Waddle! Waddle!

Good news for those with Minion fatigue: Proimos (Year of the Jungle) has come up with three penguins who are right up there in the not-very-bright but goofy-cute department: these polar birds have enormous yellow eyes, operatic temperaments (their shouted exchanges are conducted entirely in capital letters), and love to waddle and belly slide. The action centers on an unnamed penguin who is both euphoric and despondent: the best friend he met the day before, a “spectacular dancer,” is nowhere to be found. His search leads him to two more penguins with talents of their own—one-note singing and horn playing, respectively—but not the twinkle toes he seeks. When a big and hungry polar bear threatens to turn the first penguin into dinner, all three birds become an unbeatable team. If Proimos’s eye-popping comic-book colors, repetition (“Waddle. Waddle. Belly slide!”), and made-to-be-read-aloud text aren’t enough, the final revelation is so silly it’s genius. Ages 4–8. Agent: Rosemary Stimola, Stimola Literary Studio. (Nov.)