When well-mannered Elliot reluctantly visits the aquarium with his distractible father, he politely asks whether he can have a penguin--and then removes one from the penguin pool to his backpack. The fun of caring for a penguin in a New England Victorian house is followed by a surprise revelation by Elliot's father. Polite, bow-tie-and-suit-wearing Elliot is none too excited when his father suggests attending Family Fun Day at the aquarium. But once he is there, he is drawn to the Magellanic penguins, whose tidy black feather tuxedos with their proper posture remind Elliot of himself. So he decides to sneak one home in his backpack, under his father’s seemingly oblivious eye. Once home, Elliot and his new penguin pal dine on frozen anchovy pizzas, share Goldfish crackers, and skate on a mini ice rink in his room (created with a wading pool and hose)—all the while his father is blithely engaged with his atlas, maps, and charts and appears not to notice the goings-on. Small’s black-and-white line illustrations with pops of soft color are an artful blend of elegance, wit, and whimsy. They echo and complement the text and depict expressive characters, including the playful penguin. This charming picture book has many humorous details throughout, and kids will likely laugh out loud at the surprise ending—particularly for the father! Grades K-3. --Shelle Rosenfeld STARRED REVIEW "The book's humor is built on gentle misunderstandings between father and son (when Elliot asks for a penguin, his father assumes he means a stuffed one from the aquarium gift shop). . . The revelation that they're not so dissimilar after all is about as sweet as it gets. " Publisher's Weekly , 10-31-11 STARRED REVIEW "A real kid charmer that will elicit "Read it again!" responses." School Library Journal 2-1-12 "In line with Buzzeo's elegantly spare text, Small uses neutral washes with loosely drawn lines and highlights of restrained color to depict the urbane lad and his equally dapper companion making themselves comfortably at home in upper-crust digs. A happy tale of domestic amity, with a well-set-up punchline." Kirkus 12-1-11 "Small's black-and-white line illustrations with pops of soft color are an artful blend of elegance, wit, and whimsy. They echo and complement the text and depict expressive characters, including the playful penguin." Booklist 1-1-12 "The comic characterizations of Elliott and his father, and Small's lively ink, watercolor, and colored pencil illustrations--especially those featuring the penguin (he skates with flair and looks adorable in a bike helmet en route to the library)--will make this a popular choice for both reading aloud and reading alone." BCCB 2-12 While I have written other picture books for a slightly older audience, including The Sea Chest , Lighthouse Christmas , and the Mrs. Skorupski series, this is the first time that I've written flat-out humor for this age group.David Small's illustrations are beyond perfect for my spare text. Highly graphic with only touches of soft color, they are the perfect black-and-white accompaniment to a PENGUIN story! As you read, watch closely for clues to the surprise ending in every scene that includes Elliot's father. "May I please have a penguin?" Elliot asks his father during a visit to the aquarium. His father thinks he must mean a stuffed animal rather than a pet, because he simply answers, "Sure," and hands over a twenty-dollar bill. And so begins the sly, silly tale of an irresistible friendship. Caldecott Medalist David Small and acclaimed storyteller Toni Buzzeo revel in the mischief, and kids will too. Toni Buzzeo is the award-winning author of fifteen picture books with four more forthcoming.  For sixteen years, she worked as a school librarian honing her knowledge of children's literature.  Combining this knowledge with her love of children, Toni writes about characters of all stripes (including dinosaurs, penguins, loons, ducklings, children, teachers, and librarians) who explore their worlds, their relationships, and themselves in a variety of settings. Toni is well known for her lively spirit and sense of humor. tonibuzzeo.com