The Old Man and the Penguin

July 15, 2020
An unlikely friendship is forged between penguin and human. Jo�o, who lives on the shore, spots an oil-soaked, immobile penguin. Jo�o cleans the bird and boats him back out to the water, but the penguin returns to Jo�o's home. The two become friends, Jo�o even naming the penguin Dindim. Though instinct eventually leads the penguin back to the sea, four months later he returns--right to Jo�o's door. He stays for eight months, returns to the ocean, and then revisits Jo�o again and again: "Just like clockwork every year, / Jo�o knows when he'll appear." An appended note states that this true story is based upon the experience of Jo�o Pereira de Souza, a retired bricklayer, and the Magellanic penguin who visits him annually at his home on Proveta Beach in Rio de Janeiro. The same note explains the effects of oil spills on wildlife. Jo�o and his partner have pale skin, but curious visitors with darker skin, including children, visit to meet Dindim. The breezy, sun-dappled illustrations of Jo�o's home on the beach emphasize the bonding of the old man and the bird; in a couple, Jo�o even holds Dindim like a baby in his arms. The rhyming couplets that convey the narrative grow somewhat singsong and, therefore, monotonous, but the characters are endearing and the story, satisfying. (This book was reviewed digitally with 8-by-16.6-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.) An entertaining introduction for young readers to the harmful effects of oil spills on marine wildlife. (Picture book. 4-8)

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Starred review from November 1, 2020
Preschool-Grade 2 *Starred Review* Who wouldn't want to make friends with a penguin? In brief rhyming couplets, Abery builds a rich story of friendship between an elderly Brazilian man named Jo�o and the oil-soaked penguin he rescues on a local beach. Jo�o and the penguin, which he names Dindim, bond quickly. Abery describes how, with ""Fishy kisses, beak to nose / Day by day, their friendship grows."" Yet Jo�o remains aware that, although ""he loves the penguin like a child,"" he is dealing with a wild creature, and he attempts to release the penguin once it is strong enough. At first, Dindim will have none of it. Even when he finally returns to the wild, he alternates four months at sea with eight months with his human friend. Their bond proves lasting: ""Just like clockwork every year, / Jo�o knows when he'll appear. / Pecks and strokes for happy friends, / a precious bond that never ends."" Though the rhymes are simple, the story feels deep. Pratt's folksy, colorful illustrations highlight the bond between Jo�o and Dindim and create a larger atmosphere of eternal friendship. The houses, beach, and people look specific to their location but inviting to all. Few readers will be able to resist this charming tale, based on true events.

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