Turtle's Penguin Day

by Valeri Gorbachev

After his Daddy reads a book about penguins, a young turtle decides to spend his day at kindergarten sliding on his belly, waddling, and playing pass-the-egg.

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

40 pages, Hardcover

First published August 12, 2008

About the author

Valeri Gorbachev is the author and illustrator of a number of children's books, both in the United States and Europe, including Nicky And The Big Bad Wolves and Where is the Apple Pie? Mr. Gorbachev immigrated to the United States from the Ukraine in 1991 and now lives with his family in Brooklyn, New York.

(from harpercollins.com)

Reviews

[ع. ر. افّلا · Rating 3 out of 5]

بورخس می‌گفت اشتباه است که از یک نویسنده بپرسیم تحت تأثیر چه نویسنده‌هایی بوده: چون نویسنده‌ها نیای خود را می‌آفرینند.
یعنی نویسنده نمی‌آید به شما بگوید واقعا تحت تأثیر چه نویسنده‌هایی بوده، بلکه نویسنده‌هایی را نام می‌برد که دوست دارد تحت تأثیرشان باشد. به نظر من اشکالی هم ندارد. به قول باب دیلن: زندگی دربارهٔ کشف خویشتن نیست، بلکه دربارهٔ خلق خود است.
نویسنده (در بهترین حالت) یک خیالپرداز تمام‌وقت است، او صرفا مشغول خلق کاراکتر‌هایش نیست، بلکه دارد خودش را نیز می‌آفریند. و البته متوجهم که این خاص نویسندگان نیست و هر کسی ممکن است چنین کاری بکند. مثلا همین لاکپشت داستان ما که یک روز دوست دارد پنگوئن باشد و روز دیگر میمون.
یک شعار مسیحی می‌گوید: تغییر بده، آنچه را که می‌توانی، بپذیر، آنچه را که نمی‌توانی تغییر دهی، و آنقدر خردمند باش که تفاوت این‌دو را بدانی.

[Roya · Rating 4 out of 5]

از "گورباچف" خوشم اومدههه. واقعا کتاب‌هاش بامزه‌ست🥹

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 5 out of 5]

One thing: it's so darn relatable!

When I was a kid, I wanted to be everything! One day I hear about pilots, I wanted to become one. Some other day if it's teachers, I wanted to become one! If it's a news anchor, I wanted to become one too! And this little turtle getting hugely influenced by the stories of other animals when stories about them are told by his father as bedtime stories. I know people will feel like the turtle tried to become a penguin when it should accept its own identity. Come on! It's a storybook telling how we easily get influenced when we were kids that's it.

[Zahra Labbafan · Rating 3 out of 5]

کتاب را نشر چشمه با ترجمه شیوا حریری به اسم روزی که لاک پشت پنگوئن شد چاپ کرده است.

امان از این تصویرسازی های زیبا که با دیدنش روح آدم شاد می‌شود و مطمئنا برای بچه‌ها هم بسیار جذاب است
لاک پشت کوچولو کتابی در مورد پنگوئن ها میخواند و اینگونه فردا روز پنگوئن شدن هست

[Lorellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful tale with adorable pictures. Tot and I both enjoy it. I do feel that it makes public school look a bit more charming than it actually is, but that doesn't deminish the fun of turtles dressing up like penguins. Not a Halloween book, but close enough.

[Amy Seto · Rating 5 out of 5]

After Little Turtle’s father reads him a bedtime story about penguins, Little Turtle falls asleep and dreams that he’s a penguin. The next morning he decides to be a penguin for the day, so he waddles into a pair of red slippers and drapes an old black coat over his head and arms. At school his classmates are intrigued, so Little Turtle points out all the reasons he loves penguins. “We want to be penguins too!” And so Little Turtle and his friends have a penguin day at school, full of waddling, sliding, and penguin dreams at naptime. That night at bedtime, Father Turtle reads a new book about monkeys. Guess what Little Turtle decides to be when he wakes up in the morning?

The watercolor illustrations create a colorful, finely detailed world. The characters are wide-eyed and friendly, reminiscent of those in a Richard Scarry book. I love that Little Turtle’s classmates don’t tease him for wearing an old coat over his head, instead they are curious and welcoming. The text, half description and half dialogue, incorporates general information about penguins, but never pulls the focus away from Little Turtle’s story. Gorbachev includes a list of penguin facts at the back of the book.

Full Review at Picture-Book-a-Day: http://picturebookaday.blogspot.com/2...

[Mandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, imaginative, & informative book 😊

[Candice · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very cute story about a child's (or in this case a turtle's) imagination. Father Turtle reads a book about penguins to Little Turtle. When Little Turtle falls asleep he dreams he is a penguin. The next morning he wants to dress as a penguin and act like a penguin. Fortunately, he has a supportive teacher (Ms. Dog - aren't dogs great?) and friends. Soon all the other animals in the class are having a ball acting like penguins. Even at bedtime, Little Turtle is still pretending he is a penguin. And then Father Turtle reads him another bedtime story - about monkeys! The illustrations in this book are wonderful. They capture the joy of a child's imagination, the closeness of parent and child, and the love of friends. Terrific book.

