Where is Home, Little Pip?

Little Pip

by Karma Wilson

For Little Pip, the baby penguin, home is a pebbly nest on the cold Antarctic shore. Mum and Dad always remind Pip not to wander far, but one day a black, glittery feather leads Pip on a chase far, far from home. As she tries to find her way back to her parents, Pip encounters lots of friendly animals. But will she ever get home?

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals, Family, Storytime, Fiction, Birds

31 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Karma Wilson grew up an only child of a single mother in the wilds of North Idaho. Way back then (just past the stone age and somewhat before the era of computers) there was no cable TV and if there had been Karma could not have recieved it. TV reception was limited to 3 channels, of which one came in with some clarity. Karma did the only sensible thing a lonely little girl could do…she read or played outdoors.

Playing outdoors was fun, but reading was Karma’s “first love” and, by the age 11, she was devouring about a novel a day. She was even known to try to read while riding her bike down dirt roads, which she does not recommend as it is hazardous to the general well being of the bike, the rider, and more importantly the book. Her reading preferences were fantasy (C.S. Lewis, Terry Brooks, etc…) and historical fiction (L.M. Montgomery, Laura Ingalls Wilder, etc…). Those tastes have not changed much.

Karma never considered writing as a profession because her mother was a professional writer which made it seem like mundane work. At the age of 27 she realized that she still loved well-written children’s books of all kinds, from picture books to young adult novels. By that time Karma was a wife and the mother of three young children. Trips to the library with her kids were a combination of emotions…a good book meant fun for all! But so many of the books weren’t what her children wanted to listen to.

Then a tax refund changed everything. With the money the family decided to invest in a computer. Karma was forced to learn to type. Combining her desire to make the expensive computer pay for itself, her new-found typing skill, and her love of children’s literature, Karma started writing for children. She wanted to put a few more good books on the library shelves and pay off that computer! Countless rejections and three years later Karma was finally accepted by book agent Steven Malk (who had already rejected her once, which she never lets him forget). Her first book, Bear Snores On, was released in 2002. The computer was paid for!

Since then Karma has had more than 30 books accepted for publication. Many of those are on the shelves of libraries and bookstores around the world. Her books have received numerous state and national awards, been translated into dozens of languages, and a few have made an appearance on the New York Times bestseller list. Karma sincerely hopes that her books bring joy to children and families everywhere.

Karma writes humorous, rhythmic picture books for the very young, and humorous and wistful poetry for the primary grades.

These days Karma lives with her handsome husband Scott, and her three not-so-young-anymore children, two dogs, two chickens and one cat on some modest but lovely acreage in NW Montana. Her hobbies include reading (of course), photography, baking, yoga, and a passion for Mixed Martial Arts.

Reviews

[Vivian · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are lot's of opportunities to engage children with actions with this story.

"Whooosh....whiiiish....wheeeee" -- (roll arms!)
"Don't wander far" -- (shake finger in a warning way)
"Our home is where the land is free..." -- (sing to tune "Boom boom ain't it great to be Crazy")
"One day pip saw a feather" -- (have children blow on an upheld hand as if it were the feather)
"Flap, flap, flap" -- (flap hands in small motions)
"Got you!" -- (clap hands)
"Where is home" -- (shield eyes while looking one way and the other way)
"Swish! Swish!" -- (put hands together and swish as if arms & hands are a whale's tale)

etc.

Ask "Is that Pip's home?" with each animal's suggestion.

[Nathan Meier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good, and my book is in both English and Spanish which makes good Spanish practice

[Krista Lineweaver · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the book, Where is Home, Little Pip? by Karma Wilson. This picturebook is best to be read to the nursery age children but could be read by children 5-8. All of these children would enjoy it and learn something from it! The story is about Pip, the little penguin, who gets lost. While pip tries finding her way home, she meets a whale, a kelp gull, and sled dogs. She asks each of them where home is and they describe their home. Pip gets sad and starts singing her song about home, that's when her parents find her. This would be a great book to read to children during circle time because of the lesson of not walking off without your parents and listening to them when they tell you not to go far. Parents do know what they are talking about and have reasons for the things they say. There are vibrant colored illustrations for the children to enjoy. The children would love reading about the little penguin, Pip, and her adventures while she is lost. This would be best if read during the winter time or when studying the Antarctic.

[Becky B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little Pip chases a feather far from home and gets lost. She asks the creatures she comes across if they know where home is, but the homes they describe don't match hers. Will she ever find home?

