My Penguin Osbert Book and Toy Gift Set Author:Elizabeth Cody Kimmel From School Library Journal — PreSchool-Grade 2After several years in which his Christmas wishes have gone awry, Joe gets smart and writes Santa a detailed and exact description of the present he wantsa real live penguin. He gets what he asked for, but providing his new friend with meals of creamed herring and taking cold baths with him turn out ... more »to be more than he bargained for. Written with lots of tongue-in-cheek humor, this quietly quirky tale is accompanied by expressive watercolor-and-pastel illustrations depicting the determined-to-make-this-work Joe and his irrepressible pet. This holiday story will make kids laugh all year long.E. M.
PreS-Gr. 1. From the be-careful-what-you-wish-for category of story comes the tale of Joe, who hopes each year to get exactly what he has asked for but winds up with a variation--a toy car, for instance, instead of a real one. But when Joe insists he wants a real penguin, that's just what he gets. Osbert is a delightful companion, albeit with a mind of his own. In the bath Osbert unwraps all the soap to replicate icebergs; for breakfast he demands herring. Finally Joe writes Santa, asking for a redo, and arrangements are made for Osbert to go to Arctic World, a happy solution for both. Kimmel sneaks some sly humor into the well-told, nicely paced story, and Lewis' artwork, executed in watercolor and pastels and enhanced with digital renderings, has a soft look, colored in marshmallow tints. Yet, as does the text, the art offers plenty of sharp fun--for example, when homesick Osbert builds a village out of melting ice-cream pops. Amusement with a message. Ilene Cooper