[Alicia Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

With a title like this, how could I not love this book? Little Turtle's father reads him a book about penguins so the next day for school he decides to be a penguin. The other students look his costume and his teacher is very interested in the book on penguins that Little Turtle brought to school. The whole class decides to have a penguin day which is just a lot of fun. The book has a small section at the end with facts on penguins for children who want to learn more. Gorbachev captures the desire to be another character perfectly and readers will be delighted to find someone else who shares this passion.

[Elizabeth Bergin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little Turtle becomes very interested in penguins after his father reads him a book about them. At school, Little Turtle dresses up as a penguin and gets his whole class involved. Its illustrations and characters appeal to younger children, especially those interested in animals. The book includes a list of facts about penguins, which opens the door for teaching about penguins and other Antarctic creatures. Children will enjoy the illustrations and easy-to-follow story, and may even want to waddle around like a penguin like Little Turtle.

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars.. it was ok. True Fans of penguins would like this ode to the imagination, but I found it nothing special compared to all the other books with the same theme. Drawings are basic sketchy cartoons a la' Richard Scarry.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gorbachev, Valeri Turtle's Penguin Day. Knopf Rrandom House), 2008. PICTURE BOOK.

Little Turtle loved his bedtime story about turtles. At school the next day, his turtle costume intrigues the other children and they spend a day practicing their turtle best. What will the next day hold? Well, tonight's story is all about monkeys!

An absolutely adorable picture book that celebrates the imagination and enthusiasm of the young.

EL - ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library-Teacher.
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2008/...

[Camille Rickis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very sweet book about a young turtle who loves penguins so much that he wants to dress up as one for school. The reader gets nervous that the turtle will be made fun of, but instead all his classmates begin to get excited about turtles as well. With adorable illustrations that highlight the turtles joy about learning, this book is perfect to show young children that learning can be a lot of fun if you embrace it.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recommended read aloud for ages 6-8 by Minnesota State University. I loved this one. Little turtle is read a bedtime tale about penguins. He then dreams of being a penguin and decides to act like one at school, and gets all his friends to join in. What will his father read about next? A delightful tale about the power of the written word and our imaginations. Probably best 1st grade and below.

[Diana Flores · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved Turtle's Penguin Day! Cute story about an imaginative turtle who dreams about being a penguin. I like that he got to have fun with his love for penguins by dressing up and having a penguin day at school!

[Shawn Deal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Turtle goes through a day being a penquin. This idea comes from a bedtime story told to him by his father. A very cute story.

[Mae · Rating 3 out of 5]

A turtle who wants to be a penguin for a day because of a story his dad told him.

[BiblioBeruthiel · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one wasn't bad, it just didn't really appeal to me personally. Also, it felt a little 'off' to me.

[Z · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very cute

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute story about a little turtle that loves to pretend, and a class that gets in the spirit, and a teacher that doesn't mind getting into it either.

[Char · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really love the storyline in this book. I guess the story and the pictures remind me of books I would read as a kid. My 11 month old isn't too interested for now, but he enjoys the pictures.

[Library Lady Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked how one kids obsession was embraced by the other kids and the teacher.

[Anchi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Learn about penguins through a turtle’s pretend play.

[Lynnette · Rating 5 out of 5]

So cute! Great reminder that kids love to pretend and imagine and their wants and desires are fickle.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

اینکه شاگردها و معلم با لاک‌پشت همراه شدن برام جالب بود.
در کل «گوگولی» بود :))))

[Maryam · Rating 3 out of 5]

کودکان دنیای ساده و در عین حال جالبی دارن! میتونن به هرچیزی که می‌بینن تبدیل بشن

[Andy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The kids enjoyed this book. Especially because of the adorable turtle who decided to be a penguin for a day.

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

After his father reads him a book about penguins, a young turtle to be one.

[jacky · Rating 3 out of 5]

A turtle and penguins? Being that these are two of my favorite animals, I had to check this out when I saw it on the recommended picture books list for the library summer reading program. The story was too old for Natalie at this time, but I still read it aloud to her. I liked how there wasn't too much text (It sometimes bothers me when a picture books has tons of text). I also liked how the story had a nice predictable structure. It followed the course of 24 hours, there were groups of three things, and the ending mirrored the beginning. These are great structures for a children's book to have. I liked the illustrations. Basic info on penguins was embedded into the story, but there was also a list of facts at the end of the book. My favorite fact was that the largest penguins can be 90 lbs! Holy crap! The smallest are about 2 lbs. After reading that I'm a little afraid of some penguins, but want a tiny one.

[Claudia Naranjo · Rating 5 out of 5]

TURTLE IS SO excited by the book about penguins that his dad reads him at bedtime that he decides he wants to be a penguin. So the next morning, he creates a penguin costume, grabs his book, and heads for the schoolbus. His kindergarten classmates are thrilled. They all want to be penguins too! Turtle shows his book to his teacher, and all day long he and his classmates do as the penguins do—they slide down the slide on their bellies during recess, form a waddling conga line at music time, and snack on goldfish crackers. It’s a super-cool penguin day. Turtle thinks he’d like to be a penguin every day. But, that night, his dad has a new book to read—and this one is all about monkeys!

This delightful picture book from Valeri Gorbachev celebrates both the power of books, and the joys of imaginative play in all its dress-up-box glory. And, with the extra penguin facts at the end of the book, this is a perfect blueprint for teachers planning penguin days of their own.