Puffin Peter

February 11, 2013
The tale of a puffin separated from his friend provides a stage for Horacek’s (Jonathan and Martha) intense colors and rich textures. The storm that separates Peter from Paul unfolds across four panels as the puffins are tossed by churning waves, the sky growing blacker and the water’s bluish-green deepening. After the storm, a whale rescues Peter and volunteers to find Paul, asking what he’s like. “Funny and noisy,” is Peter’s reply. The birds the whale finds—parrots on one island, penguins on another—fit the description, but they aren’t Paul. In a striking aerial spread, the whale swims toward some familiar-looking islands with Peter barely visible on his back. It’s Peter’s home, and Paul waits there. “Why didn’t you tell me?” the whale asks as the two birds greet each other joyfully. “Tell you what?” says Peter. “That he’s a puffin, just like you!” the whale replies. There’s a lighthearted lesson there about communication—what’s obvious to one person isn’t obvious to another—and excitement, too, in the great, reassuring presence of the whale as he guards Peter on his search. Ages 3–5.

June 1, 2013

PreS-Gr 1-When two puffin friends are separated in a big storm, Peter is rescued by a friendly blue whale that ferries him to visit different birds in search of Paul. Each miss prompts Peter to add to his pal's description, leading to a satisfying reunion. The short, simple sentences and phrase repetition in this build-up story encourage audience participation, making this book a perfect choice for sharing with the preschool storytime crowd; the vocabulary, large print, and placement of the text on solid backgrounds also allow for solo use for beginning readers. Peter's youthful description of his best friend-"funny and noisy"-will resonate with young children, many of whom have a similar friend. Readers of all ages will swoon over Horaček's lush, brightly colored mixed-media illustrations that lend life to the ocean, the different birds encountered, and Peter's many emotions during his quest. This tale of friendship and perseverance is a must-have for public and school libraries alike.-Rebecca Dash Donsky, New York Public Library

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2013
When a storm separates two best friends, the other sea creatures step in to try and facilitate a reunion. Puffin pals Peter and Paul look identical, from multicolored beaks to brilliant blue tail feathers. One day, when they're diving, a storm comes up, blowing Peter out to sea and separating him from Paul. Just when Peter is wondering where he is, an enormous blue whale shows up to carry him safely to shore and to Paul. Based on Peter's incomplete descriptions of Paul, the whale takes him to funny and noisy parrots, black-and-white penguins, and a toucan with a colorful beak that dwarfs Peter's, in turn--but not to Paul. What to do? Peter becomes very sad, but the whale lets him ride again, and they drift on the open sea for days. Finally, in the distance, they see...a black-and-white figure...with a colorful beak...very noisy...it's Paul! Both friends are overjoyed, and the wise whale points out what's been obvious to the reader: "He's...just like you!" Horacek's story is a bit of a jumble, but his beautiful mixed-media illustrations have vibrant, bold colors and simple shapes that will appeal to young listeners and also provide a few basic lessons on ocean life. A sweet tale of friendship and persistence. (Picture book. 3-5)

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March 15, 2013
Preschool-K Peter and Paul are a pair of best puffin pals who keep each other laughing. One day, though, while they're out diving through the air, a storm tears through, and Peter gets lost. Paul awakens on the back of a friendly whale, who wants to help. When Paul describes his friend only as funny and noisy, the two begin a quest that takes them to parrots, toucans, and penguins, accruing more descriptors (black-and-white feathers, a colorful beak) as they go, until they come upon Peter, cruising through the air, safe and unharmed. Rough strokes and washes of color create a powerful sense of the oceans, beaches, jungles, and skies and present multihued and appealing characters, filling in the story told by the very basic prose. In the end, the characters simply stumble upon each other, but very young audiences will feel the suspense and relief of finding a lost pal and will enjoy this short and colorful diversion.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2013
Two puffin friends become separated when a big storm blows one far out to sea. Rich, saturated mixed-media illustrations picture a blue whale rescuing the lost bird and journeying to find his correct home (it's not with parrots, penguins, or toucans); eventually they find the rocky island where Paul is waiting. Double-page spreads, some with vertical-panel art, are consistently striking.

(Copyright 2013 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)