Penguin Problems (Animal Problems #1)

by Jory John (Author) Lane Smith (Illustrator)

Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade
Series: Animal Problems
"A penguin whines about the uncontrollable problems in his life"--
Select format:
Board Books
$8.99

More books in the series - See All

Kirkus

Starred Review

Well-paced, bursting with humor, and charmingly misanthropic.

None

Starred Review
The temperature may be below freezing, but the snark level is cranked up high
in this collaboration between funnymen John and Smith.

Publishers Weekly

Being a penguin is no day at the park: "It's way too early. My beak is cold. What's with all the squawking, you guys?" John's bumbling, bleary-eyed penguin has a hard time on land, and the ocean depths are even worse: "Oh, great. A leopard seal. Oh, great. A shark.... What is it with this place?" Then there's the matter of parents: "Mom?" the penguin asks another penguin near a crowd of look-alike penguins. "I literally have no idea who you are," the other penguin replies. Just when things look hopeless, a passing walrus offers a comforting (if long-winded) sermon, and the penguin gets a moment of respite from his angst. John (I Love You Already) delivers a rat-a-tat series of laughs, and Smith's (There Is a Tribe of Kids) mottled, minimalist polar landscapes highlight the penguin's awkward moments. His story is classic comedy, an examination of the delicate balancing act between total despair ("I have so many problems! And nobody even cares!" the penguin cries) and the resolve to stumble on. Ages 3-7. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Sept.)

Copyright 2016 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2--It's not easy being a penguin. As a world-weary avian narrator points out, there's plenty that can (and does) go wrong: "My beak is cold." "It snowed some more last night, and I don't even like the snow." "The ocean smells too salty today." An even chillier fishing expedition does not improve his demeanor: "Oh, great. An orca. Oh, great. A leopard seal. Oh, great. A shark. What is it with this place?" Smith's sponge-textured illustrations expand upon the text's downbeat doldrums with visual humor and delightfully deadpan facial expressions. Still hungry, the penguin pulls out of the water just before being gulped down by the bigger seal (which is about to be consumed by the even larger shark, about to be swallowed by the huge orca). His melancholy monologue continues until a stately walrus catches his attention and delivers a wise (and lengthy and slightly bombastic) oration about appreciating the good things in life. Grudgingly, Penguin embraces a new perspective. He sits on a pristine peak, gazes at gracefully falling flurries, and muses, "Maybe things will work out, after all"--or not (the page turn reveals that the gentle snowflakes have turned into a full-fledged storm and Penguin has resumed his grousing). This sublime pairing of author and artist results in a rib-tickling exploration of what it means to look at the unsunny side. VERDICT Share this book with Claire Messer's Grumpy Pants for a storytime starring persnickety penguins.--Joy Fleishhacker, School Library Journal

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes




Jory John
Jory John is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of many books for both children and adults. He is the author of Penguin Problems and Giraffe Problems, both illustrated by Lane Smith; The Bad Seed and The Good Egg, both illustrated by Pete Oswald; and Quit Calling Me a Monster! and I Will Chomp You!, both illustrated by Bob Shea, among many other books. Jory is a two-time E.B. White Read-Aloud Honor recipient and has won numerous state book awards for his writing. Jory lives in Oregon. You can find him at joryjohn.com or on Twitter @IamJoryJohn.

LANE SMITH has written and illustrated a bunch of stuff, including Grandpa Green, which was a Caldecott Honor Book; It's a Book, which has been translated into over twenty-five languages; and The Stinky Cheese Man. Four of his books have been New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books of the Year. In 2012, the Eric Carle Museum named him an Honor Artist for "lifelong innovation in the field of children's books." In 2014, he received the Society of Illustrators Lifetime Achievement Award. Lane and book designer Molly Leach live in rural Connecticut. Visit him on the Web at lanesmithbooks.com.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780525645757
Lexile Measure
500
Guided Reading Level
K
Publisher
Random House Books for Young Readers
Publication date
September 25, 2018
Series
Animal Problems
BISAC categories
JUV002040 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | Birds
JUV019000 - Juvenile Fiction | Humorous Stories
JUV039050 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Emotions & Feelings
Library of Congress categories
Humorous stories
Penguins
JUVENILE FICTION / Social Issues / Emotions &
JUVENILE FICTION / Humorous Stories
Life skills
JUVENILE FICTION / Animals / Birds
Attitude change
Attitude change in children

Subscribe to our delicious e-newsletter!