Caroline Arnold's Books

Home My Books Behind the Story Activities School Visits / Teaching Awards About the Author Contact Me
A Penguin's World A Penguin's World

Cheep, cheep, cheep! The cold Antarctic wind carries the small voices of two newly hatched Adelie penguin chicks. Their fluffy down feathers keep them warm. The young birds grow fast and soon will be black and white just like their parents. It won't be long before they will be able to plummet like torpedoes into the sea, and speed through the waves.

Dive into this chilly book and find out what happens in a penguin's world. A readable and lively text provides a close-up look at these black and white sea birds in this "anything but black and white" book. Cut paper illustrations by the author help tell the tales of these amazing birds and the world in which they live.This picture book follows two Adelie penguin chicks from eggs to independence. We see the penguins in their natural home on the beaches and ice shelves of Antarctica along with other animals that share their environment. The book can be read aloud to younger children or an older child can read it alone.

Sidebars on each page spread expand information in the text. Back matter includes a map of where Adelie penguins live, fun facts, further reading, a glossary and index, and a guide to websites appropriate for the age group.

Look in your library for more information about penguins in Caroline Arnold's books, Penguin, illustrated with color photos by Richard Hewett (Morrow Junior Books, 1990) and in South American Animals (Morrow Junior Books, 1999).

To purchase a fine art print or card of one of the illustrations from A Penguin's World, go to www.etsy.com/shop/CarolineArnoldArt.

To see a preview of the book, click here .

Prizes and Awards
  • Learning Magazine, Teachers' Choice Awards for Children's Books, 2009
  • Children's Projects

      Penguin Coloring Page A Penguin's World

      Who will be first to sit on the eggs? Click here for a printable picture of two Adelie penguins.

      Penguin Paper Bag Puppets. A Penguin's World

      Read A Penguin's World. Use white lunch size bags for the penguin's body. Cut out black construction paper for wings and a circle for head. Add cut out eyes and beak and glue to head. Glue head to bottom of bag and wings to sides of bag.

    Related Books
  • A Zebra's World
  • A Killer Whale's World
  • A Panda's World
  • Reviews
    Book Links, November 2006

    Using cut-paper illustrations, Arnold traces the life of a penguin from birth through maturity. The picture-book format makes the simple facts accessible to younger readers.

    Gillian Engberg, Booklist

    The Caroline Arnold's Animals series features striking paper collages, clear text, and a picture-book format. This title follows an Adelie penguin family from scenes in which the parents build a nest and warm their eggs to final pages showcasing the four-month-old, newly independent chicks. The simple, well-paced text weaves basic concepts into the captivating narrative, and the artwork's strong colors and bold, uncluttered compositions capture the expression and movement of the birds, making this an excellent choice for sharing with groups. Small insets offer a few more facts. A map of Antarctica and a page of information close this title, which children will enjoy both in the classroom and as an at-home read-aloud.

    Library Media Connection, November/December 2006

    The first page in each of Caroline Arnold's Animals series begins with basic facts about the featured animal including where the animal lives, habitat, food, animal class, and scientific name. Beginning with a mother awaiting the birth of her young, each book tells about the baby and each stage of development until the baby is grown and able to be on its own. Vibrant whole-page cut-paper illustrations will fascinate young readers as they learn about the animals in A Killer Whale's World, A Zebra's World, A Penguin's World, and A Panda's World. Additional facts are given in sidebars with more information on each animal's growth, habitat, and unique characteristics. There is a map at the end of the book showing where the animal lives, as well as an index and glossary. Internet sites are listed for more information. This series would be wonderful for beginning research projects, as well as popular titles for young readers to explore. Recommended.