Buy Issue for $25 at JHUP- Little Penguins by Cynthia Rylant
Library ed. ISBN 978-0-553-50771-3 $20.99
Trade ed. ISBN 978-0-553-50770-6 $17.99
E-book ed. ISBN 978-0-553-50772-0 $10.99
Reviewed from galleys R 3-5 yrs
Falling snowflakes mean winter, and the penguin kids are excited. They bundle up in outerwear (“What about boots?” “Red ones”) and dash out for some sledding, only to find that the snow is becoming too deep for little birds. Fortunately, Mama comes to save the day, and there’s a cozy return home to warm cookies and a tuck into bed. Rylant’s spare text focuses on the homey, pleasurable contrast between jammies inside and cold, sleddable snow outside, emphasizing the small evocative details that make this an enjoyable pretend outing for viewers. Robinson adroitly echoes the text’s simple, childlike appeal in his acrylic and cut-paper illustrations; he’s concocted a whole fantasy realm for the penguins, who live in an igloo festooned [End Page 146] with maritime-themed decorations (the hooks in their cubbies are little anchors). There’s a gray tone to the snow and, sometimes, the sky that emphasizes the genuine chill and makes the little birds’ speedy return understandable. For lots of little ones, the best part of a snowy day is the prep before and warming up afterwards, and they’ll appreciate knowing that penguins feel the same.
