Captain Sunshine: the new animal adventure from the author of HOTEL FLAMINGO!

By Author / Illustrator

Alex Milway

Genre

Adventure

Age range(s)

Publisher

Piccadilly Press

ISBN

9781835871577

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

02-07-2026

Synopsis

A flamboyantly fun illustrated series set on a cruise ship for animals, perfect for 6+ readers!

It's Bella's first day onboard as Captain of the Sunshine! Bella was always going to follow in the same seafaring footsteps as her Aunt Bertha the walrus, but commanding a legendary cruise ship like the Sunshine is no easy task. It's no ordinary ship - it's a ship bursting with animal passengers! From penguins to rhinos, giraffes to parrots, life is never dull on board the Sunshine.

Bella has a wonderful crew to assist her - from the weathered sea dog Mr Tatou, to the bossy passenger liaison officer Mrs Purrpot the cat, to Flip and Flap, the young penguin entertainment team - but has she really got what it takes to be Captain Sunshine? Full steam ahead for an unforgettable animal adventure!

The first in an enchanting four-book series from the author of the bestselling and award-winning Hotel Flamingo, fully illustrated in two-colour throughout. Perfect for fans of EINSTEIN THE PENGUIN, KITTY AND THE MOONLIGHT RESCUE, WATTS AND WHISKERTON and MR PENGUIN.

Praise for Captain Sunshine: 'Buoy oh buoy this book is brilliant!' Steven Lenton, author of GENIE AND TEENY. 'I enjoyed every single moment aboard the Sunshine!' Laura Ellen Anderson, author of AMELIA FANG. 'A fabulous tale of friendship and fun on the high seas' David O'Connell, illustrator of THE NAUGHTIEST UNICORN series

Reviews

Sue

Bella Day is the new captain of The Sunshine, the best ship in town. With a wonderful crew and lots of passengers, she is all set to be the best she can be like those who captained the ship before her. However, when things start to go wrong, it seems that her predecessor might have set her up to fail on her first voyage. Can she find creative solutions to the many problems she faces and make the trip a success after all?

Full of fun, Captain Sunshine is a delightful story, perfect for younger readers looking for a satisfying read. Packed with engaging illustrations, children will delight in this new series set in the world of the very popular Hotel Flamingo series. Bella is a delightful character, full of energy and enthusiasm for her new role. Determined to make her Aunt Sylvie (an old walrus who Bella had spent many years sailing with) proud of her, she manages not only to rally everyone and make the cruse a success, but bring out the best in others along the way, making her a very likeable and appealing character.

The book would make an excellent class read, encouraging younger readers to sustain listening for longer periods and offering the support and enjoyment of the plentiful illustrations. The map at the beginning of the story and the cross section of the 'Sunshine' allow readers to follow the adventure and could easily be used to inspire the creation of creating their own stories. Plenty of creative activities could also develop from sharing this lovely story.

With more books to come in the series, Captain Sunshine is sure to be every bit as popular with children as the Hotel Flamingo stories.

192 pages / Reviewed by Sue Wilsher, teacher