I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was adorable. I loved the illustrations and the story. I love that it was based on a true story. Great book.

Unfortunately, due to technical difficulties with my computer, I lost access to my downloaded copy of this book before I could review it. I have been having issues with Adobe Reader and unfortunately I lost access to most ARC picture books that I had.

I was looking forward to reading this book because it is told in rhyming verse, and I think that is an excellent format for children's literature. I also love stories about penguins and helping the environment.

I sincerely apologize for not being able to provide a proper review for this title.

A heartwarming story about kindness and the possible bond between human and animal. I’ve heard the new story before and seeing it in paper for kids to read was a great idea. The illustrations are colorful to look at and the story was very easy to follow.

João is an older gentleman who walks along the beach near his home in Brazil. One day he hears “a sorry screech” as he walks along the shore near his home. He follows the sound and finds an oil-soaked penguin who is stranded. He cannot swim and can barely move, he is so exhausted. João names him Dindim. He takes him home, cleans him up, feeds him and cares for him until he gets his strength back. When the time comes that he has recovered enough to return to the wild, João releases him into the sea. The bond between penguin and man is strong, and this is not goodbye.

This is based on a true story about João finding a magellan penguin on the beach covered in oil after an oil spill. The story is told in rhyme and has a nice cadence to read aloud. The messages are clear. The problems humans cause in the environment, what to do if you come across an animal in distress because of oil, the idea that we can help, but also that these are wild animals and need to be released once they have recovered. I think this is a powerful story to read in schools when discussing environmental stewardship and awareness. Character development emphasizing caring and kindness could also be shown. I liked the artwork that went with this story. Pierre Pratt's illustrations brought a certain whimsy to the book, but also showed the compassion and tenderness João showed to Dindim. Information in the back pages was also very interesting and would encourage further reading and research. A book I definitely recommend to readers of all ages.

What It Is
Totally adorable true story of the friendship between an old man and a penguin. João Pereira de Souza of Brazil, found and cared for a Magellanic penguin that had been caught in an oil spill. His first attempt to return Dindim (as he eventually named the penguin) failed when the penguin promptly returned to João. Dindim did finally leave but only for a few months, and has since returned to João to spend a few months with his human friend every year without fail.

The How (I Felt)
The rhyming verse adds a gaiety and sweet energy to the story. And the lively, colorful illustrations are oh-so-charming! When I went looking for photos of João Pereira de Souza and his penguin, I could immediately see the resemblance between the real life João and the one in the book. And even with this life-like resemblance, the artwork manages to be whimsical and warm, transporting the reader to the beaches of Brazil where this book is set.

Don’t forget to check out the author’s note at the end, as it includes a lot of useful information. This book can serve as a base for many discussions:
---- what friendship means
---- values of kindness and empathy
---- oil-spills and wildlife conservation
---- about wildlife itself
---- and more

Perfect Pairing(s)
Watch a penguin based movie (March of the Penguins, or Madagascar, or Mr.Popper’s Penguins, or Happy Feet) or read those related books.

In Summary
This sweet, heartwarming, tugging at your heartstrings, delightful read is a much needed one for our times.

Note: Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the digital review copies of The Old Man and the Penguin,

There are few things as gratifying in a children's book as rhyming couplets. This entire true story is told with very few words but each two set line rhymes beautifully! Making this a lovely bedtime story as it's short, adorable, and relaxing to read.
This true story is about a man who finds a penguin covered in oil one day on the beach. He cleans the little guy up and nurses him back to health. And now each year the penguin returns for 4 months of the year to his partner/buddy the old man. It's truly adorable and sets a good precedents regarding: not polluting, friendship, loyalty, and helping others.
Pro tip: The first time you go to read this to a child take a minute or two to read the last page (a note from the author). It has information like how to say names, what the penguin was covered in and why it's hard to get the oil off. This context and information may help if your little one asks questions throughout the story.
I adored this story and think it needs to be at every school library, daycare, and/or home with a small child. Perfect for a gift as it does not have any religious, cultural, or questionable content.

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.

A truly beautiful story which carries a strong message of friendship. An elderly man, Joao befriends a little penguin, who washes up on his local beach, injured. An emotional tale of kindness with an unexpected twist at the end. The illustrations are simply beautiful and compliment the words so well. My 9 year old son has always loved penguins, this was the perfect book for him so we will be ordering a hard copy, as he thoroughly enjoyed it and liked the way it rhymed as he read. Thank you so much to Julie Abery, Kids Can Press and Netgalley for allowing me to review this touching true story for an honest, unbiased review.

This is one touching true tale of a man who cares for a penguin feeding him as his caught in an oil slick. As the penguin leaves for his habitat you begin to wonder if this new friendship continue? Oh it does as the penguin returns year upon year. Told as a rock solid rhyme this is a story children will come back to again and again.

