Eudyptula Minor is the scientific name for the little penguin. This is the life story of the Eudyptula Minor, from birth – with one tooth, through to the ripe old penguin age of seven. It outlines key life moments – leaving the nest, finding a partner, swimming out to sea and avoiding predators. Josie Montano tells the life story with wit and a gentle touch along with the relevant facts.
Matt Ottley illustrates this book with humour and although his drawings relate to the text they tell their own story. Ottley dresses the penguins in clothing and gives them a boat to take them out to sea. They live in a city and their lives are in a pattern that resembles humans. The predators they need to avoid – seals, sharks and whales sit at a table looking ominous from the other end of the table to the penguins. The fox and sea eagle appear to be on a roller coaster that is about to roll down to the penguins. On the penultimate page the illustration shows a line of naked humans going up the beach. Matt Ottley has dressed penguins taking photos of the naked humans. This is clearly a humourous reference to the Phillip Island penguin parade. The final page illustration is a photo album from a zoo visit with penguins visiting the zoo – the other place where humans would come into contact with little penguins. It is possible that the entire book of illustrations is gently satirizing the relationship between humans and little penguins.
It is interesting combination of a factual text with a whimsical fantasy style of illustrations. The illustrations change this book from an informative book about Eudyptula Minor to surreal story of penguins as people.
‘Little Penguin’ was a Notable Book in the 2006 CBCA Picture Book of the Year.
Picture Books for Older Readers
