Little Penguin: The Emperor of Antarctica
Ages 4-8 London provides background information on emperor penguins in this book written for younger children. Although this story chronicles the life of a typical emperor penguin, the bulk of the story focuses on the penguin s first five months. From crawling out of a cracked egg at father s feet and accepting food from a foraging mother penguin, to first steps and swimming in the ocean, the basic facts of a male young penguin s life are described. An author s note provides more facts which expand upon the text. Boldfaced and italicized words denote impending excitement or importance, drawing children further into the story. This is a basic story of first facts with a few challenging words for younger children. Color pictures carefully highlight and accentuate the text. With London s text and Olson s pictures, a child s knowledge of penguins will be enhanced. Dennis LeLoup, Librarian, Avon Intermediate School East and Avon Middle School South, Avon, Indiana. Recommended. --Library Media Connection, January/February Advanced ReviewsDepicting the Antarctic setting with luminous shades of violet and blue and ice-cracked textures, Julie Olson's artwork features a young penguin that is both realistic-looking and endearingly irresistible. Kids will be captivated by the book's sense of adventure and intrigued by the ways that these animals have adapted to their harsh environment. --SLJ Article, Explore the Animal Kingdom: Books for Reading Aloud