Bears a little resemblance to Are You My Mother? in the basic plot line, but the execution makes this one unique. Each creature has a poem to describe their home, and all the antarctic creatures was nice. The conclusion is also a good one for kids who move a lot, home is where the heart is more than a place.

[Logan Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the illustrations for this book. I thought the use of frames and sequenced illustrations were used well to express how lost and alone Pip is. I included this in my Illustrator study text set which can someday be used to look in detail at Jane Chapman. I want to teach a lesson on acrylic painting for art and Jane Chapman has a lot of resources to aid with that lesson, and this book would be a great example of why she is reputable.

[The Book Maven · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so freaking cute, I want to cry.

When Little Pip the painfully cute penguin is separated from her parents, she wanders about, asking various critters and creatures where home is. Of course, the whale and the seagull and the huskies live different lives in different homes, so they aren't much help. But by the end of the tale, Little Pip is reunited with her parents and all is well again.

A gently educational book for little ones.

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a sweet story about what is home. Pip meets a whale and sled dogs, among others, and when they describe home it doesn't sound right to Pip. However, each time home is described, family is involved and I love that! It ends with the lesson that home is wherever they are together and its just so heartwarming.

[Rebecca]

It's a sweet story, with an ongoing song sung by different animals describing what home is to each of them. I think the text is a little too long for a young Storytime group, but it would be a great intro to talk about animals' homes/habitats and also how each of our own home(lives) are different from each other.

[Viviane Elbee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Artwork is lovely.

This is a very poetic book about Pip, the little penguin who gets lost and tries to find home.

It feels like a compilation of poems (or songs) linked by the common theme of what home is for different animals.

[Cara Byrne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty illustrations, a nice story about home. This would make an interesting book to read alongside _And Tango Makes Three_.

[Rani · Rating 4 out of 5]

#Penguin Pip gets lost in the white world of snow and ice. How can he find his way home? #Endearing!

[Suzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful story.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little Pip gets lost! She wanders around Antarctica and nearly freezes to death when her parents rescue her and warm her up. She discovers that home is wherever your family is.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as the Bear books, but still a cute read.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute book with adorable illustrations!

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet little book that teaches just a bit about various animals and reinforces the notion that home is where the heart is--that you're home when you're with the people you love.

[Carrie Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

My students really enjoyed this book, they were very engaged with it.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Hatched in a nest made of pebbles” great penguin book. Powerful illustrations if the arctic

[Suzanne Lorraine Kunz Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love how this book explores the concept of home - Is it the place or is it the people.

[Stacia Leigh]

Great message, but a little wordy.

[Kai Seifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great story to read to the children in the class
Great illustrations
Great for the children in the class who loves penguins

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have lost track of how many times I have read this book. Where is home, Little Pip? has become one of my grandson's favourite storybooks. It a heartwarming tale about what home really means. Little Pip wanders too far and loses his way. He encounters many animals that try to help him find his way home, only their idea of home is very different from the home Little Pip is looking for. Eventually he learns that home is where your heart is,where the ones you love are. I love this story! Cuddle time on our cozy chair reading and singing this story to Colton is almost a daily event at our house.

[Bri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where is Home Little Pip
Summary: This book is about a little penguin named Pip whose parents sing him a song about home every night. His parents warn him not to wander far for fear that he will get lost. One day Pip is chasing a feather and he wanders so far he becomes lost. He travels around asking various animals including a whale, a Kelp gull, and a dog where home is. Unfortunately, these animals cannot help Pip because they all have a different answer for where home is. Pip begins to sing the song his parents sing to him and suddenly his parents appear. His parents sing a new song about home being where the people are not the actual place.

Themes: The major theme I gathered from this book is the concept of home being a group of people rather than a particular place. As each animal is asked to define home, they sing a different song about different places and people. It is clear that where one person may find home is very different but just as special to them as where another person calls home.

Star Rating: I would give this book 5 stars.

Personal Response: Personally, I found this book to have a great take away for children especially those in any sort of transition. Leaving home is a scary thought for kids but knowing you always have a home to return to with parents that love you is extremely comforting. It also includes an element of diversity as it shares the differences in homes for each animal. And in each case the home remains definite and meaningful to each creature. As I have grown older, my definition of home has also changed. As a child I considered my home to be the specific house in which I lived everyday. However, now living in a different state than my family I consider home to be where I am when I am with my family. I may not be spending my day-to-day life in the same place, but anytime I am back in California with my family it still feels like home because of who I am with.

