Skip to main content

Five Penguin Picture Books

I used to have a roommate who loved penguins. A lot. Which means that I often pay attention when a good book comes out that has penguins in it. Also, it is the time of year when it is cold and snowy…and I feel like I waddle around in my snow clothes the same way that penguins do. Anyway, all of this is to say that I apparently have penguins on my mind—so I will tell you about five of my favorite penguin-themed picture books. Enjoy! 

By Philip C. Stead 
Illustrated by Erin E. Stead 
Roaring Brook Press, 2021. Picture Book. 

In this clever sequel to the Caldecott winner A Sick Day for Amos McGee, Amos McGee plans to have a special day with all of the animals at the zoo—including the penguin. However, he ends up missing his bus and isn’t able to treat the animals to the special outing without a little bit of help. 

By Cynthia Rylant 
Illustrated by Christian Robinson 
Schwartz & Wade Books, 2016. Picture Book. 

In this sweet picture book, five little penguins are excited to bundle up and head outside on the first snowy day of winter. Young readers will enjoy watching all the fun these little penguins have while playing in the snow. 

By Jory John 
Illustrated by Lane Smith 
Random House, 2016. Picture Book.
 
Life is quite happy and carefree—unless you are a penguin that has loads of problems! This hilarious book talks about all of the problems that a particular penguin has, and why the reader should be sympathetic to the penguin’s plight. 

By Georgiana Deutsch 
Illustrated by Ekaterina Trukhan 
Tiger Tales, 2019. Picture Book. 

In this silly picture book on manners, all of the penguins are polite—except for Polly. She makes a lot of mischief…which leads to some not-quite-polite moments. 

By Lucy Ruth Cummings 
Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2021. Picture Book. 

While a family of vampires visits the zoo a young vampire trades places with a penguin for the duration of the outing. Although the vampire family and other zoo members don’t notice what has happened, the young vampire and the penguin enjoy a day of trading places.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

If You Like...KPop Demon Hunters

KPop Demon Hunters has been one of the most talked-about movies of the summer. If you loved this movie as much as I did, you don't want the magic (or the music) to stop. Try reading these books that touch on some of the same topics and themes as the animated hit! Brick Dust and Bones By M. R. Fournet New York: Feiwel and Friends, 2023. Fiction. 247 pages. Orphaned Marius works in the family business--as their cemetery's ghost caretaker. However, Marius also moonlights as a monster hunter in order to earn the costly Mystic currency he needs to bring his mother back from the dead. As the window to bring his mother back begins to close, Marius's exploits get more and more dangerous, and he may have set his sights on a monster too big to handle on his own. Like Mira, Marius longs for familial connection, and his work as a monster hunter will satisfy the thrill of demon hunting for fans the movie. Where's Halmoni? By Julie J. Kim Seattle, WA: Little Bigfoot, 2017. Comics. W...

Review: I Hate Everything!

  I Hate Everything! By Sophy Henn  New York: Beach Lane Books, 2025. Picture Book.  Two ghosts are floating atop a solid colored background. The first one yells, “I HATE EVERYTHING!” The second ghost responds, “Really?” Thus, begins the conversation which helps the first ghost realize that they don’t actually hate everything. This is a great picture book that is all about feelings and ghosts. The simple speech bubbles will allow even young preschoolers to understand what is happening. The illustrations though simple, have clever bits that readers will laugh out loud at. Basically, this is a brilliant book that every young reader who is mad at the world (or who knows someone who seems to be mad at the world) should read.

Review: The Library in the Woods

  The Library in the Woods Written by Calvin Alexander Ramsey Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie Minneapolis, MN : Carolrhoda Books, 2025. Picture Book. I am always intrigued by picture books that tell stories from the past in beautiful and meaningful ways, leaving the reader educated, and also hopeful and inspired. This book definitely did that for me! The cover is a beautiful peek into the story waiting on the pages. Junior and his family have lived on a farm that is having a hard time producing what it needs to for the family to survive economically. The parents make the hard decision to move away from the farm and into the city. Junior misses a lot of things about his life in the country. However, when Junior's friends tell him about a library in the woods, things change for him in the best way! He is amazed by the seemingly endless collection of books, and is eager to check some out for his family. Junior excitedly borrows a few books, including one about a farmer for his dad ...