The King Penguin

by Vanessa Roeder

King Penguin is off to find subjects who will listen to him—as long as they don’t eat him first, in this cheeky tale by beloved author-illustrator Vanessa Roeder

Percival the King Penguin doesn’t think he’s asking for too much when he makes all the rules—he is a king after all. But he’s tired of the other penguins protesting, so he’s off to find subjects who are more obedient and supportive.

But it won't be the seals.

Or the whales.

And definitely not the rude sardines.

As Percival gets chased away by every new group of potential subjects, he’ll have to learn how to put his best flipper forward and live in a community, not a kingdom.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Childrens, Humor, Storytime, Friendship, Fiction

40 pages, Hardcover

First published September 26, 2023

About the author

Vanessa Roeder is an author and illustrator whose work includes Lucy and the String and The Box Turtle, a Parents Magazine Best Children's Book. She lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and three kids.

Reviews

[Meghan Bohn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would have been four stars if the Arctic animals hadn't shown up.

[Amanda Brooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was hard to get over the Arctic animals in the penguin's world, but the book was great for our word of the month project: reflective.

[Harmony Soto · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely, hilarious story to teach kids about leadership and the importance of listening to others when it comes to making decisions that affect the whole group. It's also GREAT for any read-a-louds!

[Bethany · Rating 5 out of 5]

King Penguin is the ruler of all the penguins, but his subjects don't seem to feel the same. They don't want him to tell them what to do and instead kick him out. So, King Penguin sets off to find a new group of people who needs his leadership. However, he quickly realizes that the grass isn't greener on the other side when just about everything tries to eat him. What will he do now, especially after he runs into an Emperor Penguin?

THE KING PENGUIN is a story about respecting the opinions of others with a wrap full of humor.
The "macaroni/pasta penguin" is the cutest addition to draw out some laughs and add a bit more interest to the subjects. The illustrations are adorable with speech bubbles to add variation to the text. I love the wording and how the pristine penguin is described with "p"s. I had as much fun reading this as my daughter did listening.


Final Verdict: THE KING PENGUIN is a cute story perfect for fans of penguins and humor. I enjoyed reading this to my daughter and added accents to give it a royal spin that had her laughing. We immediately had to read it again, which was fine by me.

[Roben · Rating 4 out of 5]

Percival the Penguin LOVES being a King Penguin. Though he thinks that means he can rule all of the other penguins. Which he does - until they get tired of being bossed around and they kick him out of the colony. Percival is very persistent though and he tries to find someone else to rule. Like seals! They try to eat him. And orcas! They also try to eat him. Or maybe polar bears? Ditto - you get the picture. Even the sardines try to eat Percival! Then he - literally bumps into a rather haughty Emperor Penguin. And it dawns on him that just because he is a King Penguin it doesn't mean he has the right to be a king over all the other penguins. So he returns to the colony and makes amends. But not with the sardines.
This was very cute and I loved the illustrations! It is totally inaccurate as far as polar bears eating penguins since penguins don't live in the Arctic. Unless Percival traveled that far looking for a new kingdom. But that can provide some ground for discussion. Mostly this is just a fun book about not taking yourself to seriously and not assuming that you are the one in charge.

The bright colors and laugh-out-loud text would make this a great book for story time!

[Gmr · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a delightfully funny, yet informative story with a lesson to boot! We learn that there are a few types of penguins 🐧 with particular penchants based on their history. We learn that ruling is a big job, but somebody has to do it...or do they? Perhaps it's not a solo endeavor after all. Perhaps it's not a role dictated by a person's, or rather a penguin's name. Perhaps it's something that is better with the input of others than a singular voice. Perhaps it's a lesson that our king penguin learns the hard way, after several times of almost being eaten!

With fun/ funny illustrations to guide you along your way, and a tale to share that has merit for both young and the young at heart, this is one story that won't leave you out in the cold!


*copy received for review; opinions are my own

[Jessica Huerta · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was cute. Percival Penguin truly believed that just because of the name of the type of penguin he is meant that he was royalty (which he is a king penguin). He thought he could rule and boss everyone around but everyone decided enough was enough and voted to kick him out as king, later on his journey of becoming king elsewhere, he bumped into an emperor penguin which he also believed that was his calling but it clicked into Percival's head and decided to take emperor penguin with him and together they fixed the chaos that was created and everyone was happy. It was a very nice story with a very good ending.

[Nicole Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book for my honest opinion.

King Penguin makes all the rules… until his subjects no longer want him to be King. Cast out, King Penguin looks for a new group of animals to rule but finds that most animals in the Arctic just want to eat him. This cute and hilarious book had my kids and I laughing at every page as we learned the right way to be a leader. And look out for the penguin who might be pasta. Another win for the author of The Box Turtle and a great book for any library or home.

[Patricia N. McLaughlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amusing take on Piaget’s pre-operational stage (ages 2 to 6), that period of development when a child's thinking is self-centered and egocentric. Percival is the consummate tyrant—hilariously depicted with his crown, barrister wig, and royal decrees—that is, until he discovers his place in Nature’s pecking order and the food chain. He returns from his quest for hegemony chastened, yet wiser for the journey of self-discovery. Delightful illustrations show how Percival learns his rightful place in his colony and the family of things.

[Isabella DelGarbino · Rating 4 out of 5]

The King Penguin by Vanessa Roeder is a humorous story about a penguin who believes he’s destined for royalty. Wearing a crown and trying to command his fellow animals, the penguin’s attempts at leadership lead to some unexpected—and very funny—situations. Roeder’s lively illustrations perfectly match the penguin’s bold personality and bring the playful storyline to life. This engaging tale of self-discovery, humility, and friendship is sure to entertain young readers while delivering a gentle reminder that true respect doesn’t come from a crown alone.

