Polar Bear Island

by Lindsay Bonilla, Cinta Villalobos (Illustrator)

Overview

When Kirby, a fun-loving penguin, arrives on Polar Bear Island, she shakes things up—much to the dismay of Parker, the mayor.
Will Parker learn to see how great it is to make new friends? Or will he chase Kirby away . . . forever? 
 
“Welcome to Polar Bear Island. NO OTHERS ALLOWED!” Parker is the mayor of this peaceful, predictable island, and he wants to keep it just the way it is. But Kirby, a penguin, thinks the place is paradise, and she wants to stay. Parker says no, but the other polar bears love Kirby —and soon they’re begging Parker to let Kirby (and her family) move in. Will Parker agree . . . and make the island fun for EVERYONE?

With its gentle message of inclusivity, this playful and lighthearted story will delight children.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781454928706
Publisher:	Union Square Kids
Publication date:	10/02/2018
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	1,034,864
Product dimensions:	8.70(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Lindsay Bonilla performs interactive folktales for her company, World of Difference Ltd., and teaches children about foreign countries and cultures. She lives in North Canton, OH, with her husband, sons, and rescue dog. Learn more about Lindsay at lindsaybonilla.com and follow her @LindsayBonilla on Twitter.
 
Cinta Villalobos is an illustrator who lives in Barcelona, Spain. Learn more about Cinta at cintavillalobos.com and follow her @CintaVillalobos.

Editorial Reviews

The text is accessible and good fun to read aloud. . . . The cartoonlike, scratchboard-ish graphics are lighthearted and full of anthropomorphic touches. Good bedtime reading.” —Kirkus

From the Publisher

2018-07-16
Only polar bears are allowed on Polar Bear Island, until Kirby, a friendly, creative penguin, arrives on the scene.On the verso of the first double-page spread, large white lettering proclaims against an azure sky: "Polar Bear Island was peaceful and predictable. Parker, the mayor, planned to keep it that way." Below, Parker—paint can in left paw—can be seen facing his sign: "Welcome to Polar Bear Island. No Others Allowed." On the recto, Kirby floats into view on an ice floe, with hat, scarf, and overstuffed suitcase. When Kirby arrives, Parker grudgingly allows her an overnight stay. However, she soon proves her worth to the other bears; she has invented Flipper Slippers, which keep extremities warm and reverse from skates to snowshoes. Now Kirby is allowed to stay and help the bears make their own Flipper Slippers. When her family shows up with more inventions, Parker feels compelled to give them a week. (Presumably, the penguins have made the 12,430-mile-trip from the South Pole to the North Pole, characterized merely as "a long journey.") A minor crisis permanently changes Parker's attitudes about exclusivity. The text is accessible and good fun to read aloud. The weakness of the ostensible theme of granting welcome to newcomers lies in the fact that all the newcomers are immediately, obviously useful to the bears. The cartoonlike, scratchboard-ish graphics are lighthearted and full of anthropomorphic touches.Good bedtime reading. (Picture book. 3-5)

Kirkus Reviews