Penguin's Christmas Wish - Perfect Picture Book Friday #PPBF
I know the holiday's are over, but I need to highlight one last holiday book. How we respond to change and unexpected events, especially around the holidays, says a lot about our character. Although a holiday themed book, Penguin's discovery is relevant all year round.
Penguin's Christmas Wish
Author/Ilustrator: Salina Yoon
Publisher: Bloomsbury (2016)
Ages: 2-6
Fiction
Themes:
Friendship, resiliency, creativity, cooperation, generosity, and Christmas.
Synopsis (from Amazon):
Penguin can't wait to celebrate Christmas with his family and friends. But when things don't go exactly as planned, Penguin learns to find holiday magic in the most unexpected places.
Countless readers and reviewers have already come to love the adorable Penguin, and Salina Yoon continues this still-growing series with a timeless story of holiday magic and the importance of family and friends. Readers will delight in seeing all of their favorite characters reunited again.
Opening Lines:
It was Christmas Eve. Pumpkin was getting ready for the best holiday ever.
"I wish we had a real Christmas tree." Pumpkin sighed.
Penguin knew that there were no pine trees on the ice.
But he had an idea.
Why I like this book:
One of the hardest things to teach children (and maybe adults) is that Christmas is not about the "stuff." When Pumpkin wants a real tree, Penguin leads them to Pinecone's forest. When a nighttime blizzard blows away the ornaments and presents, Grandpa reminds them that Christmas is about being with family. After finding a simple way to fulfill everyone's wishes, Penguin discovers that his wish - to share Christmas with the whole forest - comes true. Bringing together characters from her other books, Salina Yoon shows us that the magic of Christmas is not the presents, but sharing time and beauty with friends "far and wide." It is a beautiful tale, with Yoon's characteristic bold colors and deceiving simplicity, destined to be a Christmas favorite. A wonderful addition to any Christmas collection and the rest of the Penguin series.
Related Activities:
- make homemade gifts or ornaments for family & friends.
- hang seed-covered, peanut pine cones in the yard for the birds.
- create homemade cloth toys or treats for pets (catnip packets or dog biscuits).
- make Christmas and Hanukkah ornaments and gift tags from Penguin and Shmelf.
This post is a part of a series by authors and Kidlit bloggers called Perfect Picture Book Fridays. For more picture book suggestions see Susanna Leonard Hill's Perfect Picture Books.
