The King Penguin

In this comedic picture book, Roeder imagines a king penguin lording over penguin peers, based strictly on his royal appellation. Sporting a curled wig, scarlet robe, and gold crown, self-absorbed king penguin Percival soon offends chinstrap, macaroni, and rockhopper penguins with entitled conduct: pilfering others’ fish (“Taxes”), and appointing a snowperson as royal advisor. Cast off from the colony, Percival attempts to rule seals (“My slippery subjects!”) and other Antarctic critters who inevitably “tried to eat him.” Following a run-in with an emperor penguin, he waddles home to reconcile, slowly learning diplomacy. Never mind that penguin species live in distinct colonies—Roeder’s goofy acrylic and colored pencil romp doesn’t take species too seriously (“So if I’m a macaroni penguin does that make me pasta?” considers one bird. “I think I’m pasta”). Ages 3–5. (Sept.)