I do not read all of Kevin Henkes picture books and especially do not read his easier readers. (Or honesty, easy readers in general unless 
something really speaks to me). Yet, I was looking for something different and that different was when I found Penny and Her Sled by him. It was not either a picture book or an easy reader. But somehow both. This caught my attention. It is a sweet, cute and a fun not your usual snow book. Everything you know and love about Henkes is here: spunky characters, troubles and a lesson to be learned.
This time our gal Penny cannot wait for the snow. Her mother tells her soon. Her father tells her soon. But when is soon? It is taking an awful long time. Plus, she would really like to use her new sled. Of course, like true plucky characters, Penny is not long for the sulks and finds some clever and fun ways to use that new sled of hers. When Penny realizes there might not be snow this year, her mother has a delightfully clever solution. Along the journey Penny takes, she finds out patience and sometimes things do not always work out as you would hope.
And of course, classic Henkes illustrations. While I am not always a fan of a story by him, I am almost always a lover of those delightful characters he creates. They seem to have a life of their own and no questions about their personalities.
At the same time Penny came into my life, a new friend was coming into a penguins life in Little Penguin’s New Friend by Tadgh Bentley. This book was a beginning reader (see above). But as I was looking for something different and quick (and something to write up for our holiday newsletter) I thought I would give it a shot.
Turns out Little Penguin is a beginning reader story that will have most readers really getting into the humor. There are some jokes that are giggle worthy, but honestly the are really bad jokes that are right up a kid’s alley. If you have a child into animals, or sea creatures in general, they will most likely be the best audience. The story is good (do not believe everything you hear) but the execution is not for the adults. There were a couple “missing spots” for me.
With all my love for both, I would love a kid’s opinion on them.
