Where's Walrus? And Penguin? Stephen Savage
September 10, 2015
Book: Where's Walrus? And Penguin?
Author: Stephen Savage
Pages: 32
Age Range: 3-5
Stephen Savage's Where's Walrus? (reviewed here) was a 2011 Cybils Fiction Picture Book nominee. After reading a library copy of this wordless picture book, I ended up purchasing a copy for my daughter. Walrus has been a family favorite ever since. Thus my daughter and I were both delighted when a sequel showed up on our doorstep recently: Where's Walrus? And Penguin?. I think that the sequel is even funnier than the original book.
Where's Walrus? And Penguin? follows a similar pattern to the first book, a consistency that will be comforting to Savage's target audience of preschoolers. In this installment, the crowds thin out one rainy day at the zoo. So Walrus decides to take a little jaunt out into the city, dragging a small penguin with him. The ever-determined (though not so observant) zookeeper follows them.
To avoid the zookeeper, Walrus and Penguin disguise themselves as, among other things, a mother holding a swaddled baby, a limo driver and passenger, and a conductor and opera singer. Having a sidekick gives Walrus a bit more scope for his disguises. I laughed out loud to see Penguin disguised as a pigeon, being fed from a park bench by Walrus. And I was a bit surprised to find the duo playing professional baseball. But all of it was entertaining.
A twist arises towards the end of the book, as Walrus, after a minor injury, meets a nurse who is also a walrus. The ending is highly satisfying (and really, no more implausible than the rest of the book, if you stop to think about it. A penguin driving a limo?)
Where's Walrus? And Penguin? is a wonderful book for preschoolers. There's plenty of humor, as well as scope for interactivity. Kids will look for both Walrus and Penguin on each page, and giggle when they find them. Although there is a plotline, of sorts, the seek and find aspect of the story makes Where's Walrus? And Penguin? a book that preschoolers can happily look through on their own, a boon to parents everywhere.
Where's Walrus? And Penguin? is a must-purchase for public library collections, and would be a nice addition to home libraries, too. Certainly I am happy to be adding it to ours. Highly recommended for preschool audiences.
Publisher: Scholastic (@Scholastic)
Publication Date: August 25, 2015
Source of Book: Review copy from the publisher
© 2015 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook. This site is an Amazon affiliate, and purchases made through affiliate links (including linked book covers) may result in my receiving a small commission (at no additional cost to you).