cover image Could a Penguin Ride a Bike?

Could a Penguin Ride a Bike?

Camilla de la Bédoyère, illus. by Aleksei Bitskoff. QEB (Quarto, dist.), $15.95 (24p) ISBN 978-1-60992-734-9

In a series of “what if” questions, British author de la Bédoyère imagines what might happen if a king penguin visited a typical suburban neighborhood, using the comical resulting scenarios to share information about penguins’ habits, diet, and more. “What if a penguin went bowling?” Well, although a penguin “doesn’t have fingers or hands,” the author explains, its love of “tobogganing” across the ice on its belly might let it score a strike, as Bitskoff’s accompanying cartoon demonstrates. Other humorous but informative moments include a picnic outing: “At lunchtime, he would throw up stinky fish from his tummy and share them with everyone. Yum!” Simultaneously available: Could an Octopus Climb a Skyscraper? Ages 4–up. (Apr.)