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Summary
Summary
TURTLE IS SO excited by the book about penguins that his dad reads him at bedtime that he decides he wants to be a penguin. So the next morning, he creates a penguin costume, grabs his book, and heads for the schoolbus. His kindergarten classmates are thrilled. They all want to be penguins too! Turtle shows his book to his teacher, and all day long he and his classmates do as the penguins do--they slide down the slide on their bellies during recess, form a waddling conga line at music time, and snack on goldfish crackers. It's a super-cool penguin day. Turtle thinks he'd like to be a penguin every day. But, that night, his dad has a new book to read--and this one is all about monkeys!
This delightful picture book from Valeri Gorbachev celebrates both the power of books, and the joys of imaginative play in all its dress-up-box glory. And, with the extra penguin facts at the end of the book, this is a perfect blueprint for teachers planning penguin days of their own.
Author Notes
Valeri Gorbachev has both written and illustrated dozens of picture books in his long career. His most recent book for Knopf is Go! Poetry in Motion by Dee Lillegard. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.
Reviews (3)
Booklist Review
After hearing a bedtime story about penguins, Little Turtle decides to become one. The next day he dons red slippers and his grandfather's black jacket and sets off for school, where his teacher, Ms. Dog, and classmates are remarkably accommodating: all day they read penguin books, practice passing balls (the way penguins do with their eggs) and toboggan down the playground slide. That evening Father Turtle chose a new bedtime book this one all about monkeys setting the theme for Little Turtle's next adventure. Gorbachev's exuberant story and sunny, watercolor-and-ink illustrations present a safe and loving world where imagination is encouraged, teachers have the time (and the inclination) to follow the interests of their students, and bullies (or at the very least party poopers) have been banned. Children are sure to enjoy the spreads featuring Turtle and his classmates diving off the slide and waddling around the classroom wearing jackets over their heads. Appended with a list of penguin facts, this will be a popular read-aloud, especially for those who appreciate the educational value of play.--Weisman, Kay Copyright 2008 Booklist
School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-This endearing tale traces the activities of a young turtle through a 24-hour period. His father reads a bedtime story about penguins, and Little Turtle takes it all in, the transformation beginning in his dreams. The next morning, he puts his grandfather's black jacket over his head and waddles off to school, book in tow. His friends are delighted. The teacher, who clearly understands the value of a teachable moment, encourages the class of critters to pass balls to each other using just their feet (as penguins do with their eggs) and to slip down the slide on their bellies (again imitating their role models). The fantasy continues through the youngster's evening routines-until his dad opens a volume on monkeys. Cheerful watercolors and expressive line art imbue the matter-of-fact narrative with personality. Gorbachev's compositions range from cameos isolated against expansive white backgrounds to detailed dream sequences bleeding off spreads. This nurturing tale celebrates the inspiration and information found in books, the invention bubbling up from a child who is read to, and the quality of learning that is possible when a teacher seizes the moment. From the cover art mimicking a tuxedo to the penguin facts at the conclusion, the design and content are one.-Wendy Lukehart, Washington DC Public Library (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
The theory/practice continuum gets a comically endearing shake: The theory is that books can transport; the practice is getting the transport out of your head and giving it a ride. Father Turtle reads a book about penguins to Little Turtle. Little Turtle is smitten, enough so that he is ready to turn in his shell for a tuxedo, but some swaddling, a pair of red slippers and his grandfather's old black coat do quite nicely. Little Turtle's enthusiasm is as communicable as pink-eye, and all the kids in his class get it. For a day they are penguins: waddling, belly-sliding, passing a ball about with their feet as penguins do their eggs. Then that night, Father Turtle reads Little Turtle a book about monkeys. Pass the bananas. Gorbachev's narrative is easy, keeping the story suggestively simple so as to let the reader slip right in, and his ink-and-watercolor artwork basks in the elemental joy of make-believe. Not so sly as sweet: Just as Little Turtle is ready to shrug out of his shell, readers will be anxious to shrug into theirs. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
