Kid Konnection: Penguin Problems

Every Saturday, I host a feature called Kid Konnection -- a regular weekend feature about anything related to children's books. This week I'm going to share with you an adorable picture book that has already received quite a few starred reviews.

Summary: Have you ever thought: I have so many problems and nobody even cares? Well, penguins have problems too! Discover them in this hilarious collaboration from Jory John (All my friends are dead. and Quit Calling Me a Monster!) and Lane Smith (The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales)!

This penguin has come to tell you that life in Antarctica is no paradise. For starters, it is FREEZING. Also, penguins have a ton of natural predators. Plus, can you imagine trying to find your mom in a big ol’ crowd of identical penguins? No, thank you.

Yes, it seems there is no escaping the drudgery of your daily grind, whatever it might be. Or perhaps we’ve just learned that grumps are everywhere. . . .

This book is sure to tickle kids’ funny bones and will elicit appreciative sighs from the adults reading it aloud. -- Random House

PENGUIN PROBLEMS by Jory John and Lane Smith is a picture book that's beyond cute! I absolutely love this picture book from the hilarious jacket flap text, to the incredibly funny story, to the adorable illustrations! This book just makes me smile!

PENGUIN PROBLEMS is narrated by a little penguin who wants you to know that being a penguin in Antarctica is not easy. It's really cold, there's lots of snow, it's super bright, and the other penguins are really noisy! And that's just the beginnings of this little penguin's gripes. There are other animals who want to hunt penguins, and he looks silly because he waddles. He's also upset that he can't fly and that he looks exactly like all the other penguins. Enter a very wise walrus who comes to tell him that his life is wonderful and very special. The little penguin is at first put off, but then he realizes that  he does love his life on Antarctica... most of the time!

PENGUIN PROBLEMS is such a fun book to read with children. The little penguin is hilarious and, if I'm being entirely honest, does sound a bit like my children when things weren't going quite right in their lives. I mean everything was wrong -- not just one thing -- when they were having a bad day! I know parents and kids alike will have to laugh at just how unfortunate the penguin's life is.

And just when I thought the book was just sort of silly, the walrus enters with words of wisdom. He makes the penguin reflect on his life and realize that there is no where he'd rather be. It's quite a sweet message! As a mom, I love that parents can read PENGUIN PROBLEMS to their kids when they are feeling down and need a bit of a lift.

I can't write about this book and not mention the illustrations by the amazing Lane Smith. WOW! These penguins are absolutely precious... as you can see from the book cover. The little penguin has some adorable facial expressions which made me chuckle, and I loved how the illustrator portrayed life on Antarctica, even the underwater scenes.

Overall, PENGUIN PROBLEMS is a wonderful picture book that I highly recommend. Parents and kids alike will love this one!

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this book.

If you'd like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children's books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, please leave a comment as well as a link below with your name/blog name and the title of the book! Feel free to grab the little button too!