Did you know it's World Penguin Day?
One of the most powerful life lessons I learned was from a (literary) penguin. I can thank the lovable, adorable - and rather wacky - "Tacky the Penguin."
Tacky the Penguin, by Helen Lester, is a children's literature classic. The story is about a little penguin who defies the social script of his friends. He performs cannonballs, as opposed to the refine dives from his fellow penguins: Goodly, Lovely, Angel, Neatly and Perfect. He gives a hearty slap-on-the back greeting, which mortifies his straight-laced herd. As the other penguins march to the beat of "1-2-3-4," his erratic dance goes along the lines of "1-2-3...3-6-0...2 1/2...0!"
Thanks to Tacky's seemingly "odd bird" behavior, he manages to save his entire herd from hunters. The moral of the story is embrace your individuality and stay true to yourself. Even in hard times or when you feel peer pressure, rediscover the "odd bird" within you.
Let's celebrate our fine-feathered friends today and gather the family together for a great read aloud. Remember, kids of all ages enjoy their parents/guardians reading aloud to them. Our research shows, when it comes to being read aloud to at home, more than eight in 10 children (83%) across age groups say they love(d) or like(d) it a lot—the main reason being it was a special time with parents (Kids & Family Reading Report).
Here are some other great top picks for #WorldPenguinDay! Happy reading, you "odd birds."
- Tony Baloney series
- Pia the Penguin Fairy (Rainbow Magic Ocean Fairies)
- I Spy a Penguin
- Where's Walrus? and Penguin?
- Penguins (Scholastic Discover More)
- I Am Small
Google Books
