Review by Booklist Review
This stylishly dressed penguin is on a mission: find the friend he met yesterday. He ought to be easy to recognize because he had excellent dancing skills. The penguin waddles and belly slides across the snow but cannot seem to find among the penguins any that can really cut a rug. One sings (LA!) and one plays the trumpet (HONK!), but our searcher is unimpressed. After all, nobody measures up to his missing fancy-footed friend! But when the penguin stumbles across a hungry seal, it may be the noisy friends who will save the day. Proimos' blocky, bold depictions of the dramatic and often oblivious penguin bumbling and sliding through his adventures are zany to the max, peppered with that particularly wacky brand of humor that appeals to fans of Bob Shea. A quirky friendship story with plenty of read-alike appeal and laugh-out-loud moments. And, oh yeah he does find the groovy dancer, and it's not who readers will expect.--Reagan, Maggie Copyright 2015 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Good news for those with Minion fatigue: Proimos (Year of the Jungle) has come up with three penguins who are right up there in the not-very-bright but goofy-cute department: these polar birds have enormous yellow eyes, operatic temperaments (their shouted exchanges are conducted entirely in capital letters), and love to waddle and belly slide. The action centers on an unnamed penguin who is both euphoric and despondent: the best friend he met the day before, a "spectacular dancer," is nowhere to be found. His search leads him to two more penguins with talents of their own-one-note singing and horn playing, respectively-but not the twinkle toes he seeks. When a big and hungry polar bear threatens to turn the first penguin into dinner, all three birds become an unbeatable team. If Proimos's eye-popping comic-book colors, repetition ("Waddle. Waddle. Belly slide!"), and made-to-be-read-aloud text aren't enough, the final revelation is so silly it's genius. Ages 4-8. Agent: Rosemary Stimola, Stimola Literary Studio. (Nov.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-Exaggerated cartoon designs, contrasting colors, and broad humor form the core of this story about a penguin searching for his friend. Every red hat warrants an investigation and the question "Do you dance?" With each no, the penguin sets off again, reciting his trademark line, "Waddle. Waddle. Belly Slide!" When he approaches a third hat, he finds it perched on the head of a large, hungry seal, but thanks to some intervention from his talented new friends, he escapes and even locates his buddy. Upon this reunion, his clumsy walk becomes a hopping dance, breaking the repetition with his final exclamation, "Dance! Dance! Belly Slide!" Part of this book's appeal is that this funny little creature is not the brightest penguin around. He actually believes his own reflection is another penguin, and even though he was searching for a nonexistent friend, he makes some real ones in the process. VERDICT Good for a quick laugh.-Rachel Forbes, formerly of Oakville Public Library, Ontario, Canada © Copyright 2015. 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
A penguin is delighted when he meets a spectacular dancer and then disappointed when he loses him. (Friendship can be bittersweet.) With a refrain of Waddle. Waddle. Belly Slide! and a dapper getup (a red bowler hat and green bow tie), he searches for his missing friend, skidding around the bright white, frozen landscape. He meets two more penguins looking for camaraderie who are outfitted with similar (but not identical) accessories. Their musical talentsincluding a screeching singing voice and raucous horn honkingdont impress our protagonist until they save him from a ravenous, saw-toothed seal. After they flee, the absent friend is revealed as the first penguins own reflection in the ice, and the three actual penguins belly-slide together and waddle contentedly, flippers around one another, into the sunset. Proimos fans (Swim! Swim!; The Many Adventures of Johnny Mutton, rev. 9/01) will recognize the artists bold brushstrokes, cartoony figures, and oversized word balloons. Undulating vertical lines divide many of the horizontally landscaped pages into panels, and a variety of lively fill colors provide steady backdrops on which the vibrant images pop. Hand-lettered all-caps text and robust motion lines emphasize the penguins urgency and support the dialogues spirited, comical tone. elisa gall (c) Copyright 2015. 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
It's a face-off on the ice for a trio of performing penguins and a large, hungry, white seal. A penguin sporting a jauntily angled red hat and bright green bow tie is in search of his "new best friend" who is a "spectacular dancer!" The first penguin he encounters sings, and the second one toots a horn. Searching on, he comes face to face with a toothy seal, who has visions of a tasty roast. In utter despair, and also facing his imminent demise, the penguin finds able-bodied assistance from his singing and tooting fellows. Their performances are more noise irritant than music-hall fodder, but the seal finds it necessary to cover his ears, and the soon-to-be dinner penguin escapes into the welcome company of two new buddies. Oh, and he also finds the dancing frienda visual twist that will set readers giggling. Proimos' animals, outlined in solid black, have bright yellow googly eyes, big orange beaks, and tower over the pages with their brash and bold attitudes. This humorous adventure zooms along in snappy dialogue that is barely contained in large, colorful speech bubbles. A delightful refrain of "Waddle. Waddle. Belly Slide!" will have children chanting or, more likely, shouting along. Friendship on the ice: fraught with danger but funny and fulfilling in the end. (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
