The Tunneler Tunnels in the Tunnel: Ready-to-Read Level 1

by Michael Rex, Michael Rex (Illustrator)

Overview

Go on an underground adventure with the mysterious tunneler in this delightful Level 1 Ready-to-Read from bestselling author-illustrator Michael Rex!

The tunneler tunnels in the tunnel. But why? And where is he going? Find out in this fun story with a surprise ending!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781665962100
Publisher:	Simon Spotlight
Publication date:	07/22/2025
Series:	Ready-to-Read
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 6 Years

About the Author

Michael Rex has been writing and illustrating children’s books since 1995. He is the creator of over fifty books, including the number-one bestseller and Halloween favorite Goodnight Goon and its follow up We’re Going on a Goon Hunt. His picture books include Eat Pete and the popular Facts vs. Opinions vs. Robots. His graphic novel series Your Pal Fred is about the nicest boy in the apocalypse, and in 2014, his Fangbone graphic novels were turned into an animated TV show. He loves traveling the country to visit schools and talk about his work with students of all ages; he has a master’s degree in arts education and taught high school art for three years in the Bronx. He lives with his wife, two sons, and a dog in Leonia, New Jersey.

Michael Rex has been writing and illustrating children’s books since 1995. He is the creator of over fifty books, including the number-one bestseller and Halloween favorite Goodnight Goon and its follow up We’re Going on a Goon Hunt. His picture books include Eat Pete and the popular Facts vs. Opinions vs. Robots. His graphic novel series Your Pal Fred is about the nicest boy in the apocalypse, and in 2014, his Fangbone graphic novels were turned into an animated TV show. He loves traveling the country to visit schools and talk about his work with students of all ages; he has a master’s degree in arts education and taught high school art for three years in the Bronx. He lives with his wife, two sons, and a dog in Leonia, New Jersey.

Editorial Reviews

Funny moments are plentiful, especially when Tunneler is off target as he breaks through the ground. His entertaining antics will pull readers along as they continue to wonder, just what is this penguin up to? All is revealed in the end, and it must be said, beginning readers will enjoy reading this beginning reader.

July 2025 - Booklist

Playful cartoon illustrations will help youngsters decode the spare, repetitive text as details in the cross-sections of underground tunnels provide visual interest. Burgeoning readers will eagerly dig in.

5/1/25 - Kirkus

A rhythmic, repetitive text and cartoon illustrations anchor this jovial outing for kids beginning to dig into reading.

September/October 2025 - Horn Book Magazine 

2025-04-04
A tunneling penguin stars in this title for the newest of readers.

A mole might have been a more logical character choice, especially given the bucolic, decidedly un-Antarctic setting, but the anthropomorphic penguin (referred to as “the tunneler”) makes a winning protagonist. Wearing a hard hat and wielding a shovel, the tunneler is introduced on the copyright page in front of a ramshackle house and a few buckets, including one holding orange papers, each emblazoned with a yellow star. On each spread, the unseen narrator informs us that “the tunneler tunnels in the tunnel.” The titular phrase repeats on the right-hand side of each spread as the tunneler pops out of the ground to greet other penguins and hand each of them one of the orange papers. These other characters are similarly identified by their occupations: “The gardener gardens in the garden.” “The farmer farms on the farm.” At the book’s conclusion, readers discover that the papers were invitations to a rock concert, held (appropriately enough) by a large nearby stone. Lo and behold, the tunneler is also a “rocker,” and “as the rocker rocks on the rock,” “the dancers dance at the dance!” Playful cartoon illustrations will help youngsters decode the spare, repetitive text as details in the cross-sections of underground tunnels provide visual interest.

Burgeoning readers will eagerly dig in.(Early reader. 4-6)

Kirkus Reviews

A rhythmic, repetitive text and cartoon illustrations anchor this jovial outing for kids beginning to dig into reading.

September/October 2025  - Horn Book Magazine