About Penguins: A Guide for Children

By Cathryn Sill

Book Overview

A gorgeous first glimpse into the natural world of penguins from Cathryn and John Sill, creators of the award-winning About... and About Habitats series.

"An essential tool for capturing the attention of any elementary level student " --NSTA Recommends

In this addition to the acclaimed About... series, former educator and author Cathryn Sill uses simple, easy-to-understand language to teach children what penguins are, their diversity, how they look, how they move, what they eat, and where they live.

With beautifully detailed, realistic paintings, noted wildlife illustrator John Sill introduces readers to a variety of penguins, from the Ad lie to the Rockhopper to the Emperor. An afterword provides more details.

About Penguins is part of the award-winning About... series. Ideal for casual exploration as well as for early childhood and elementary science units on animals.

Awards:

Kansas State Reading Circle Recommended Reading List (Primary) ―Kansas National Education Association
Maryland Blue Crab Young Readers Award (Honor Book, Beginning Non-Fiction) ―Maryland Library Association
Keystone to Reading Book Award (Nominee) ―Keystone State Reading Association
North Carolina Author Awards (Nominee, AAUW Award for Juvenile Literature) ―North Carolina Literary and Historical Association
South Carolina Picture Book Award (Nominee) ―South Carolina Association of School Librarians

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1561457434
• ISBN13: 9781561457434
• Release Date: June 2009
• Publisher: Peachtree Publishing Company
• Length: 42 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 10.3" x 8.8"
• Age Range: 3 to 7 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 2

Customer Reviews

This is a marvelously illustrated book that can be read by the beginning reader or the confident rea

When many people think about penguins, they think there is only one kind, but in reality there are seventeen. One interesting fact is that they all "live in the southern half of the world." They all swim in the ocean and when they do their slim wings help guide them through the water. They have "waterproof feathers" that keep them from freezing to death. They dive into the water to catch their food supply which primarily consists of "fish, squid, and crustaceans." When they are in the water they are graceful and fast, but on land they have a distinctive way of moving around. On land is where they raise their families. Nesting habits vary from one type to another. For example, the Yellow-eyed Penguin nests in wooded areas while the Chinstrap Penguin gathers stones together on the top of the ground to lay her eggs. Each bird has to work very hard to keep predators at bay because their eggs are considered to be quite a treat. In this book you will learn many things about the penguin from their physical characteristics, how they raise their young to laws that protect them. Any person who is fascinated by this bird will enjoy exploring these pages! This is a book that can be read by the beginning reader or the confident reader. In the main text of the book each plate is accompanied by a sentence or two talking about the penguins. For example plate nine depicts the Erect-crested Penguin accompanied by the sentence, "They come to land to lay eggs and raise chicks." In the back of the book there are thumbnail reproductions of each of the eighteen plates and more information about penguin life. The watercolor illustrations are beautiful and are the type that would make excellent prints. In the back of the book is a glossary and additional recommended book and website resources. This is one is a series that is well worth considering for any homeschool, classroom or library shelf!