Tina and the Penguin

Dosi Cotroneo is a freelance writer living in Manotick, Ontario.

During a class visit to the zoo, Tina takes a last look at the penguins,
only to be surprised by a wet “schlep schlep” behind her. One of the
penguins has decided that he wants to go home—with Tina, that is. How
can the little girl accommodate her new house guest? By keeping her
window wide open to let in all of the ice-cold air, that’s how. Now
Tina has to go to sleep with her woolies on.

Keeping a penguin is not as easy as Tina thought it would be. Thanks to
the penguin’s molting feathers and the fishy smell coming out of
Tina’s room, her mom is starting to get suspicious. Shortly after
admitting “I don’t think this is working out,” Tina makes the
startling discovery that her cute little house guest has decided to
check out. She soon discovers that the penguin made his way home to
Antarctica.

Tina and the Penguin is a funny, heartwarming story with a cold dose of
reality: trying to help someone doesn’t always work out as we plan.
Mireille Levert’s vivid illustrations bring Tina and her penguin to
life. Highly recommended.