Recommendation: I would highly recommend this book to young children in any circumstance. The concept of home is so important in various situations and children can find comfort in knowing their home can always be found no matter where they go or what they do.

[O · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Where is Home, Little Pip?" tells the tale of a baby penguin by the name of Pip who wanders off to chase a pretty feather only to wind up getting lost from her pebbly nest. She sets out to look for her home and along the way she asks the animals she meets if they know where it is. As Pip get's more and more lost, she feels a little despaired but she remembers the song her Mama and Papa had always sung at night. She begins to sings it and eventually her parents find her. This story has a happy ending and a meaningful message that home is being together and not just a pebbly nest.

I like a book with nice illustrations and this one definitely has great pictures. The illustrations correspond to the text very well and even if a child doesn't read yet, they can figure out what is happening using the pictures. This is a great book for early readers and can be used in the classroom in multiple ways. I can see this book being used to teach Kindergartens about setting and characters. Students can make a timeline of the events that happened along the way to Pip as she searched for her home after getting lost by following a feather. It can also be used in 1st grade when students learn about habitats.

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Little Pip is a small baby penguin, one who always listens to her parents when they tell her to stick close and then sing about home. One day though, she chases after a black feather, so lovely against the white snow, and soon finds herself lost and alone. Trying to find her home, she asks a whale and a gull and some huskies how to find home, but none of them can help. Eventually, cold and sad, she sings her song about home to try to feel better and her parents, following the sound of her song, find her and reunite the family.

This book is well written and beautifully illustrated. The penguins are all extremely expressive and the landscape sets the stage perfectly for the story. The rhymes about home capture the attention of younger children and will help older children read along. I lent this book to my mom to read to her kindergarden class and it was extremely popular.

A wonderful book that stresses the importance of home and family and leaves readers with a smile. I hope we see more books about Little Pip in the future.

[Kaitlin Larson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the heart warming story of a small penguin who gets separated from his mother and father along with the rest of their colony. Little Pip goes in search of his family, stopping to meet other arctic animals along the way. Last year when I taught first grade it went nicely with our arctic unit with the different animals incorporated throughout the text.
This is a very interactive read. There is a lot of onomonopia that makes this exciting and fun to read, especially with younger students. There is also a song that is repeated throughout the text that Pip is using to try to find his family. This idea leads nicely into that penguins actually use tactics like this in the wild. It is a very informational book as well as a fictional story that is hard not to love.

[Christine Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

For Little Pip, the baby penguin, home is a pebbly nest on the cold Antartic shore. Mama and Papa always reminds Pip not to wander far, and she never does...until one day a black, glittery feather leads Pip on a chase far, far from home. As she tries to find her way back to her parents, Pip encounters some friendly animals, a mighty blue whale, a gull, and even a sled dog. But while these animals know where their home is, they do not know where Pip's home is. In her sadness, Pip begins to sing a song about home that her parents taught her, and the sound of her voice guides her parents straight to her!

[Robert · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pip, a young penguin is taught a song about where home is. One day she follows a feather. She became lost. She seeks home by asking other animals where home is. Each describes their home, but it isn't Pip's. Eventually, lost and scared, she calls for help. Her parents have been looking for her and find Pip. Happy ending.

The best part of the book was when Pip sought the feather. It seemed like following the feather may lead to someone else's home. That wasn't the case.

I have a problem with a penguin discussing home with whales, gulls, and wolves, since none of them live in Antarctica. The images are nice enough.

[Dolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet story about a curious little penguin who loses sight of her home and family.

Written and illustrated by the collaborative team of Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman, the narrative is informative and engaging while the illustrations are brightly colored and the critters are adorable. The story is sure to appeal to young children.

Overall, it's a fun, fast read and our girls enjoyed it.

March 2020 update: I listened to the librarian read this book aloud with a kindergarten class and they really loved it.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

My boys enjoyed this story and I enjoyed the art. I am torn between 3 and 4 stars mainly because I had hoped the story would gain my boys attention more than it did. I picked this up at the book fair. My little one loves penguins and my oldest is learning to read so I figured this would interest both. They were interested, but I just didn't get the reaction that I had hoped for. This will be one of our books that I suggest to read. My boys will be more than happy to pick it up, but they probably will not think of it themselves.