The Penguin Lady

May 1, 2012

PreS-Gr 2-The Penguin Lady is portrayed in vibrantly colored illustrations: she dresses in black and white, decorates with black and white, waddles, and loves these birds. She is delighted to receive a penguin from the Galapagos Islands for her birthday, two Rockhoppers from Argentina, three Chinstraps from Antarctica, four baby African penguins, five Little Blue penguins, six Royal penguins from an island near Antarctica, seven King penguins from the Falkland Islands, eight Adelies from Antarctica, nine Macaroni penguins from Argentina, and ten Emperor penguins from Antarctica. They all roam throughout the house, yard, and pond until the Penguin Lady gives them to the local zoo. This book serves as a simple counting book and an introduction to 10 species. A four-page activity section includes illustrations of the penguins with brief descriptions of physical characteristics; a world map; and a height chart. Acknowledging the far-fetched nature of this whimsical story, the author states that "it isn't possible for individuals to have penguins as pets" and encourages readers to adopt a species with a donation to a zoo or conservation program. Offer young readers Jonathan London's Little Penguin: Emperor of Antarctica (Marshall Cavendish, 2011) and Wendell Minor's If You Were a Penguin (HarperCollins, 2009) for stronger stories and solid facts about these intriguing birds.-Laura Scott, Farmington Community Library, MI

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