If You Were a Penguin [Hardcover]

Florence Minor (Author), Wendell Minor (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

If you were a penguin . . .

You could swim really fast and toboggan on ice.

Sing a happy duet, once or twice.

You could live on land but dive under the sea. 

There's a lot penguins can do, just like you and me!

Wendell and Florence Minor create a charming tribute to all the playful fun and activity that comes with being a penguin—which young readers can delight in too!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 3–How do you improve Florence Minor's terrific book (Katherine Tegen Bks., 2008) about the creatures that fascinate children? Add delightful music, playful penguin sounds, and a narrator with a subtle British accent. The CD opens with frolicsome penguin noises, immediately engaging listeners. Each double-page spread featuring Wendell Minor's beautiful, detailed art is introduced by fun, sparse, and informative rhymes detailing the traits, habits, and talents of penguins. Listeners are invited to imagine all the things they could do—swim, toboggan, feed their chicks, and more—if they were penguins. Amusing fun facts about these creatures and the distinct calls of various species conclude the audiobook. Page-turn signals are optional. A welcome addition to collection's for young people, and an essential purchase for libraries that already circulate the book.Lindsay Persohn, Crystal Lake Elementary School, Lakeland, FL
© Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

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. This husband-and-wife team’s appealing picture book invites readers to imagine all the remarkable things they could do if they were one of these lively, aquatic birds. Breezy rhymes introduce each dazzling double-page scene of penguin life, from “flying” underwater to tobogganing over the arctic snow to feeding a pair of adorably fuzzy chicks. Wendell’s vibrant large-scale figures, set against bracing polar landscapes, have enough personality to captivate a crowd, but their breathtaking detail demands the closer inspection and shared exploration of a lap-sit session. Penguin Fun Facts, a list of related Web sites, and a visual key of the 10 species depicted in the book, from the familiar Emperor to the flamboyantly plumed Macaroni, add informational detail to this light, superbly illustrated picture book. Preschool. --Kristen McKulski

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books; 1 edition (December 23, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061130974
• ISBN-13: 978-0061130977
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 10.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #74,030 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Wendell Minor is the author and/or illustrator of nearly fifty award winning books for children. He has collaborated with many accomplished authors, among them Newbery Award winning naturalist Jean Craighead George, Charlotte Zolotow, Mary Higgins Clark, Robert Burleigh and astronaut Buzz Aldrin. Several of his books, including two with Buzz Aldrin - Reaching for the Moon and Look to the Stars, and Mary Higgins Clark's Ghost Ship - were New York Times bestsellers.

In addition to children's books, his illustrations and design have enhanced over 2000 works, including the covers of David McCullough's Truman, John Adams and 1776, Pat Conroy's The Prince of Tides and South of Broad, and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

Wendell's paintings have been widely exhibited, and can be found in the permanent collections of the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, MA, the Library of Congress in Washington DC and the New Britain Museum of American Art in CT, to name just a few.

Wendell's collaboration with his wife Florence, If You Were a Penguin, was the 2009 selection for Pennsylvania's One Book, Every Young Child early literacy program. He and Florence live and work in Connecticut. www.minorart.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Love it!, July 16, 2010

By 

Hyla Waldron "greenearthjourneydotcom" (Upstate, NY) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: If You Were a Penguin (Hardcover)

My daughter loves penguins and this has been a great book to add to her collections. She is 3 years old and really enjoyed this book, her siblings (ages, 8, 1, and 4) do as well! I love the storyline and the illustrations!

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars If You Were a Penguin, December 28, 2010

By 

Nancy from Holly - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: If You Were a Penguin (Hardcover)

Book is for children less than 9 years old. It is a quick read and is informational about the types of penquins and their life styles. It was purchased at Amazon as a gift and I read it prior to sending it to Japan. I have no idea of how the recipient reacted to the book, as she lives in Tokyo, Japan.