PENGUIN AND OLLIE

Geisel Honor–winning Yoon’s picture-book favorite Penguin meets Ollie the octopus while on an underwater treasure hunt.

Penguin takes an undersea dive to explore the ocean floor, looking for riches. After spotting Penguin, Ollie the octopus quietly tails him until the two meet in a cloud of black ink. Eventually, Penguin tracks down the treasure chest and realizes that his friendship with Ollie is the real prize. Yoon’s darling little Penguin and signature illustrations rank high in kid appeal. Thick black outlines set each character off from the background. The book offers a playful mashup of realistic details (like Ollie’s ink) and more whimsical ones; readers expecting a realistic marine story should look elsewhere. Penguin once again wears his familiar orange scarf, a shark and several jellyfish end up bejeweled (the shark even sports a gold tooth!) after the valuables are discovered, and Ollie puts found knitting needles to good use in an effort to coordinate accessories with Penguin. The final pages include a seek-and-find guide. The moral of the story is a familiar and predictable one, but in this absolutely adorable package, it’s sweet and sure to be a hit for fans of the series. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Well-trod territory but a gem nevertheless.