Plume: World Explorer

Plume series

by Tania McCartney

Hitch a ride on the Albatross Express and travel the globe with Plume: World Explorer. This exciting new series for little ones celebrates culture, diversity and the natural wonders of our world. Plume is not your typical Antarctic penguin. He loves to cook, read, knit sweaters and ice skate, and he sports a yellow plume on top of his head. Plume is bored of black and white, and of shuffling and snoozing on icebergs. He craves color, adventure, excitement! He wants to seize the world he's discovered between the pages of his fantastical Antarctic library (the largest in the Southern Hemisphere). Plume's greatest hope is to grow the hearts and minds of anyone who joins him in boarding the Albatross Express. Through his travels, children will engage with themes such as friendship, acceptance and the wellbeing of our planet. This is a book series for our times.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction

48 pages, Hardcover

Published December 14, 2021

Reviews

[Katey Flowers · Rating 4 out of 5]

If Happy Feet dreamed of being a globe trotter. Plume is #notlikeotherpenguins and loves exploring.

[Baby Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review was originally written for The Baby Bookworm. Visit us for new picture books reviews daily!

Hello, friends! Our book today is Plume: World Explorer by Tania McCartney, a globe-trotting tale of exploration, curiosity, and adventure with an extra-adorable protagonist.

In the wilds of Antarctica lives a penguin named Plume – a very different sort of penguin, that is. While his penguin pals are content to the black and white landscape of their icy home, Plume has an insatiable curiosity to learn new hobbies, to experience new things, and to read new books. Through his books and visits with his package-courier pal Ava the albatross, Plume discovers new parts of the world that fascinate and invigorate him – if only he could fly to visit them like Ava does. One day, Plume makes a decision: he will no longer leave the exploring to others. This sets him off on a journey to far-flung locations to experience local foods, unique cultures, and new friends.

Absolutely delightful. With a combination of adorable illustrations, engaging text, and a fantastic message about curiosity and global community, this lovely little title takes readers on a journey just as edifying and enriching as Plume’s. McCartney’s illustrations are simply wonderful, creating appealing characters and gorgeous textures, especially in the scenes where Plume visits international locales. The story itself is wonderfully layered; part geography and culture lesson, part ode to the inquisitive mind, and part emphasis on the importance of diversity, readers can experience a richness of themes over an entertaining tale. A pronunciation guide may have helped in the backmatter, but other than that, this one is near-perfect in concept and execution. The length is great for elementary-aged bookworms, and JJ absolutely loved it. This one is a must-read for any young explorer, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved.

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

Be sure to check out The Baby Bookworm for more reviews!

[Lian · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most adorable character in a book full of heart and wonder and TRAVEL!!! Richly crafted illustrations and a clever story line make this an all rounder, and the perfect story to take kids on a journey to places they haven't seen or will hopefully visit soon. Just gorgeous, especially Plume who makes my heart melt.

[The Book Squirrel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a penguin who loves to read and travels the world learning about different countries. It's probably too long and text-dense for most preschoolers, but would work for junior primary school ages when studying "around the world" themes.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I love Plume more in this one than I did in the second book. He so wants to see more of the world and thankfully he has help. I loved it!

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I preferred the other Plume book but this was still enjoyable and educational.

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful

[Borislava Ivova · Rating 2 out of 5]

Plume and the forced diversity.