Bob and Flo

Penguin Flo is ready for her first day of . She’s greeted by two new penguin friends, one of whom -- Bob -- eyes her nifty pink lunch bucket. “I like your bucket,” he announces. While Bob fixates on the bucket, Flo decides to do some painting. But she’s soon distracted by a mystery: where is her bucket? Also, “there was something different” about Bob. Flo wanders off to search, walking past Bob wearing a pink bucket-shaped helmet. Flo’s complete lack of a clue is hard to believe, but the target audience will get a kick out of her obliviousness (observant ers will note Bob’s headgear on the cover and title page). The to-the-point text’s deadpan tone makes the whole scenario funnier. Ashdown’s simply composed mixed-media illustrations featuring large, solid-shaped penguin characters are well suited for group sharing, and the collage-like elements add enough detail to hold young viewers’ attention. After a couple more missed connections, Flo finds her bucket -- and not a moment too soon. She uses the bucket (and some water) to help Bob down the slide, and the two play with the bucket “until it was time to go home.” In the end, Flo may need a new way to carry lunch, but she’s gained a friend…who wears a bucket on his head. kitty flynn

On penguin Flo's first day of preschool, classmate Bob eyes her nifty pink lunch bucket. Later, Flo can't find her bucket, and "there was something different" about Bob. While searching, oblivious Flo wanders past Bob wearing a pink bucket-shaped helmet. The to-the-point text's deadpan tone makes the whole scenario funnier. Simply composed mixed-media illustrations are well suited to group sharing.