Search for The Hidden Treasure

by Nancy Beaule, Lauren Goldstein (Illustrator)

A secret treasure is hidden deep inside the mysterious Peppa Mansion! Chompy, Salty and Weiner set out to solve the mystery....but will Candybar shake up their plans? Volume 2 in the "Chompy & the Munchy Bunch" series

23 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 12, 2016

About the author

Nancy Beaule first captured young readers with her beloved six-volume picture book series, Chompy & the Munchy Bunch. Now, with The Joker’s Revenge, she dives into young adult fiction, an enthralling mix of mystery and romance inspired by her own teenage summers at camp in Maine.

Her debut YA novel has earned the 2025 Regal Summit Award, the Finalist award from Storytrade Book Awards, the Bronze medal from Readers’ Choice Awards, and the Gold medal from Global Ebook Awards, cementing her as a powerful new voice in the genre.

Beyond writing, Nancy is an inventor (creator of the Pie Saver), entrepreneur, and nature enthusiast. She lives in Maine by a scenic pond, where she draws inspiration for her next stories while enjoying time with her husband and grandchildren.

Reviews

[Lynda Dickson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chompy tries making Chompy Juice, but something's just not right. Meanwhile, Salty reveals that he found a cryptic note at Peppa Mansion. So, they head back to the haunted mansion to see if they can find a hidden treasure and, hopefully, the real secret behind making Chompy Juice. But someone else is following them ...

Once again, the author shows her talent in creating a spooky atmosphere with her careful choice of words. Young readers will be amused and frightened at the same time, as Chompy goes on another exciting adventure and someone is taught a lesson. I hope the author takes the opportunity to incorporate some nutritional messages in future books in this series.

Note: read the Kindle edition in portrait mode, as the readability has been improved by having single pages instead of double-page spreads; landscape mode still has double pages, but the pictures don't correspond with the adjacent text and the text is too small.

Full blog post (23 January): https://booksdirectonline.blogspot.co...

[Laura Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chompy, the carrot, and his pal, Salty, are back in a other spooky adventure. Carrot has Doc Peppa’s secret formula for super-powered eyesight but when he makes a batch it doesn’t work. A note Salty found at the mansion mentions a treasure. Perhaps it’s what they need to make the formula work. So off they go again.

Meanwhile, Candybar reaches the mansion ahead of them and sets a trap. Let the games begin.

Young children enjoy scary stories and the author kept the plot fun without being to scary. Her choice of food groups for characters added to that fun.

Another fun chapter in the Chompy adventures. The cute illustrations and antics will delight young readers.

[Sonia · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Hidden Treasure," the second book in the "Chompy & the Munchy Bunch" series by Nancy Beaule, lives up to the charm of the first installment. This exciting adventure features a thrilling mystery, a prank that hilariously backfires, and plenty of fun along the way. Young readers will be captivated by the engaging storyline and eagerly anticipate the next book in the series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sally Wilsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like this series using veggies as characters. I really feel children can relate to them. This story is about Chompy the carrot, Salty the chip and Weiner the dog. It also has the trouble maker Candybar included. They all go to the mansion to find a treasure. Candybar is his usual self and fails. This is a fun book and great bedtime story.

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay.

[Susan Day · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in the series and it just keeps getting better.
Again we meet Chompy the carrot and his mate, Salty.
Their search picks up from the previous book and takes them on a fun and fast-paced adventure.
Kids are going to love the illustrations, too. They are really quite funny.
This is going to be a hit with most young and older readers. Let's face it, any book that includes the baddie getting covered in spider poop is sure to be a winner! Well done, Nancy. Keep up the good work.

[Kristine Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of Volumes 1 & 2: These books are silly and fun with illustrations and characters children will love. They are super quick to read, engaging, and each has a full plot line to enjoy. These stories feel just like what they are -- a creative response to when a grandchild says, "Gramma, tell me a story!"

