Tacky Goes to Camp

May 18, 2009
Slipshod, overweight penguin Tacky joins his more orderly penguin companions—“Goodly, Lovely, Angel, Neatly, and Perfect”—on a trip to Camp Whoopihaha in his seventh outing. As always, Tacky brings his larger-than-life personality to the excursion: his camping supplies include a television, pizza and roller blades; his “arts and crafts” project is a sprawling, abstract style painting; and he tips the canoe and can’t tell a good scary story. Munsinger’s art adds plenty of humor, up through the finale when Tacky proves his worth. Ages 3–7.

April 1, 2009
PreS-Gr 2-Somehow, the lovable penguin's goofy, clumsy antics always have a way of saving the day for him and his pals, Goodly, Lovely, Angel, Neatly, and Perfect. This addition to the popular series follows the same formula, but Lester's humorous word choices and Munsinger's delightfully silly illustrations keep things fresh. Tacky is off to Camp Whoopihaha, where he unpacks a collection of ridiculous items, sets up a circus tent, and participates in activities in his usual bumbling fashion. His contribution to the campfire scary stories is a dud of a tale called "BEWARE THE BEAR," but when a real bear threatens the campsite that night, it is Tacky whose gluttonous hording of gooey s'mores keeps everyone safe. This is laugh-out-loud material for loyal Tacky fans and an excellent choice for new arrivals in the Nice Icy Land."Gloria Koster, West School, New Canaan, CT"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2009
Preschool-G Tacky the penguin is an odd bird, as his ever-bemused but loyal friends would confirm. One summer, the six little penguins attend snowy Camp Whoopihaha, where Tacky doesnt exactly pull his weight in rock climbing or follow the crowd during synchronized swimming. But when a bear threatens the campsite, Tacky and a few dozen smooshed smores save the day. Lesters well-paced, witty tale is sure to please fans of the Tacky series, while the colorful ink-and-wash artwork will have them laughing out loud. A refreshingly different summer-camp story, this is a fine addition to a consistently amusing series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)