Owl and Penguin: Here and There

July 1, 2024
The latest in the series sees the friends making pizza, playing in the snow, and taking a hike. Pizza-making begins promisingly ("Mix. Roll. Pull"), but tossing the dough brings disaster: "SPLAT." The pair are determined ("Again," "pull"), but alas, the final step is always followed by "STICK," "SPLAT," and "PLOP," whether it's Penguin or Owl throwing the pie to the sky. Draped in dough, they finally have a joint light bulb moment--time for a trip to the pizza parlor to enjoy pies topped with fish and mice. In the second tale, after a snowfall, each friend wants to make a snow-self, but Penguin's creation collapses. Penguin is sad, so Owl nobly repurposes bits of the snow-owl to create a snow-penguin. Penguin thoughtfully adds owl features to one side, so they end up with a bilateral Snow-Owl-Penguin. The final tale, "Hike," is propelled by opposites: far/near, up/down, dark/light, and more. These prepositions barely hint at the drama within the illustrations: The pals fall into a cavern, plummet over a waterfall while rafting, and encounter an angry mama bear. Nevertheless, by sunset the friends are safely home, regaling each other with memories of their exciting day. Madan's exceedingly simple text--often, just a word or two per panel--tells a dynamic story, complemented by enchanting cartoon illustrations of the big-eyed, adorable duo. Another sure-to-please entry in the buddy saga. (instructions for drawing Owl and Penguin) (Graphic easy reader. 5-7)

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

June 14, 2024
Owl and Penguin are back with more adventures in this third installment in the graphic readers series. The two friends try making pizza, building snow birds, and going on a hike, with each story focusing on different word pairings: action words, onomatopoeia, and opposites. The dialogue between the two friends consists of picture symbols in word balloons, much as they do in Andy Runton's Owly series, while the narration appears as text boxes in each panel. The simple illustrations, expressive faces, and bright colors help convey meaning to the words used. This series continues to be a terrific example of how the graphic novel format can be used as a tool for new readers.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

August 1, 2022
Birds of a feather--and flipper--flock together. In the first of several stories about two avian pals, Owl purchases ice cream for themself and Penguin, but disaster ensues when the ice cream falls off Penguin's cone. Penguin is unhappy, so Owl is unhappy, and a second cone is purchased. When that one falls, the friends go from sad to laughing at the absurdity of it all. The following two tales highlight the different abilities the two have. Penguin wants to fly, just like Owl, so the two get creative to figure out a solution. In the final story, Owl wants to play outside with Penguin, but it's raining; once again, the two manage to find a way to have fun. The three stories in this graphic novel are told with minimal text; Owl and Penguin communicate with word balloons, using only illustrations and emojis. Some of the panels contain simple narration in boxes; if children are still learning, however, they can deduce meaning based on the illustrations. Reminiscent of the strong bond between Arnold Lobel's Frog and Toad, Owl and Penguin's friendship is deep and delightful, and this easy reader makes the story comprehensible as it addresses themes of envy, sadness, and problem-solving in an accessible and entertaining way. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Engaging vignettes in the lives of two adorable friends. (Graphic early reader. 3-6)

COPYRIGHT(2022) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

October 14, 2022

PreS-Gr 2-Debuting with an exercise in adorable empathy, Owl and Penguin make a breezy foray into the tradition of supportive picture book friendships. Faced with challenges like being unable to fly, losing an ice cream cone, and getting drenched in a downpour, they strive to make things better for each other through pleasant plotting. Madan's brightly colored illustrations of the boggle-eyed buddies add to the goofy fun for tenuous young readers. Owl and Penguin's conversation occurs primarily in the form of speech bubbles and emphatic facial expressions, with light narration in panel captions. While it may not break new ground in the annals of interspecies literary friendships, as an opportunity for early readers and caregivers to discuss problem-solving and feelings with copious visual cues, this title is the perfect tool. VERDICT Cute and cheery, this graphic novel for early readers is a functional, fun read-together.-Emilia Packard

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 1, 2024

PreS-Gr 2-Owl and Penguin are back, and this book finds them making a pizza, playing in the snow, and going on a fun hike together. This bright and cheerful graphic novel uses very few words to describe the action-packed panels, and emerging readers will delight in reading this along with their peers or grown-ups. Readers of all ages will laugh as these two best animal friends explore the world around them. Instructions for drawing Owl and Penguin are included. VERDICT Another fun and engaging graphic novel in this series. Read alone, with a friend, or with a loved one and share the hilariousness.

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.