Penguin

Animal Series

by Stephen Martin

From the Penguin Books logo to The March of the Penguins , a certain tuxedo-adorned member of the animal kingdom has long captured our hearts and imaginations. Stephen Martin regales us here with the cultural and natural history of the penguin, revealing many fascinating and little-known facts about this beloved bird.

Over twenty species of penguins can be found in the Galápagos Islands and New Zealand as well as in Antarctica, and they range from the Little Bee Penguin at two pounds to the imposing Emperor Penguin, which can weigh in at over seventy-five pounds. Martin details the biological facts and natural history of each species, including their evolution, habitats, diet, and behavior, but he also explores the role of penguins in popular culture and thought—from children’s literature such as Mr. Popper’s Penguins , to Batman’s nemesis, the Penguin, to films and television shows including Happy Feet and Pingu . In addition, over one hundred images of penguins enrich Martin’s engaging text.


            A captivating natural and cultural history, Penguin will be an essential addition to the bookshelves of penguin fans everywhere.
 

Genres: Nonfiction, Natural History, Science, History, Animals

198 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Juno · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really can't give any book about penguins a rating lower than a 3 since it is my favorite animal, and I will read just about any book, article, essay, poem, or story about penguins.

I really enjoyed all the information this has to offer, especially the variety from biology to cultural significance where other books may stick to one aspect or study. I think there was a lot of information that I learned that I hadn't even considered looking up before, though I wonder if maybe I would have preferred some of this information broken up and explored further.

The only reason why this isn't too highly rated for me was just because of the way it read. To me, it just felt like I was reading a long high school or college level essay. The way information is delivered and all of the outside quotes make it feel clunky. Maybe this could be my own fault; I prefer nonfiction that reads more personally. But this is more of a personal review anyway coming from a penguin fanatic.

[dejah_thoris · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great book about penguins. I don't think I learned as much about their cultural history as I did with some of the other animals in this series, but I did learn how many types there are a bit on how to distinguish them. I also learned why we rarely hear about exotic aficionados adopting them. (They're not well suited to warmer environments.) The history on killing penguins for fuel (like whales) was terribly sad, but unlike the fur industry has entirely ceased. If penguins intrigue you, read this book to learn more about them.

[Bruce Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although it tended to be more focused on the human interactions with penguins rather than the details of their lives, it was an informative and thought provoking book. I hadn't realized the extent to which penguins were slaughtered- and found there was some poignant irony in campaigns to 'save the penguin' immediately after WWI.
I began reading this book because I read elsewhere of penguin strandings in Brazil, where they had ridden ice floes up from Antarctica. However, there was no mention of such things occurring, so I remain in the dark.

[Sasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

When a hardcore penguin fan is not hanging on to every word, a question immediately comes to mind: what audience is this book actually aimed at? The content was definitely interesting, but not written or ordered in a particularly enticing way. I think this book (and perhaps series) would be better written and formatted as a coffee table book rather than a chapter book.

[Jazzy Lemon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A charming and informative read about Penguins.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've also read Ant in this series and Penguin is similar, in that there is more cultural history in it than natural history. However, the balance is more even here and, I think, the better for it.

The accounts of human interaction with penguins are by turns entertaining, moving and depressingly inevitable when dealing with the wholesale slaughter of penguins for their oil.

There are loads of penguin photos and illustrations, which really enhance the text. And at the back there is a short penguin timeline and description of all the extant penguin species.

If there had been more about penguin evolution and ecology, I'd have given this four stars. Still, enjoyable and I will be looking to get some more books from the series.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love penguins, so I decided to pick this up. While the facts were interesting, it was a bit dry for my taste. I felt like I needed a less clinical look at the subject and not just fact sharing.

[Sesana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Reaktion Animal book. It's a little sparse, but it is pretty informative, and it has great pictures. For people who love penguins, like me.