Poetic Penguins

                Penguins, Penguins, Everywhere!  is an absolutely beautiful non-fiction picture book for the world’s young readers.  Author and illustrator Bob Barner crafted this short picture book to sing the life of penguins in poetic verse. On each page, a simple line of text dances across the gutter of a full bleed spread in bold colors.  The bold colored text contrasts beautifully with the vivid purple and blue backgrounds that fill each page of Barner’s collages made of cut and torn paper. Orange stars of the sky and sea (star fish) dazzle the eye as penguins skid across the pages on their bellies. Swirling sound waves echo through the water and a hot sun blazes as a penguin fluffs his feathers in the heat. These are just some of the images that the illustrations bring to life. For a tour of how Barner creates his illustrations, check out his website.

 Each line of text delivers an interesting fact about penguin life that young children will understand. For example, they have to watch out for their enemy the shark and the daddies care for the young.  The last two spreads include a penguin puzzler and a penguin parade. The penguin puzzler displays interesting questions and answers in a collage that resembles a child’s puzzle. The puzzle includes facts about how penguins eat, speak, move, and look. It also depicts the many sea creatures that eat penguins. The penguin parade displays picture of different types of penguins in square frames that resembles the opening of The Brady Bunch TV show.  Within each square, the name of the specific type of penguin depicted is listed with its location, height and weight. Though the language is simple, the design of this text does not easily lend itself to an independent read for younger children because it lacks conventional text placement.  Parents and teachers can definitely look to this book for an excellent winter read aloud. Teachers might also consider that as a poetic introduction to a penguin unit. Meanwhile, children of all ages will enjoy studying the penguin parade!