Especially in book two, Search for the Hidden Treasure, author Nancy Beaule uses lots of figurative language. This not only enriches the story, but it would be a great way to teach even the very young about writing devices like similes and metaphors. Book two also brings a new illustrator, but the changes are subtle and improved (I could tell Salty was a potato chip in this one, where I wasn't really sure what he was in The Secret Formula.)

The writing is suitable for the intended audience, whether as a read-aloud for the youngest or independent reading for stronger readers. It is virtually error-free and cleanly edited. (The Grammar Policewoman in me doesn't like to see incorrect ellipses in both books, but I doubt any child reader will notice or care!) I do find it peculiar that our main character, Chompy, who is a carrot, eats carrots and then even grows them to blend them into a juice (a cannibalistic carrot??). I would very much like to test run this book with a child and see if he/she finds this odd -- or perhaps just oddly entertaining!

Silliness abounds, and who can resist stories that include haunted houses, secret formulas, and practical jokes? I definitely recommend you check-out Chompy and friends with your kids. And be sure to visit the author's website to get a recipe for your kids to make their own Chompy Juice!

Thank you to the author for providing me eBooks in exchange for my honest opinion -- the only kind I give. Full review and more on Hall Ways Blog http://kristinehallways.blogspot.com/...

[Rosie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Depressed at his failed attempt to replicate Doc Peppa’s supereye formula which had previously been made at Peppa Mansion, Chompy sits on his swing and looks despondent. After Salty shows Chompy a coded message about a hidden treasure at Peppa Mansion in Munchytown, Chompy immediately cheers up, thinking it could be the missing secret ingredient for the supereye formula – a carrot juice which had enhanced his vision tenfold. Although afraid to return, Chompy, Salty and Weiner sneak into Peppa Mansion, not realizing that the evil Candybar had overheard their conversation and was waiting to sabotage their efforts to find the hidden treasure. Candybar finds himself in an awkward situation when his evil plans backfire, but luck is on Chompy’s side, as Candybar’s trap unveils what they had come in search of.

Nancy Beaule's delightful children’s book puts forth the message that you sew what you reap. Candybar’s evil intentions led to a bad ending for his deeds, while Chompy and his friends’ bravery led them to the bounty which they had sought out. Search for the Hidden Treasure teaches children that determination pays off, while sitting around sulking, thinking about failure, is a path that leads nowhere. I like the different examples of fear playing tricks on the imagination; when the main characters feared the worst from what they thought they were seeing, the eventual realization of what they were looking at embarrassed them somewhat. All in all, their bravery and determination landed them the prize which they sought and the bad guy got a royal kick in the pants for his efforts. I enjoyed the second installment of Chompy & the Munchy Bunch, and recommend it to those aged between 4-7, enabling them to realize their full potential, regardless of the fear and obstacles in their way.

- Rosie Malezer for Readers’ Favorite

[Avidreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Following the fun of The Secret Formula, this second book in the Chompy and The Munchy Bunch series takes young readers on another hilarious and slightly spooky adventure! Chompy, the lovable carrot, returns with his best buds Salty and Weiner to uncover a hidden treasure at the mysterious Peppa Mansion.

Still puzzled by why his batch of “Chompy Juice” didn’t work, Chompy learns of a hidden secret from an old note left behind by Doc Peppa. Determined to solve the mystery, the friends face spooky shadows, a suspiciously alive carpet, and a sneaky Candybar who’s up to no good.

The book is fast-paced, imaginative, and filled with silly surprises. It builds perfectly on Book 1, showing Chompy’s persistence and the power of teamwork. In the end, they find not gold, but the real missing piece: the magical carrot seeds that finally bring Chompy Juice to life!

Why it’s great:
Connects smoothly to Book 1 (The Secret Formula)
Balances mystery, humor, and action for young readers
Reinforces creative problem-solving and friendship

Recommended for:
Ages 5–8, especially those who love fun series, quirky characters, and a bit of suspense with a happy ending.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Stacie Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another awesome children book

I think this one was just as good as the first book. Great drawings and characters. I recommend to all families. I voluntarily reviewed the book. The opinions in this review are my own.