[Kirsten Stelt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought The King Penguin was adorable! It starts off with a sassy king penguin who rules all with a big ego and ends with a loving king penguin who treats all equally. We are shown his hardships as a king penguin after he selfishly left his hometown throne to become a king elsewhere. He finds that not many like him. He returns home to find that he must calm the chaos and save the day. A perfect hero story. Humbling, honest, and true. 10/10 children's picture book.

[Madison Manes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this would be a great book for a classroom that is introducing history for young children. It provides new vocabulary words and phrases that might require more background knowledge. This can help teachers create fun and engaging lessons while incorporating new information and the students can use this book to help comprehend what they're reading, while being engaged through a fun and colorful book.

[BobbiJo Emmett · Rating 4 out of 5]

The King Penguin by Vanessa Roeder is a humorous and engaging story about leadership and kindness. As a future teacher, I appreciate its message about listening to others and working together. The illustrations are vibrant, and the wordplay makes it a fun read-aloud. While it’s a great book for social-emotional learning, the story sometimes feels slightly predictable. Still, it’s a wonderful addition to a classroom library.

[Cindy Overcast · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you, Vanessa Roeder, for this fun ride of a book! I love the illustrations and the instructions not to eat yellow snow (truly great advice, lol). I found this to be a very funny book! One rule for readers...no rushing through it -- take the time to absorb the humor on each set of pages. It has a lot going on and isn't a quick read. Enjoy!!

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The "King" penguin believes that he is in charge and tries to order the other penguins around. He quickly learns that it is much better to collaborate and be part of the group than trying to be "the boss". This would be a great book for children who struggle with being bossy or trying to always be in charge. A gentle reminder about what it means to be a friend.

[Connie T. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Percival the penguin believes he was born to be a ruler. After all, he's a King Penguin. When the other penguins protest, he decides to leave and find new subjects to rule over. In the end, Percival discovers that your name doesn't make you a leader and that cooperation is a better strategy for harmony.

[Abby Corlett · Rating 3 out of 5]

In "The King Penguin" by Vanessa Roeder, a penguin dreams of being a king. This charming story features delightful illustrations and explores themes of friendship and self-acceptance. The main character's journey to discover his place in the world is both relatable and heartwarming, making it a delightful read for young audiences.

[Alivia Boothe · Rating 4 out of 5]

The King Penguin is a lovely book with great meaning! The story is based on a penguin who dreams of becoming royalty. Nothing was easy for the penguin due to the other penguins not liking his rules. This allows him to find something new. The story is very engaging for young readers and would be an amazing read! The book has great illustrations that children would love.

[Maddie Mahoney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is a charming and humorous picture book that delivers a delightful twist on the classic “royalty” tale. With its witty narrative, vibrant illustrations, and lovable characters, this book will capture the attention of young readers and offer them a lighthearted story about identity, self-acceptance, and finding one’s true place in the world.

[Zoe Bechdel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book a lot. Percival penguin declared himself king until his fellow penguins stopped listening to him. After going on a journey he realizes how it's more important to have all penguins act as equals instead of ruling over them all. This story showed readers the importance of friendship and treating everyone around you with kindness.

[Jessie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love all the nominative determinism jokes and the contrast of the rules of the kingdom at the beginning vs the rules of the colony at the end. (And also the glimpse of how hard it is to fill a sudden power vacuum.).

Kids very much enjoyed the "tried to eat him" refrain.

(Thank you to small people W6yo and M4yo for introducing me to this.)

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

A king penguin deems himself the literal king of all penguinkind-- but he has some things to learn about what being a leader means. A super cute and humorous book that will appeal to fans of Jory John.

[Janice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Percival believes he deserves to rule because he’s a king penguin. When his subjects toss him out, he tries to find more subjects to rule, but most everyone else tries to eat him. When he meets an emperor penguin, he realizes that democracy is what’s needed.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's so refreshing to find a highly humorous new picture book.
Percival "the King' Penguin enjoys his pampered life. When the other penguins decide that Percival has to go, he sets out on a journey to find a new kingdom to rule--with hilarious results!
Both written and illustrated by Vanessa Roeder, this book is a must-have for any library collection.
I borrowed the one I read but I will be ordering a copy for my own collection.

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute book that can introduce the writing technique of alliteration, has a variety of great new vocabulary words for young students, and has a good message about working together rather than trying to be the big shot. Recommended preschool through grade 2.

[Brooklyn Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story. It was a funny story about a penguin who dreamed of becoming king, although he didn't have the traits to do so. The book teaches themes of kindness, self-acceptance and the idea that leadership comes in many ways, shapes and forms.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

The charm is in the hilarity and wit that Vanessa Roeder delivers. Some of the humor might go over younger kids' heads, but my 39-year-old self was laughing out loud at the subtle zingers. Macaroni Penguin for the win!

[Loukeya Hensley · Rating 5 out of 5]

The King Penguin is a funny and heartwarming story about being yourself. The penguin thinks he’s a king, but he learns that being a good friend is more important than being in charge. Kids will enjoy the silly moments and the sweet message about kindness.

[Dedra Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The King Penguin is a delight. It will teach your kids (and maybe a few adults) that working together is always the better way. No one likes a bossy penguin! The words and illustrations are a delight for both the reader and the listener.

[Lisa D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Love penguins & this book!