The equal importance is this back story. It tells us this is a true story.
It educates young how oil spills affects wildlife and our ecosystem. Learning about our planet.

You could call this informational fiction but alas it is not fiction, it is a wonderful cute story.
With equally lovely illustrations for children, this is gem of a kids book, can’t wait to read to the boys.
Thank you NetGalley and Kids Can Press for the copy to review.

This is a touching story told of a man who feeds and cares for a penguin caught in an oil slick. As the penguin leaves for his habitat we wonder how will this relationship continue? And continue it does as the penguin returns year after year. Told in rock solid rhyme this is a story children will come back to again and again.

Of equal importance is the back story. It tells us this is a true story. And how oil spills affects wildlife and the ecosystem.

I would call this informational fiction. Except I can't, it is not fiction, it is a true story. We learn and we are entertained.

What a cute story! I loved how this book spreads love, positivity and introduces a special bond between an old man and a penguin. A warm story with beautiful and classical illustrations. I would recommend this to all my friends who are looking for the right picture books for their children.

It is a story of friendship between an old man and a Penguin. This book is based on a real story.

Joao lives close to Proveta Beach in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. He is a retired brick-later. On one of his walks, he finds an oil-soaked penguin close to death. He brings the penguin home and cares for it until it is fit to return to the sea. Joao knows that the penguin’s home is the sea. With a heavy heart, he leaves the penguin at sea. The penguin returns to Joao’s home.

The penguin misses the sea too. The penguin comes up with a plan so that it is both with him and the wild. This simple story teaches kids about the value of friendship and caring for other animals. It also brings to light how oil spills threaten sea wildlife.

I received an electronic ARC from Kids Can Press through NetGalley.
Abery shares the true story of a bricklayer in Brazil who comes across a Magellanic Penguin covered in oil on the beach. He brings it home and saves its life. Knowing the penguin is wild, Joao takes him back to the water, but the bird decides to stay. Eventually, the DinDim leaves but each year, the penguin returns to spend time with Joao and his family.
Delightful illustrations bring this tale to life. Readers will enjoy learning about this friendship and that family has a broad definition at times.

This is such a sweet story, and one I hadn’t heard of before. It’s based on a true story about a friendship between a retired bricklayer and a penguin he rescues who is covered in oil. What ensues is a tender years long friendship based on mutual trust and love. This story is sweet and the rhyming couplets make it a fast and easy read. The tropical drawings bring you right into the setting, and I love that they’re not “cutesy”.

One issue I had is that this story is definitely geared for very young readers, but I felt like it needed more. When I was done I felt like, “that’s it?” I wanted more detail, and a less subtle message about the environmental side. However, I see that the writer had an audience in mind and it certainly works for the much younger reader.

Based on a true story, The Old Man and the Penguin shares the friendship between rescued penguin and the old man. The couplets of the text add liveliness to the story, while the illustrations portray the the tropical setting.

I know this story! Based on a true story and sticking close to it, I was pleased to see something so simple and pure-hearted as a picture book. However, I thought the rhyming couplets felt forced and the two pages where the established meter was changed made it difficult to keep the rhythm when reading aloud (I promise, I tried).

This review is based on digitial review copy provided by NetGalley and Kids Can Press. The review is cross-posted to Goodreads and Instagram.

Such a lovely, heartwarming story of an old man who rescued a penguin and the bond forged following that.
A simple text, written in prose with beautiful illustrations. A lovely book to share telling a true story.
I really enjoyed this.

This is a cute, true story of a Magellanic penguin who befriends an old man in Brazil after he rescues him from an oil slick. Returning every year, the penguin develops a bond with João.

I enjoy reading true stories like this. The Old Man and the Penguin is written in rhyming verse that's actually quite strong. Colourful pictures depict the growing bond between man and bird. (A woman that appears to be João's wife appears in some of the illustrations. I wonder how she felt about her husband's avian friend!)

This is a good choice for readers who like picture books based on true stories. The environmental message here is subtle, but could provide a good starting point for more in-depth discussions about oil spills and wildlife. (An author's note at the back provides a bit more information about this, too.)

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. The true story of an old man and an injured penguin

Oh, what a darling book! I haven’t read too many children’s books tackling environmental topics in a clever, engaging way. Also, knowing the friendship between João and Dindim is real makes my heart squishy. I imagine it’d be enjoyable to read aloud, particularly for its rhymes. The Old Man and the Penguin could easily be introduced in a classroom setting, but also makes for a sweet bedtime story. 5 stars!

Thank you Julie Abery and Kids Can Press for the opportunity to review this advanced reader e-book! While this was provided to me free of charge, the opinion is my own and not altered based on receiving the free copy.

A very sweet story paired with beautiful artwork. I really enjoyed reading this story and would love to share it with young people. I enjoyed that it's based on a true story so if read to an older child it could be a good jumping off point for some research/further exploration into the penguins. I think this would be a great book for any child who shows an interest in animals.