Penguin Day

K-Gr 2–Striking full-color photographs accompany simple text describing a day in the life of a penguin family. Pictured are the small rockhopper penguins of the Antarctic with their distinctive orange beaks and amusing head feathers. Baby penguin is hungry for breakfast, and Mama, with her many companions, must venture into the sea to hunt for food. The journey is arduous, and the ocean is filled with predators, but the stalwart penguins find safety in numbers and return to the colony with a meal for their babies. In the meantime, Papa penguin must guard his offspring against a hungry skua also looking to feed her young. The emphasis on family will appeal to young readers, who will not object to the minor anthropomorphizing of the penguin colony. The author's note includes some additional facts and identifies the various penguins from the colony that were depicted in the photographs.