Penguin and Penelope by Salina Yoon

 Penguin, a plump black and white figure with scribbly feather markings and an orange scarf, first appeared ten years ago in Penguin and Pinecone, looking for a friend. In the following years, he's made many friends and charmed both children and adults with his simple adventures. Yoon's signature style and character return in this latest story, introducing Penelope, a purple elephant calf with very long legs.

Penelope is lost and can't find her family and Penguin is there to help. But how can they cross a deep, wide ravine and the river that flows through it? As the two bond and explore their world, Penguin continues thinking of ways to cross the river and eventually, as they are looking at birds flying in the sky, he realizes that although Penelope is an elephant and he is a penguin, they can both fly together - through the water!

Yoon's colorful, bold illustrations and simple text make this series equally attractive for beginning readers and storytime read-alouds to toddlers. This will make a charming addition to elephant, penguin, and friendship storytimes as well as a sweet introduction to learning to swim.

Verdict: The original penguin story, Penguin and Pinecone, is being released in an anniversary edition in November 2022 and this is a good opportunity to make sure you have all the titles in the series and introduce them to your readers, if they are not already fans.

ISBN: 9781681193441; Published September 2022 by Bloomsbury; Review copy provided by publisher; Purchased for the library