It appears I'm starting out this year a little differently than those before...how? Normally, I grab books from a series without having read any of the other books before. But this month, I've actually read books in several of the series before. Amazing, right? But no worries, I'm sure this trend won't hold.
Today's read comes from an adorable penguin series. The author brought out the first one in 2014 with the intention of raising awareness for penguins (at least, I'm pretty sure that was the reason). It's now time for book four, and it's fun to see these have been doing so well.
So, let's see what the latest adventure holds!
NOODLES & ALBIE ON THIN ICE
by Eric Bennett
Nightingale Books
Picture Book
30 pages
ages 4 to 8
Who doesn't love penguins, and especially Noodles? Kids of all ages will fall head over flipper for Noodles and his best pal, Albie, in this unique, fun, adventure story of travel, friendship, and saving a colony of Australian Little Blue Penguins.
MY TIDBITS
This friendly penguin not only packs tons of cuteness but knows how to save the day.
It's time for a baseball game to celebrate New Year's Day in Antarctica, but it doesn't take long before Noodles needs a nap. When he awakens, he discovers that his igloo has broken off from the ice and is floating out at sea. He isn't sure where he's headed, but with Albie at his side, there's no doubt that adventure is coming his way.
This is part of the Noodles & Albie series, and while it can be read as a stand-alone, there are some characters at the end, whose presence will be more understandable if the other books have been visited first. But it does make a lovely story on its own, too.
There is quite a bit of penguin goodness in these pages. While the adventure unfolds, the author seamlessly weaves in some penguin facts and introduces readers to a new species, its habitat, and more. It works right into the story flow, letting the adventure steer the tale from beginning to end.
Noodles is easy to connect with thanks to his human-like and imaginative aspects, such as the baseball cap and a penguin baseball game. This humanization, however, stays on the border to allow the more factual side of penguins to still come across clearly. It creates an enjoyable atmosphere with the hum of fantasy and is sure to draw younger readers/listeners in. But then, Noodles is a lovely character and full of charm.
The text is on the heavier side for a picture book, which makes this a nice read-aloud for story time. It can also be used as an early reader for those, who are sure of their words. Some of the sentences, however, are longer in length and hold a bit more complicated structure. But this also practices those reading skills.
This is a nice addition to the existing series, and it's fun to learn a little about Fairy Island and the penguins which live there.
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