Little penguin The Emperor of Antarctica

PreS-Gr 2-Simple text and pleasant illustrations in pencil, watercolor, and digital media recount the months in the life of an emperor penguin from spring hatching to his midsummer dive into the sea. As in the many books for young readers about this popular animal, this one emphasizes the father's role in keeping the egg and then the chick warm under the belly flap just above his feet. The chick is fed the milky mix from his father's gullet, and the youngster and his hungry parent soon welcome the mother penguin returning from her feeding months at sea. The adults trade feeding and child care, protecting their offspring from the elements while he grows, plays with other young penguins, and begins to lose his baby down. "At five months old Little Emperor and his clan waddled down to the sea. They hopped.and leaped.and tobogganed.WHOOSH! until they reached the ocean." The text and competent paintings convey a realistic sense of the Antarctic world and the birds' life cycle, although both are at times a bit cute. A straightforward author's note briefly explains aspects of the emperor penguin's physiology and life experiences. Some adults will enjoy the cozy tone for reading aloud, and libraries that are not amply stocked on this appealing subject will find this a useful and attractive introduction.-Margaret Bush, Simmons College, Boston (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Children are introduced to emperor penguins, the largest of the penguin species, as readers follow a single emperor chick from his hatching to his first swim in the sea at five months of age.As Little Emperor grows, readers learn how these birds survive the harsh cold of the Antarctic, how they communicate, how and what the chicks are fed and about the predator that Little Emperor faces when he finally reaches the sea. Children will also pick up a few facts about Antarctica. Keeping the focus on one penguin chick brings readers into his story and lends relevance to the facts that are presented in the text. But in so doing, readers miss out on one of the most fascinating aspects of emperor penguin parenthoodthe amazing stamina and clever survival tactics of the males as they incubate the eggs through the freezing Antarctic winter. Blues, whites and purples dominate Olson's artwork until the sun returns to the Antarctic, then rosy oranges and yellows take over. Rendered in pencils, watercolors and digital media, the penguins are softly realistic, and Olson keeps the focus on the family trio, blurring the rest of the penguins into the background.Not the most factual or fascinating book on the penguin shelf, still this offers a chick's point of view, which may appeal to younger audiences.(Picture book. 4-8) ]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.