Where's The Penguin? by Sophie Schrey

Where's The Penguin? by Sophie Schrey
Buy Where's The Penguin? by Sophie Schrey at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com
Category: Confident Readers
Reviewer: Zoe Morris
Summary: 10 little penguins are hiding on every page - can you find them from among the mayhem?
Buy? Yes	Borrow? Yes
Pages: 48	Date: September 2013
Publisher: Buster Books
ISBN: 978-1780551227
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Where’s The Penguin? is a find-the-character book with a difference. The penguin family are fed up with living in the zoo so have plotted their escape and are now en route back to Antarctica. There are ten members of the gang, but they’re not entirely identical. Muffy has a wool hat, Brian has specs, Snowflake has a bow that wouldn’t be out of place on a Cheer floor, and Amelia is channeling her namesake, the Earhart, and has on flight goggles. It’s a good thing they have their own style, because in this book you’re not searching for one person, you’re searching for 10 across each double page spread.

Each page has a new theme, vaguely related to what has come before by a mild on-going story of escape and adventure. The pages are generally populated by human people, so you’d think it would be easy to spot the 10 penguins on each page. You’d think that, but you’d be wrong, because it’s ridiculously difficult.

Can you pick out all ten penguins? Every page asks. Can I heck! Even with the clues as to their whereabouts on the page, I generally didn’t get past 7 or 8 of the little rugrats. And it’s not just me. 'I used to be great at Where’s Wally? – Gimme!' cried my 26 year old receptionist when this one arrived. This was swiftly followed by an 'Um, ok, this is quite hard' . I think it’s because you have so many to find on one page, but fear not, there are answers at the back if needed. AND there’s bonus activities back there too.

The destinations are fantastically detailed. The Desert looks just like Dubai did at Easter, and the Carnival has Rio, or at least Notting Hill, written all over it. With the exception of the last page (and you’ll understand why when you see it), the hardest for me was the Grand Orchestra, in large part because so many of the men had tuxes on so there were lots or red herrings – or rather black and white ones.

If you or they like Where’s Wally? style books, this is a cute alternative. The pictures are brilliant and there’s loads to describe if you want to use the book as a starting point for talking together. It’s the size of a typical annual, so big enough for 2 or 3 to crowd round at once, too, which is a good idea, since the more eyes you have, the more chance you’ll track them all down.

Thanks go to the publishers for sending us this and driving me insane on a sunny September Saturday. Looking up the answers is definitely cheating in my book, but I have to confess I might have sneaked a peek.

Ten penguins not enough? Then you must see Why Don't Penguins' Feet Freeze? by Mick O'Hare, Peter the Penguin Pioneer by Daren King and Pedro The Penguin (Get Well Friends) by Kes Gray and Mary McQuillan

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You can read more book reviews or buy Where's The Penguin? by Sophie Schrey at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy Where's The Penguin? by Sophie Schrey at Amazon.com.

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