The World of Penguins. Evelyne Daigle. Illustrated by Daniel Grenier. Translated by Geneviève Wright. Toronto, ON: Tundra, 2007. 48 pp., cloth, $21.99. ISBN 978-0-88776-799-9. Subject Headings: Penguins-Life cycles-Juvenile literature. Penguins-Juvenile literature. Grades 4-8 / Ages 9-13. Review by Janice Foster. *** /4

excerpt:

All seventeen species of penguins are found in the Southern Hemisphere. There are penguins on four continents. ...some species nest in the extreme cold of Antarctica, other dwell in the heat of the Galapagos Islands on the equator.

Evelyne Daigle, author of As Long as There Are Whales, is a renowned biologist and wildlife educator. Her latest book, The World of Penguins, demonstrates her expert knowledge of penguins. The inclusion of a trip log entry in the opening chapter and photos of the author's 2003 journey to Antarctica in the final chapter gives the information on penguins validity with its firsthand observations.

     The World of Penguins provides its readers with a wide range of information on these interesting inhabitants of the southern hemisphere. The author includes facts on the location, predation, reproduction and other habits of the penguin. She also includes descriptions of the adaptations of these seabirds, a historical look at Antarctic exploration, past and present threats facing the penguins and suggested methods of protection. The use of the log entry, photos and the chapter on studying penguins provides the reader with a glimpse into the real life experience of a biologist.

      The attractive format includes bold subtitles allowing for easily location of specific topics and colourful, informative text boxes. Wildlife artist Daniel Grenier provides full colour, detailed illustrations that capture the reader's attention and complement the written information. On some pages, certain background colours make the black text harder to read. A larger font would benefit the younger readers. Geneviève Wright provides a clear, easy to read translation from the original French text. A bibliography and a list of websites, French and English, are included. Although there is a table of contents, the inclusion of an index and perhaps a glossary would allow younger researchers to locate specific topics more easily.

      The World of Penguins gives young readers a clear, comprehensive look at this fascinating southern seabird. It also connects written and pictorial information to the real life research of biologists such as the author, Evelyne Daigle.

Recommended.

Janice Foster is a teacher- librarian at Henry G. Izatt Middle School in Winnipeg, MB.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

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Published by The Manitoba Library Association ISSN 1201-9364

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