The Little Penguin - Hardcover

Wood, A. J.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1551682540 ISBN 13: 9781551682549

Publisher: Templar, 2001

Synopsis

A newly hatched Emperor penguin wants more than anything to look like his tall, strong father. But when his own fluffy gray feathers start to fall out, Little Penguin is sure his wish will never come true. It takes a long ocean journey and some gentle words of wisdom from his mother before he realizes that he has become what he most wanted to be after all.

Nature lovers of all ages will delight in the captivating illustrations and the reassuring story about growing up. On every page, lavish embossing illuminates the frosty beauty of the Antarctic setting and adds intriguing texture to the feathers and footprints of the creatures that live there.

About this title

From School Library Journal:

PreSchool-Grade 2-When Little Penguin hatches, he is covered with downy gray feathers, but his father assures him that, "One day you will be an Emperor of the Ice like me." On their long journey across the big ice plain, Little Penguin forgets his father's warnings to stay close and soon gets lost. Not only that, but he also realizes that he is losing his feathers and is afraid he will freeze. All's well in the end, however, when the little animal is reunited with his parents. Wood weaves some information about the life and habits of Emperor penguins into this short tale. Boey's finely detailed pen-and-ink and pastel illustrations are done primarily in grays, blues, and yellows, and are printed on heavy, embossed stock. The raised areas give texture to the animals and add depth and interest to the landscapes. This slight story works nicely as an introduction to Antarctic life. It could be combined with other stories about family relationships, such as Barbara Joosse's Mama, Do You Love Me? (Chronicle, 1991), or other books about penguins, e.g., Helen Lester's "Tacky the Penguin" series (Houghton), to enrich a preschool storytime.
Roxanne Burg, Thousand Oaks Library, CA
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist:

PreS-Gr. 2. Heavy, textured pages add to the appeal of this simply written, beautifully illustrated growing-up story. Big Penguin is delighted when the egg he's kept warm for so long hatches. Little Penguin wants nothing more than to look like large, sleek Dad, but his fuzzy, gray feathers don't look like his father's, and when they start to fall out, Little Penguin fears he will freeze. He is amazed when his mother exclaims, "You have beautiful feathers!" And when he looks at his reflection in the water, it's true; he is now covered with black, shiny ones, just like Big Penguin's. Embossed background patterns of snowflakes, ice, water, fish, and feathers create a tactile effect. The baby penguins are adorably fuzzy, the adults are lustrous and dignified, and the icy palette of light blue and white evokes the chill of the penguins' glacial environment. A sweet, visually appealing package. Diane Foote
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About this edition

• Publisher: Templar
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 1551682540
• ISBN 13: 9781551682549
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Boey Stephanie