Penguin in Peril

[A] sprightly author-illustrator debut... Graphic shapes in pencil and bold gouache colors not only make for striking compositions, they suggest humor in the simplest of ways. Clever details abound, like the underground map of the penguin's escape via subway and the animals' image-only dialogue bubbles. The penguin in peril prevails in this fresh and funny English import.

A bicycle built for three and a secret subterranean tunnel system are just two of the treats thrown into this madcap adventure by first-time British author/illustrator Hancocks. Three hungry cats snare a penguin from the local zoo, scheming to have it catch fish for them. But the penguin escapes, and although the cats give chase through a crowded city, it eludes them, camouflaging itself in a handy group of nuns and darting into the kitchen of a high-end restaurant. Hancocks's artwork is first cousin to Maira Kalman's, a series of cheerful gouaches in which grown-up metropolitan civilization is depicted with childlike charm. Cheeky humor crowds the pages; in the restaurant, the penguin joins a procession of formally dressed waiters into the dining room, holding the skeleton of the fish he's just downed like a trophy. Penguin fans will sigh with relief as a little bird reveals the underground tunnels: "Luckily, she knew a secret way into the zoo." The cats' punishment seems too harsh for the crime--gruel for life behind bars!--but perhaps a sequel will let them stage a jailbreak. Ages 3-7. (Feb.)

Copyright 2013 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

K-Gr 2--Faced with empty cupboards, three hungry cats scour their home until they find three gold coins. On the way to the supermarket, they are distracted by a movie marquee advertising The Fishy Feast. The cats quickly hand over their coins and go inside. Hungrier than ever when it's over, the felines draw inspiration from the film and plan "the most brilliant robbery of all time." After stealing into the zoo under cover of darkness and abducting a penguin, they try to explain their plan, only to be undone by their lack of linguistic ability-they don't speak penguin! No matter, they set off on a fishing trip, with the penguin an integral part of the endeavor. Sensing danger, he escapes and manages to elude the kidnappers when they mistake him for a nun and a waiter. A helpful blue bird shows him a secret way back into the zoo and tells the police about the felonious cats. (The clever bird must be trilingual.) Penguin arrives home none the worse for wear and just in time for a fishy feast of his own. The cats are jailed and sentenced to eat "gruel for life." Although the text is sometimes difficult to read on pages with dark gray backgrounds, this quirky tale has clever, foreshadowing illustrations that attentive readers will eat right up. The holes in the storytelling are secondary to the sophisticated vocabulary and curiosity about the outcome of the cats' goofy plan.--Sara-Jo Lupo Sites, George F. Johnson Memorial Library, Endicott, NY

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

The fun is finding the waddling penguin as he stays one step ahead of the felines, hiding amongst black-and-white nuns, riding the subway, and waiting on tables. ... The mixed- media pictures are delightfully comical but show serious graphic artistry as well. The design, with its panels and spreads, will keep young listeners--and their readers--on their toes.

"The cartoon-style illustrations are bright, cheerful, droll, and perfect for this tale."
—Library Media Connection

"This wacky tale by Helen Hancocks will keep little ones giggling."
—Parents Magazine