The Penguin Book of Penguins

by Peter Fretwell, Lisa Fretwell (Illustrator)

A charming and beautifully illustrated book about the world’s most beloved bird, written by Peter Fretwell, a leading scientist at The British Antarctic Survey, and illustrated by Lisa Fretwell.

There’s something about penguins that makes them irresistible. Maybe it’s their comical waddle, their black-and-white ‘tuxedo’ plumage, or their apparent cheerfulness in the face of extreme weather conditions. Whatever the reason, their cult following around the globe is indisputable. Penguins can tell us so much about the world we live in – and what the future of both our species might look like.

In The Penguin Book of Penguins, leading British Antarctic scientist Peter Fretwell introduces us to eighteen charismatic species of penguin and the fascinating lives they lead: their evolution, behaviours and habitats, and their history with humans. From the fact that emperor penguins dive twice as deep as any other bird, to the story of a king penguin called Sir Nils Olav III who was made a Major General by the Norwegian Army, we discover through fascinating first-hand encounters (and even penguin jokes and emojis!) why penguins matter so greatly to all of us.

Genres: Nonfiction

288 pages, Hardcover

First published September 18, 2025

Reviews

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

very interesting book about penguins looking at the different types and what the future holds for his sea faring bird.

[Abbie Toria · Rating 4 out of 5]

It feels so fitting that there is now a Penguin Book of Penguins!

It’s a fascinating introductory book for penguin lovers everywhere; exploring the different species of penguins, their amazing and sometimes strange adaptations to their harsh environments, our relationship with them, and the threats they face – mostly because of us. If you enjoyed Fifty Words for Snow, this one’s for you.

I love the snazzy cover design that invokes design elements reminiscent of vintage Penguin books. This, along with the lovely endpapers of comedic penguins and Lisa Fretwell’s utterly charming illustrations, would make this perfect as a gift. Worth keeping in mind for your Christmas shopping!

[Maria · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting facts, but badly written and poorly structured. A good example when a skillful editor would be needed.

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a lovely book. I can’t explain why I like penguins so much but I really do and I’m clearly not alone. I’ve travelled quite widely and seen penguins in their natural habitats at Boulders Beach, South Africa, Phillip Island, Australia, Antarctica, Falklands Islands and Patagonia. A wonderful experience each and every one of them. After reading this book New Zealand has shot to the top of my holiday list. So many different species there.

Briefly, this is not just a dry book full of facts and figures, there is lots of interesting and amusing information from penguin jokes to how to say penguin in different languages, alongside a history of Penguin Books - happy 90th birthday to them!

If you are reading this on social media my little video/reel shows just a few of the many penguin photographs I’ve taken on my holidays. I hope you enjoy them. Sadly it’s not all cuddly lovely news with some species on the endangered list and one critically endangered. Humans have a lot to answer for. I loved this book, easy to read, entertaining and gorgeous illustrations.

[W.S. Luk · Rating 4 out of 5]

"As a scientist you are not really supposed to have a favourite species, even a favourite type of animal. So I must be a bad scientist, because I really like penguins!"

Self-deprecation aside, Peter Fretwell's entertaining scientific and cultural history of penguins (accompanied by beautiful illustrations by Lisa Fretwell) celebrates the flightless birds of the Antarctic, from genuinely surprising details about their biology to a study of how they've interacted with and inspired humans. In this book there is perhaps more technical detail about the different breeds of penguin than I'd initially expected, but THE PENGUIN BOOK OF PENGUINS is a wonderful account of a deservedly lovable species.

That being said, I found myself morbidly amused by some of the horrifying historical details in this book, including the development of a machine designed to extract oil from dead penguins that yielded "a pint per penguin" and the Australian Antarctic program's upsettingly hilarious advice that, to hunt penguins for meat, one should kill them by sitting on them until they suffocate.

[Fatguyreading · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an absolutely charming, interesting and informative book on these lovable flightless birds.

It's as comprehensive guide covering evolution, behaviour and species types, among other subjects.

Throughout there are lots of beautiful illustrations, covering all aspects of these wonderful birds, and many interesting maps to illustrate the areas around the world in which they live.

For me, it's a dippy in type of book, rather than one to read from start to finish, more of a reference type of book. But that's more down to me only having a somewhat fleeting interest in Penguins. No reason at all that you couldn't read from cover to cover if you so wished.

Very enjoyable.

5 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really lovely little book, a fast read but amazingly comprehensive. It is an excellent pocket guide, for lack of a better term, to penguins. The illustrations are beautiful. This book was clearly written and illustrated with love. I enjoyed it and highly recommend it to all penguin enthusiasts.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

adorable and beautiful illustrations