The penguin's eyes are expressive, revealing his fears and doubts. And, as with a well-meaning New Year's resolution, Penguin can't keep up his cheeriness for long.īefitting a book about penguins, Lane Smith's art is heavy on black and white, so the pages have a bold, graphic feel, with other soft colors to brighten the landscapes. Walrus' full-page inspirational speech seems heavy because it contrasts so starkly with the spare, funny complaints on other pages. Sometimes it's hard to look beyond your own beak to the larger picture, and this book does propose a broader horizon, but it's no rosy cure-all. Sure, Penguin's problems are "Penguin Problems," but humans can relate to a cold, cruel world that stirs up fears and insecurities. Cranky kids and the irritable grown-ups who live with them might recognize themselves in this wryly funny story about a penguin who looks on the dark side even when it's blindingly bright out.
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