Review by Booklist Review
Tony Baloney, a little penguin, hopes for the best as he starts school, but it's hard to follow all the new rules, and besides, accidents happen. Still, at the end of the day, he is proud to be crowned his classroom's Friendship Ambassador. Fine-tuned, realistic dialogue and lively, digital illustrations make this an amusing take on the first day of school. Though the original Tony Baloney (2011) was a picture book, this sequel features a smaller format and four short chapters, making it accessible to advanced beginning readers as well as Tony Baloney fans still in the read-to-me stage.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Tony Baloney the penguin faces his first day of school in this early reader, and as in his eponymous 2010 picture book, he uses imagined conversations with his stuffed bird, Dandelion, to work out his feelings. "What if I get lost on the way to the bathroom? What if I don't find a place to sit at lunchtime? What if I can't follow the rules?" Dandelion asks Tony, who carefully assuages his fears: "Don't worry, we can do it. I'll be there if you need me." Some first-day foibles necessitate a check-in with Dandelion: "And then Mrs. Gamboney had a little talk with me about the rules," he tells the stuffed bird. "Oh, and I'm not Line Leader." The frayed Dandelion replies, "Yeah. We sort of knew that might happen. Give it time, dude!" Ryan divides Tony's day into four chapters, and Fotheringham's blue, reds, and orange accents pop as Tony and Dandelion model a growing sense of independence and the ability to learn from mistakes. Ages 5-7. Author's agent: Kendra Marcus, BookStop Literary. Illustrator's agent: Pat Hackett, Artist Representative. (July) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2-Tony Baloney is back, this time in easy-reader format. The little macaroni penguin is excited about his first day of school, and even a bossy big sister can't bring him down. His stuffed animal, Dandelion, is nervous but Tony reassures him. The day doesn't go quite as smoothly as planned, but by simply being himself, Tony makes a friend and inspires levity in his rule-loving teacher. The vocabulary is too high for those just beginning school to tackle on their own. However, this would be a fun book for caregivers to share with a child starting school or for slightly older children to read independently. The universal topic, along with alliteration and humor, gives it wide appeal. Heavy use of primary colors makes the illustrations stand out, and Tony Baloney himself is appealingly drawn. An excellent first purchase.-Kelly Roth, Bartow County Public Library, Cartersville, GA (c) Copyright 2013. 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
This easy-reader incarnation sees the well-meaning macaroni penguin start his first day of school. Happily leaving his big and little siblings behind, Tony plunges in--and ends up in mishap after mishap, despite his best intentions of following the rules. Spot-on sibling and classmate dynamics, sparkling prose, and bright illustrations give early readers an endearing, engaging hero. (c) Copyright 2014. 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
Tony Baloney doesn't have to worry about sibling problems today--it's the first day of school. But will he be better able to behave there? Four chapters take children transitioning between early readers and longer books through Tony's day, from getting ready and learning the teacher's rules through the school day and back home again. As those familiar with Tony would suspect, the little penguin has some trouble with the rules (Tony Baloney, 2011). He calls out in class, pushes a friend too enthusiastically during a game of tag and excitedly runs to a seat at lunch. Finally, he interrupts his teacher's group time for something not on the list of "B Emergencies" (bathroom, bandage, belly-upset). But the teacher and class quickly concur that "Bob is buried beneath the blocks!" is indeed a valid B Emergency, and they expand the list (quite humorously). While Tony doesn't get to be Line Leader on the first day as his big sister did, he is crowned a Friendship Ambassador for helping the buried Bob. As in his first outing, Tony's superego, aka Dandelion, his stuffed bird, gives him sage advice and helps him process the whole experience. Fotheringham's digital illustrations pop with bold colors. The penguins' droll facial expressions and body language will certainly be familiar to young readers This is likely to soothe the fears of those similarly nervous about their ability to follow the school rules. (Early reader. 5-7)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
