they hike through snow. But the very act of doing less, and preferring to sit out this particular activity – brings Finn more action, exercise and danger than he can ever have dreamed of.

Holy Nachos!

He is soon hiking, falling, then fleeing black uniformed mercenaries. He is far from school and home and flanked by two people who again, stretch his I can’t believe this is happening to me imaginings. One is a boy from school, nicknamed The Prof for his encyclopediac knowledge on everything, and the annoying insistence on sharing it. The other person is Dr Lara Blake – a secret agent working for the British Museum of Natural History.

Mac n Cheese!

What triggers their abseiling, helicopter jumping, forest navigating, snow cave building, adventure is the fact that when Finn was alone in the French Alps (when he should have been hiking with his class), he found an egg. Which hatched. Revealing a bird like creature. Which in actual fact, was a baby dinosaur.

Sweet Mother of Mince Pies!!

Finn is surprised at the feelings he has for this small weird scaly, winged creature, he’s named Artemis. He’s only really worried about himself before, but his desire to protect his newly hatched microraptor is intense. Arty feels the same, wanting only to be with Finn. The Prof explains this as imprinting.

The only problem is, Dr Lara Blake wants Artemis to be taken to The British Museum of Natural History, and an evil organisation wants Artemis to entice the highest bidder.

Mission Microraptor is the first book in this series of fast-paced, heart-pumping, secret agent action. Finn O’Rourke and his nerdy classmate Milo George (aka The Prof) are thrown together into a story of espionage, survival and co-operation. These two hardly spoke before, but with no one else to rely on in situations far outside their past realms of possibility, they achieve great things working together.

The whole adventure revolves around a young, but quickly growing microraptor, and her bond with the first person she saw when she emerged from her egg – Finn. His past selfishness is slowly eroded by this bond and shared adventure with Milo. I loved watching Finn change along the way. 

Humour is woven through the story (as Finn jokes when he’s nervous and exclaims in favourite foods), bringing smiles to my face often, as these two boys navigate a dangerous but worthy quest of keeping a new friend safe.

I will be snapping up the very next episode when it is available. 

Author – Philip Kavvadias

Illustrator – Euan Cook

Age – 8+

Read an extract here

(2024, Chicken House Books, Action, Adventure, Animals, Betrayal, Courage, Crime, Friendship, Humour, Series, French Alps, Baby Dinosaur, Dinosaur Egg, Imprinting, Animal Human Bond, Escape, Secret Agents, Mercenaries, Pursued, Chased, Hunted, Cooperation)