The World of Penguins.

Gregory Bryan is a member of the Faculty of Education at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg.

As a bird enthusiast with a particularly large soft spot for penguins, I must confess to disappointment with Tundra Books’ The World of Penguins. That is certainly not to say that the book is without merit. My disappointment is not so much with the information contained within the book, but rather with the organization and presentation of that information.

The author, Evelyne Daigle, includes a sprinkling of facts on some topics, including penguin predation, diet, camouflage, and reproduction. On the other hand, given that there is an introduction to all of the world’s 17 penguin species, I was disappointed that more details were not provided for all of the penguins. Instead, we have what seems a random choice as to which penguins to focus upon and which penguins to ignore.

Furthermore, I do not think the Daniel Grenier illustrations add to the book. I much prefer the few photographs that are included and I wonder why it was that the publisher elected to go with the acrylic illustrations rather than employing photographs throughout. The paintings lack the detail necessary to complement and extend the text. There are also some pages upon which the black print is unnecessarily difficult to read against the dark background of the illustrations.

Those with a thirst for information about penguins will find something of interest within the covers of The World of Penguins. I believe, however, there are currently other penguin books on the market that represent a better purchase. Not a first-choice purchase.