A Mountain of Friends

Schoene’s (Monsters Aren’t Real) story stars a depressed penguin who wishes he could fly. His animal friends are the story’s real heroes, and their solution to his dilemma is the book’s best moment. Four striking vertical spreads show the animals—an elephant, giraffe, toucan, and more—piled on top of each other, making a tower to hoist the penguin up into the clouds. It seems almost possible to see them teetering. The animals are perfectly balanced—the story less so. At first, the animals look on as the penguin tries flying with the help of balloons and big, winglike leaves. A page turn reveals an alluring invitation: “The animals need you to be a friend and help penguin.” The elephant’s face looks out expectantly to ensure readers know who’s being spoken to: “Yes, you,” his sign says. Will readers be asked to clap their hands so the penguin can fly, perhaps? No, they’re asked to rotate the book 90 degrees, the better to see those vertical spreads. That’s it for reader involvement; the animals’ tower does the rest. It’s a bit of an anti-climax. Ages 4–6. (Mar.)