Blown Away

PreS-Gr 2—When Penguin Blue's new kite catches a strong wind, he calls to friends Jeff and Flo for help, but soon all three are aloft. Wilbur the seal and, perplexingly, a polar bear named Clive attempt to reel in the penguins only to find themselves swept away with the others. Crash-landing in the jungle, they find that the novelty of a new environment momentarily distracts them from the uncomfortable heat, but it's not long before these polar animals are piling into Clive's inflatable raft, rigging up some leaves and vines as a sail, and, with a whoosh of air from an obliging elephant, sailing back to their icy home. Biddulph's digital illustrations use clean lines and generous white space to establish an icy setting in shades of blue that contrasts nicely with the greens and yellows of the busy jungle spreads. Plenty of fun background moments, including a whale school bus and a monkey stowaway, will keep young audiences engaged, and the droll, expressionless characters add an additional element of humor. A few continuity issues mar the otherwise excellent art—kite strings and washing lines end abruptly, and there is no indication of how Wilbur gets from the ice to the sky. The text struggles with a rhythm that often feels forced and rhymes, such as fear and idea, that don't quite work. Some readers may also wonder what a polar bear and penguins are doing in the same hemisphere. Overall, the appealing illustrations but weak text make this an additional purchase for larger libraries.—Chelsea Couillard-Smith, Sacramento Public Library, CA