Pablo and Splash: Roman Holiday

Time-travelling penguins Pablo and Splash must fight gladiators in Ancient Rome in this hilarious full-colour graphic novel, in a British Book Award-shortlisted series. Fans of Bunny vs Monkey or InvestiGATORS will love it.



When their penguin pal Benji won't believe they've travelled through time, Pablo and Splash have a point to prove. The two travel to Ancient Rome, hoping to bring back a centurion helmet as proof of their adventures. But when Pablo and Splash meet an emperor with a passion for collecting exotic birds, only some quick thinking - and emergency time travel - can save them from the fate that awaits them in the Colosseum!

Review

About the Author

Sheena Dempsey is an Irish author/illustrator who first had the idea for Pablo and Splash during the 2020 pandemic lockdown, when she created a webcomic featuring herself and her husband as penguins. The first Pablo and Splash book was published in 2024 and is shortlisted for the British Book Awards Illustrated Children's Book of the Year 2025. The series now has three books with more to come. Sheena's previous work includes books Yoga Babies by Fearne Cotton (winner of the Sheffield Children's Book Award) and Surrey Libraries' Children's Book Award-winner Dave Pigeon by Swapna Haddow. She has also been shortlisted for the Sainsbury's Children's Book Award.

Sheena now lives in Kent with her husband and their greyhound, Jeremy.