Augustine

Linda Ludke is a children’s librarian at the London Public Library.

Augustine is an artistic little penguin whose family moves to the North
Pole. With straightforward narration, she shares her feelings: “I
carry my suitcase to the airport. When it’s time to say good-bye, I
feel sad.” The text is wonderfully accompanied by nine small drawings
on every facing page, including Augustine’s versions of famous
paintings. A fellow plane passenger “with his head in the clouds”
resembles surrealist artist René Magritte’s “Decalcomania,” her
old bedroom looks like Van Gogh’s, and her self-portrait before
starting school is a likeness of Robert Munch’s “The Scream.”

Puns also enliven the text. Augustine’s new home features “icicle
chandeliers” and “hard ice floors.” Alone on the playground, she
draws pictures she calls her “Blue Recess Period.” Augustine’s
emotions will resonate with children. Too shy to talk in class, she uses
her love of art to make connections. Watt’s endearing acrylic and
pencil-crayon illustrations capture the penguin’s reticence as well as
her exuberance. An endnote includes a list of painters from Renoir to
Matisse that Augustine would like to thank for inspiration. Highly
recommended.