Donning her penguin costume, Harriet heads to the store. Her dads go to the deli and Harriet waddles off in search of party hats. On her way to the party aisle, she sees a group of penguins getting bags of ice in the frozen section!
Curious Harriet follows the penguin pack to a group of hot air balloons waiting outside. The penguins quickly accept her as one of their own and begin to head back to the arctic. Will Harriet be able to find her way back home? Will she miss her own birthday party?
I absolutely love this book! Harriet is a delightful character full of spunk and heart. I love that Harriet expresses herself through costumes. She doesn't appear to care what others think of her. Harriet is unique and she owns it!
I also love that Sima embraces different family units. Harriet has two dads, unlike your typical children's picture book. I am reminded of a similar family dynamic in the picture book Honey and Leon. Children definitely need to be exposed to the ever expanding family types and Sima conveys this beautifully through her illustrations and text.
Sima's illustrations are simply stunning. The cool color palate gives off a chilly vibe, perfect for reading about penguins. Children will fall in love with Harriet and her tuxedo clad friends.
I greatly admire Sima's attention to detail along with hints of foreshadowing in her illustrations. I love that Harriet's dog enjoys playing dress-up too. If you look closely, you will see that Harriet has a poster of Kelp, the unicorn turned narwhal from Sima's first picture book, Not Quite Narwhal. See what other things you and your child can find as you read together!
I had the great honor of meeting Jessie Sima at the book release event for this book at The Novel Neighbor in Webster Groves, Missouri. Sima is extremely down to earth and one of the friendliest people on the planet. I cannot wait to see what she works on next.
This is a fantastic read for children ages 4-8.
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