Review by Booklist Review
Peanut, a stuffed-animal penguin, remembers Pearl as a baby. Her first word was Peanut, and the first time she walked, she was holding on to her pal. It hasn't always been fun. Pearl sometimes drools on her stuffie or drags it though a puddle in the rain. But after Peanut is caught in the middle of a tug-of-war and their flipper gets torn, the injured stuffie ponders while Pearl's mom mends the wound. The penguin decides to take action. At the park, the toy "accidentally" falls out of Pearl's backpack and escapes. At first, the penguin rejoices to be free, but soon they miss Pearl, who finds her toy and takes it home. Korean American artist and animator Wulfekotte has illustrated a number of books, but this appealing picture book appears to be the second that she has written as well. Told from Peanut's point of view, the first-person text is simply written and satisfying, while the expressive, digitally colored pencil drawings reveal the characters' emotions with clarity. An endearing read-aloud choice for young children.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1--Peanut, who narrates, is a stuffed penguin who is tired of being ripped, chewed, and drooled on by its owner, Pearl. One Saturday morning, Peanut throws itself from Pearl's backpack and escapes into a park. Relishing this newfound freedom, Peanut enjoys exploring the food trucks, lake, and open green space. Sadly, it isn't long before it misses Pearl. Alone, poor Peanut falls off a swing and rips its stuffing. All hope is lost. Luckily for the punctured penguin, Pearl finds her beloved pal and sews the grateful friend back together again. The park is beautifully rendered in Wulfekotte's colorful, detailed illustrations, which include subtle lighting changes to depict the passage of time. Although Peanut is gray and white, Wulfekotte smartly uses color to accentuate major events. For instance, when Peanut's wing is ripped, the shock is enhanced with a bright yellow background. Her text is wordy, however, and a bit on the nose, spelling out the moral of the story across multiple pages. The premise of an anthropomorphic stuffed animal learning this lesson is virtually identical to Louis by Tom Lichtenheld, illustrated by Julie Rowan-Zoch. Peanut's text is less elegant, but the characters depict a wider range of diversity; Pearl's family is biracial. What do your readers want more: penguins or teddy bears? If they'll choose penguins, add this one to your collection. VERDICT Literal scene-stealers, the illustrations right down to the joyful endpapers will help put this tale of a morose stuffed animal into wide release at story hours.--Chance Lee Joyner
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Narrator Peanut, a stuffed penguin, has been with preschooler Pearl since the very beginning. First words, first steps -- Peanut has seen it all. But life with Pearl can be messy, too. Naptime drooling, muddy puddles, and a wing-ripping pet dog have Peanut, well, fed up. "That's it! I've had enough." The stuffed penguin hatches a plan to escape from Pearl's mistreatment and dives out of her backpack during a Saturday visit to the park. Finally independent, Peanut enjoys the chance to "eat whatever I like. And go wherever I want...It feels great to be free!" Until, that is, "freedom" starts to feel awfully lonely, and now, in the illustrations, the penguin suddenly appears very small amongst the vast expanses of the trees and swing set. Has Pearl already replaced Peanut with a new toy? Does she even notice that Peanut is gone? Despairing, the penguin falls into trouble, only to find that friendship stands the test of time. Captured in lively, soft pencil drawings, Pearl and Peanut's story appears through well-paced vignettes to capture just how much they've shared. For fans of Bear Is a Bear (rev. 11/21) and Knuffle Bunny (rev. 9/04), this is a good reminder to hold on to the ones we love -- even the stuffed ones. Grace McKinney July/August 2022 p.107(c) Copyright 2022. 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.
