Three of the best Tintin books for newcomers

The Black Island

This exciting adventure is a great first book for anyone who hasn’t read Tintin before. Most of the action takes place in the UK, and there are plenty of strange puzzles that Tintin and Snowy have to solve if they are to defeat an international criminal operation. The series’ funny detectives, Thomson and Thompson, guarantee lots of laughs.

The Crab with the Golden Claws

This is the ninth story in the series, but even so, it’s a good one to start with. Captain Haddock, a popular character in the later books, makes his first appearance, and joins Tintin on his investigation. With a mysterious gang of smugglers, plane fights, kidnappings and lots of tins of crab, this is one of the most action-packed tales.

The Secret of the Unicorn and Red Rackham’s Treasure

These two connected books are slightly different from the others, as they are more about adventure than defeating villains. Along with Tintin in

Tibet, they are among the most beautifully illustrated instalments, and focus on the characters. Tintin and Haddock launch a search for long-lost treasure, and meet the forgetful Professor Calculus along the way.