Review by Booklist Review
Gr. 2-3, younger for reading aloud. This well-illustrated book from the Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series follows the growth of one penguin chick from egg to adulthood. The story has been told before, but the clear, simple text provides intriguing details and inherent drama that will keep young children involved straight through till the end. Using cool, wintry hues, Davie's paintings illustrate the penguin's world in a series of varied compositions that are often beautiful in their clean lines and subtly modulated colors. The appended two-page section "Find Out More about Penguins" discusses five species and suggests two activities, walking and tobogganing like penguins, that young children will be itching to try. A fine contribution to an excellent series. --Carolyn Phelan
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 1-3-This title focuses on one emperor penguin family's survival. The parents' care of their young is central, shown by deft yet perfunctory watercolors depicting a harsh, challenging habitat. The danger of the baby's starvation is emphasized; one adult must keep it protected from the elements and the other must fish for food and return in time to feed it before it dies. Trading places, the caregivers share these duties until the chick is old enough for both adult birds to hunt for food together. A summary of a penguin's life up to the laying of an egg is followed by a section that describes the egg laying and nesting patterns of kings, Adlies, rockhoppers, jackasses, and little blues. Brenda Guiberson's The Emperor Lays an Egg (Holt, 2001) and Martin Jenkins's The Emperor's Egg (Candlewick, 1999) will have wider appeal because of their sparkling language and vibrant art. This book's value rests on its accessibility to beginning readers.-Nancy Call, Santa Cruz Public Libraries, Aptos, CA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
(Primary) Betty Tatham Penguin Chick; illus. by Helen K. Davie(Preschool, Primary)Both of these books capture the appeal of penguin chicks while carefully explaining the two-parent care system. In Penguin Chick, a Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science book, Tatham provides an impressive introduction to emperor penguin growth and development. The book is clear and accurate, presenting information in a manner that trusts the intelligence of children without taking away from their fascination with nature. Davie's illustrations capture the appealing shapes and movements of the penguins, and a helpful growth timeline at the end of the book allows readers to directly compare the stages in penguin development. Two appended experiments are remarkably well matched to the topic; one encourages readers to "walk like a penguin" by shuffling along with a potato on their feet. In her third Growing Up Wild title, Markle focuses on Adelie penguins with detail appropriate for a slightly older (or more science-focused) audience, including descriptions of nest building, egg tending, and care of chicks. The penguins are under constant threat from skua predators, an element of tension that is present throughout the book. Laudably, Markle does not spare readers from the harsh realities of penguin life-not all the chicks in this book survive. Color photographs dominate the layouts and are primarily focused on the penguins themselves, though a few pull back to give glimpses of the penguins' rocky and icy environment; some of the photos are a bit unfocused and somewhat grainy. Both books make important (and complementary) contributions to the growing collection of penguin books. From HORN BOOK, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Newcomer Tatham offers a clearly written, well-researched chronicle of a penguin's growth cycle from egg to young adult in this Stage 2 addition to the ever-reliable Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series. The chronological narrative uses short but interesting sentences to describe the loving care of the penguin parents and the varied sounds the birds use to communicate. The attractive design includes large illustrations on every page, with text blocks often set on colored backgrounds integrated into the art. Davie's (The Night Rainbow, 2000, etc.) illustrations show the penguins in motion (swimming, sliding, and waddling along in their peculiarly penguinesque way), as well as standing stoically against swirls of spatter-painted snow. An author's note offers details about several kinds of penguins and penguin movement. Guiberson's The Emperor Lays an Egg (p. 1549) covers similar frozen ground with more notable illustrations, but with a longer text that isn't as accessible to young readers. (Picture book/nonfiction. 5-9)
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
