It takes of guts to do what Cadel Evans does.

Cadel is the Australian cyclist who has ridden into second place in the last two Tours de France. He does the hard stuff: when the race moves into he mountains Cadel is at the front of the pack. It turns out that the Tintin books have had a huge impact on Cadel Evans.

“I first came across Tintin in my school library, and I got right into it,” he says. “My mother was studying literature, so I’d read Tintin and she would read as well. They’re the best books for kids. Tintin is the best role model: he’s brave, he’s good, he helps the weak, he’s perfect. There are so many countries I want to go to just because he went there.”

Evans has lived in Tintin’s home, Belgium, as a professional cyclist and has visited a comic book museum in Brussels. He’s still fascinated by the escapism and themes of the stories.

You can read more about Cadel Evans here.

Visit the Tintin website here.

Penguin, the publishers not the small fishing gobbling birds that live in the Southern Ocean, recently hosted the march of the penguins. Mexican waves, live drawing, slow motion monster speckies! Popular authors like Morris Gleitzman, Pat Flynn, Michael Wagner and Felice (Specky Magee) Arena lined up for one spectacular event. To see what they got up to, visit The Squawk website.

Oh, and you can win free movie passes, too.

The Kings of Clonmel, the eighth book in this massively popular series, is out now. A dangerous cult is creating havoc, undermining the kingdoms of Hibernia. Will and Halt set out to restore order.

For more on Rangers Apprentice visit the website. There is a quiz and great archery game, plus more on the books.

Q, What is a story without conflict?

A. Dead boring.

Writer Michael Wagner helped out us with Boys, Blokes, Books and Bytes last month. Right now he’s in Melton running a series of writing workshops on conflict in writng for students at Staughton College and Melton South Primary School. Visit Michael’s website for more writing tips.

And Mal? That’s Mal Peet, author of the fantastic Paul Fasutino books Keeper, The Penalty and Exposure, the latest. The stories are set in the intense world of South American soccer and feature journalist Paul Faustino in more trouble than the Leyland Brothers. Brilliant books and conflict guaranteed.

Boy, was I excited when I opened the mail this morning. The good folks at Walker Books Australia knew how much I raved about Snakehead, the seventh Alex Rider novel. So they have sent me a deluxe tin canister edition of the first six Alex Rider novels. So, what to do? Keep it, or find a new home?

I am a huge fan of the author Anthony Horowitz, too. Why? A couple of years ago Anthony was in Australia researching Snakehead when he stopped in to run a free workshop. He was fantastic. Generous, hard working and great to meet.

This box set would make a good Christmas present, wouldn’t it? The question is, for whom?

Okay, it would be selfish of me to horde it. I give in. To make this slick little box set yours*, tell me the name of Alex’s girlfriend to make this fantastic prize yours. First in, best dressed! Answer via the comments box below.

PS, there is an extra secret chapter of Snakehead here.

*Australian entrants, only.