Twin brothers Harry and Jordan may seem like ordinary kids, but they're not. When their mum's not looking, the boys morph into secret agents and with their huge, furry dog Myrtle, form Mission Fox, dedicated to the protection, care and rescue of animals that are in danger or lost.

These delightful super-heroes are the stars of Mission Fox, an outstanding new series for young readers (aged 6-9). Illustrated by the talented Heath Mckenzie and written by award winning author Justin D'Ath, Penguin Publisher Lisa Riley describes Mission Fox as a great follow-on from Justin's hugely successful 12 book series, Extreme Adventures. "Sam Fox is the popular central character in Extreme Adventures and his younger twin brothers, Harry and Jordon, pop up in those books, so it made sense to feature the twins in a series of their own," she says, adding that Mission Fox has "all the things kids love. Adventure, cliff-hanger action and characters they really love, including Myrtle, the biggest dog in Australia and all the exciting animals they rescue. Passion for pets and animals is really core at this age."

The feedback on Mission Fox has been excellent, reports Lisa, with young readers loving the detective/spy element in Mission Fox and the gadgets that are both home-made and hi-tech. "Kids also have their favourite twin - Harry who's more gung-ho and impulsive or Jordan, who's more of a thinker and a bit more sensitive."

Harry and Jordan's billycart is their FoxMobile, their mobile is a FoxPhone and Great Dane/Foundland Myrtle (often mistaken for a pony) is Agent 'M' who sometimes, helps, sometimes hinders. The FoxPhone has a handy app called 'BRAIN' (Bird, Reptile and Animal Identification Network) used when the twins need information about animals they encounter, such as the massive escaped scrub python that pops up in the first Mission Fox, Snake Escape. Yikes!

Justin D'Ath who tours nationally and visits lots of schools, is already a favourite with teachers and parents for his ability to write books that turn children onto reading. "I want them to think reading is fun, not a chore," he says. The importance of animals in children's lives is central to Mission Fox.

"Children love animals, not only because of the fun and affection they give, but because it gives them something to care for and be responsible for and they think that's cool," says Justin.

As a child, Justin had guinea-pigs as pets, along with turtles, budgies, caterpillars, tadpoles and a wild baby rabbit called Motor because "he used to motor along." He horrified his family when he reared red-back spiders at home.

These days Justin has more conventional pets, two much loved whippets called Fly and Holly.

Although Justin D'Ath began writing as a child, it was a long and winding path that led to him to becoming a published author.

The award winning author of over 30 books for children and young adults, Justin was born in Otaki, New Zealand, one of twelve children. "The best thing about that was that we were a whole playgroup," says Justin. "We got on really well and there was always stuff going on. We weren't molly-coddled - our parents let us run wild." The only downside of being one among so many was that occasionally Justin felt "a bit lost, just one of the mob, but it was never an issue."

Justin wrote his first story at the age of 9. His earliest writing featured his pets, including his turtle, Bubble and Moriarty, his guinea pig.

Justin's first publication was a monthly cartoon strip in a magazine, which he used to draw in his tent while he travelled around Australia on a motorbike. His first book, a novel for adults called The Initiate, was published in 1989 and won three awards. His adult short stories have been published in 18 countries and have won 54 literary prizes.

After initially planning to become a missionary priest, Justin has worked as a forklift driver, built cars, picked fruit and mustered cattle. As well, he has worked in mining, in a laboratory, as a club manager in an Aborigine settlement, in a sugar mill and as a teacher of Professional Writing at TAFE.

The father of two and grandfather of three, Justin's first book for children, Infamous, was published in 1996. His hugely popular Extreme Adventures series, suitable for children aged 8-12, has sold over 175,000 copies.

Justin's contemporary fantasy novel, Pool, was shortlisted in the 2008 Victorian Premier's Awards and was a CBC Notable Book in 2008. His YA novel, Hunters and Warriors, was a CBC Notable Book in 2002 and Commended in the 2002 Victorian Premier's Awards. His fantasy novel, Shaedow Master, was a CBC Notable Book for Older Readers in 2004 and Crocodile Attack and Scorpion Sting were CBC Notable Books for Younger Readers in 2006 and 2007.

Justin lost his house in the Victorian bushfires two years ago. "It's the most surprising thing that's happened in my life," he says. "It was sad but it was an adventure. The forest was totally gone, nothing left so I went for a sea-change and now I live by the beach, which is rather nice."

Visit justindath.com for more.

If your kids love Mission Fox, then they're sure to want to move on to Extreme Adventures, also by author Justin D'Ath!

Extreme Adventures is a best-selling action series for children aged 8-12, known and loved by boys and girls alike, and perfect for reluctant readers. With short chapters, fast-paced action and fascinating animal facts, these explosive books are each set in a different country. From anacondas in the Amazon to a volcano in Borneo, the escapades of fourteen-year-old Sam Fox are colourful, lively, tense, surprising and never anything short of extreme! Kids will be hooked, so luckily there are twelve books to collect in this fantastic local series.

Visit puffin.com.au/extreme to find out more.

Teachers' Notes are available here for Snake Escape and Panda Chase.

Notes may be printed out and used for preparation of classroom discussion and activities; however they remain copyright Penguin Books Australia and may not be redistributed or posted to other networks without prior permission from the publisher.