If You Were a Penguin

by Florence Minor, Wendell Minor (Illustrator)

Overview

In this simple, rhyming picture book, the youngest readers will learn about penguins. This is the perfect read-aloud for teachers and parents to share with young children as they imagine what life as a penguin is like!

The short text by Florence Minor pairs perfectly with the gorgeous, detailed illustrations by acclaimed illustrator Wendell Minor. Fun facts about penguins are featured at the back of the book.

As Booklist said, "Whether it’s the comical waddle, the formal appearance of their plumage, or their well-documented devotion to their young, penguins hold an unending appeal for young children." Their review called If You Were a Penguin "dazzling," "vibrant," and "breathtaking"!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780061130977
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	12/23/2008
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	134,906
Product dimensions:	9.90(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	AD310L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Florence Minor is the author of Christmas Tree!, illustrated by Wendell Minor, which Kirkus Reviews praised for its "imaginative Christmas trees and poetic, rhyming text." If You Were a Penguin, her second collaboration with Wendell, was selected by Pennsylvania for its "One Book, Every Young Child" early literacy program. If You Were a Panda Bear is her third picture book for children.

Wendell Minor is the illustrator of more than fifty award-winning picture books for children, including Mojave by Diane Siebert, Abe Lincoln Remembers by Ann Turner, The Seashore Book by Charlotte Zolotow, and the New York Times bestseller Reaching for the Moon by Buzz Aldrin, as well as numerous books about the outdoors with his frequent collaborator, Jean Craighead George, including their classic Everglades.

The Minors live in Connecticut, where they share their home and studio with their cats, Sofie and Cindercat.

Wendell Minor is nationally known for the artwork he has created for over sixty award-winning children’s books. His many collaborators include Jean Craighead George, Robert Burleigh, Buzz Aldrin, Tony Johnston, Nikki Grimes, Mary Higgins Clark, and, last but not least, his wife, Florence. He is also the author and illustrator of My Farm Friends.

Editorial Reviews

Wendell’s vibrant large-scale figures, set against bracing polar landscapes, have enough personality to captivate a crowd.” — ALA Booklist

“A playful and lightly informative look at the life of penguins...an excellent storytime addition.” — School Library Journal

From the Publisher

Wendell’s vibrant large-scale figures, set against bracing polar landscapes, have enough personality to captivate a crowd.

ALA Booklist

PreS-Gr 2

A playful and lightly informative look at the life of penguins. Children will love the upbeat rhyming text: "You could fly underwater/or sing a duet/You could live on land/but get really wet." The lively gouache and watercolor illustrations feature 10 different species of adult and young penguins engaged in mostly naturalistic activities. The spreads are eye-catching and fun. The use of both soft and sharp shapes and colors brings out the harshness and warmth of the penguin communities. This delightful book will naturally lead to one-on-one conversations and group discussions, as will the ending, "Penguins do lots of things/that you can do too!" It's a perfect introduction for a unit on penguins or wildlife that live in both temperate and Antarctic waters, as well as an excellent storytime addition. Helpful back matter includes fun facts, easy identification of the different species, and some good Web sites.-Anne Beier, Hendrick Hudson Free Library, Montrose, NY

School Library Journal

The second from this husband-and-wife team (Christmas Tree!, 2005) explores the many things that penguins can do and suggests to readers that they can also share in these activities. For instance, penguins swim, sing duets, wear tuxedos and make funny faces. "If you were a penguin . . . / You could live underground / or on top of the ice. / Penguin pals all around / make it twice as nice!" Full-bleed paintings fill the pages with huge, realistic close-ups of many different species of penguins. Rhymes that start strong in the beginning weaken toward the end, steering the story rather than serving it. While the text falls flat, it does give illustrator Minor a window of opportunity for some clever images that readers will remember long after the words are forgotten. Backmatter includes lists of fun facts and websites to consult for further information as well as an identification key for all the species featured. Not a standout as either a rhyming picture book or a beginning nonfiction title about penguins. (Picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews