Penguin on Vacation

July 1, 2013
Tired of the Antarctic cold, Penguin hops on a passing iceberg and heads north to a tropical island. The beach is nice and sunny, but Penguin is a bird out of water on the sand: skiing, sledding, and skating just don't work there. But before he throws in the (beach) towel, Penguin meets Crab, an island native, who shows him how to enjoy everything the shore has to offer. And Penguin unwittingly brings home the best souvenir: his new friend needs a vacation, too. Now it's Penguin turn to show Crab the delights of his habitat. As in Penguin and Pinecone, Yoon's story of an unlikely interspecies friendship is both funny and sweet, especially as portrayed in her welcoming, digitally created illustrations. Penguin in sunhat and old-fashioned swimsuit, Crab in green woolen mittens and scarf -- two of the many small touches that add warmth to the simple story. When Crab goes home, he leaves behind a promise (in a conch shell): "I shell return." Let's hope that, as the Antarctic Ambassador of Friendship, Penguin, too, shell return in more adventures. kitty flynn

(Copyright 2013 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)