Ella and Penguin: A Perfect Match

by Megan Maynor, Rosalinde Bonnet (Illustrator)

Overview

Ella and Penguin are best friends. So it only makes sense that they like all the same things. But Ella loves tutus. Penguin does not. Ella loves finger painting. Penguin does not. Oh no! They don’t match! They must not be friends after all. Then again, maybe Ella and Penguin don’t need to like all the same things to love being friends.

An irresistible follow-up to Ella and Penguin Stick Together!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062330895
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	01/03/2017
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	539,207
Product dimensions:	8.80(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Megan Maynor, like Penguin, used to wear pants on her head and pretend she had long hair. She lives in Minnesota with her family and hardly ever does that anymore. But she does love writing about Ella and Penguin. This is her second book. Visit her online at www.meganmaynor.com and @megan_maynor.

Rosalinde Bonnet loved to draw when she was little. She would often get into trouble at school because she doodled all over her notebooks during class. After high school she studied at the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. Since her graduation in 2004, she has written and/or illustrated numerous children’s books, mainly published in France and England. She lives in Versailles, France. You can visit her at www.rosalindebonnet.com.

Editorial Reviews

Understanding each other’s unique needs is a tricky lesson to navigate-Ella and Penguin do so with charm and wit.” — Kirkus Reviews

“A sweet, age-appropriate exploration of sharing, celebrating differences, and creating meaningful friendships.” — School Library Journal

“In her comical and relatable narrative, Maynor captures what happens when two friends are faced with their differences.” — Booklist Online

From the Publisher

In her comical and relatable narrative, Maynor captures what happens when two friends are faced with their differences.

Booklist Online

12/01/2016
PreS-Gr 1—Ella wants her best friend, Penguin, to like everything she likes. The child thinks that friends should match in every way. However, when Penguin wears a tutu that's just like Ella's, he does not feel comfortable. When Penguin eats peppermint treats, just like Ella, he ends up spitting them out because they are so strong. When Penguin tries to finger paint, just like Ella, he can't bring himself to dip his fingers in the cup. As Ella dabs and dashes, swooshes and swishes, Penguin gets more and more upset. Finally, he admits that he doesn't share Ella's preferences, and the two conclude that they cannot continue their friendship. After shedding some tears, they come to the realization that friends do not have to be alike in all ways. The characters' emotions are portrayed through simple, expressive watercolors. Visibly joyful, Ella and Penguin revel in their differences. VERDICT A sweet, age-appropriate exploration of sharing, celebrating differences, and creating meaningful friendships.—Susan Small, Salve Regina University, Newport, RI

School Library Journal

2016-10-11
The kindly duo from Ella and Penguin Stick Together (2015) explore another friendship theme.Penguin has found the perfect pair of striped pants to wear. But Ella is wearing a tutu and thinks that Penguin should wear one, too. After all, friends have to match. Penguin doesn't want to disappoint, so he carefully squeezes into a tutu, his rosy cheeks growing redder with effort. A small "pfff" escapes his beak. When it is time for a snack, Ella suggests peppermints. Penguin decides he likes peppermints, too. "Because we're friends! So we match!" Ella, the face of perfect contentment, delights in her candy, but Penguin spits his out in a minty rush. "Haaaaah! Hehhhhhh! Huuuuuh!" Poor Penguin, while getting the short end of the stick in every situation, is a comedic gem. Bonnet renders Penguin's face into many agonizing contortions until suddenly he explodes in frustration: "This tutu is TOO TOO TIGHT!" Penguin and Ella's friendship seems doomed. Friends have to like the same things, don't they? Luckily, they realize they don't have to match all the time. Maynor's childcentric text is funny and empathetic. Ella is depicted as a little, light-skinned girl with dark hair, and Penguin is, well, a penguin. Understanding each other's unique needs is a tricky lesson to navigate—Ella and Penguin do so with charm and wit. (Picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews