Penguins Can't Fly!

K-Gr 1—Gregory the seagull and Hudson the penguin have been best friends ever since they hatched. Then Gregory is attracted by a group of gulls, and he flies away to play with them, urging Hudson to join him. But Hudson quickly learns he has no flying skills. The nasty gulls mock him, so he makes all kinds of attempts to fly, jumping off a trampoline, bouncing on coils, tying himself to balloons and to a kite, but all for naught. Meanwhile, like the other gulls, Gregory shows off and dives into the water, but he doesn't resurface. Sensing trouble, Hudson follows after his friend and rescues him from the net in which he has become entangled. All is well and the gulls are impressed by Hudson's diving and friendship skills. Throughout, a little red crab observes the goings-on and, ultimately, provides the punch line. The gentle illustrations and story about honoring one's strengths will delight youngsters, and the size of the book makes it an appealing storytime choice.—B. Allison Gray, Goleta Public Library, CA