Whiteblack the Penguin Sees the World

by Margret Rey and H.A. Rey

Book Overview

Whiteblack the Penguin is worried. He has run out of stories for his radio show, a dire situation for the Chief Storyteller of Penguinland. So Whiteblack decides to travel in search of new tales to... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0618073906
• ISBN13: 9780618073900
• Release Date: January 2004
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.1" x 8.6" x 10.2"
• Age Range: 4 to 7 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 2

Customer Reviews

A lost classic, found!!

Whiteblack the penguin hosts a radio program for everyone in Penguinland. He's the resident storyteller and is well liked and admired because of his marvelous stories. However, eventually he runs out of stories to tell!! Thinking that an adventure would give him new ideas, he and his friends construct a boat, give him some rope, and send him on his way to adventure. What adventures he has! His boat is struck by an iceberg, he hitches a ride on a Navy warship, manages to get shot from one of it's cannons, helps baby ostriches to hatch and even crosses the desert on a roller skate! Whiteblack is delightfully cheery at every turn, changing what otherwise might be a total disaster into yet another tale for his radio show. "Besides," he says as his boat sinks down out of sight, "I've always wanted to be in an accident!" Talk about the power of positive thinking!! The Rey's are, of course, most famous for their creation of the Curious George books. This work was originally written in 1937 when Mr. Hans Rey was working at a Paris World Fair booth across from a penguin exhibit. Somehow, though, it never made publication and was merely mothballed in a trunk before the Rey's left Paris. Discovered 63 years later and published in the year 2000, Whiteblack is immediately identifiable as a work of the Rey's. The yellows of the book are the exact same as those we're used to in the Curious George series. The same thick outlines and comfortable, fun illustrations are here as well, including what looks very much like a cameo appearance by the Man in the Yellow Hat!! The book concludes with a brief history of the Rey's and the fortuitous discovery of the long-forgotten Whiteblack manuscript. The book is wonderful fun in both it's text and illustrations. The crazy adventures Whiteblack gets himself into and his cheerful outlook on life ("besides, I've always wanted to fly" he says to himself after being shot out of the Navy cannon) will delight children of all ages. Whether you're a fan of Curious George or merely love fun children's stories, "Whiteblack the Penguin..." is an excellent story and a definite to add to your collection!!

A Treasure

Whiteblack the Penguin, Chief Storyteller on W-O-N-S, the Penguinland radio station has run out of stories. So he decides to take a vacation and see some of the world, because "travelers always have lots of stories." Off he goes in a little boat, on the adventure of a lifetime. And what adventures he has. First his boat sinks after hitting an iceberg. Then, after being rescued by a large cruiser, he decides to take a nap in one of their cannons and is accidently shot out the next morning. After soaring through the air for miles, he lands in the water and swims to shore where he meets ostriches, crosses the desert on a camel, rides in an airplane and unfortunately, falls out over the ocean. Each time he faces adversity and the unknown, he happily looks at the new situation as a learning experience and wonderful tale to share. At last he is rescued by a fishing boat and finally makes his way back home to a hero's welcome with lots of new stories for his radio show..... Who would have thought that after their deaths, an unpublished, completed manuscript, by Margret and H.A. Rey, would be found? This delightful story about a brave and always optimistic little penguin, will charm and amuse young children, just as their Curious George books have done all these many years. Mr Rey's wonderful and expressive watercolor illustrations, compliment his wife's text perfectly and together, they've created a treasure that's sure to become a classic. Whiteblack the Penguin is a timeless, enchanting story that your kids will want to read over and over again and a MUST for all home libraries.

A Treat

The publishers of this book must have been justly excited when they discovered this completed manuscript by the master picture book author in a drawer somewhere, never before published. Here at last we can gaze at this delightful tale. It's all here: Rey's special mastery of facial expressions, his knack for appealing character, his optimism and whimsy, his bright and gorgeous watercolor strokes, and his imaginative storytelling. The sweeping adventure tale tells of a penguin's voyages from the freezing pole all the way to the African desert and back, along the way riding boats, camels, and perilous ocean waves. This book stands up as well as any of his other fine books, be they "Curious George" or "Pretzel" (about a long dachsund) or his pictures for "Katy No-Pocket" (about a kangaroo.) (Like many picture books from earlier in the century, this one is told with a decent amount of text, and is thus suited for children whose attention span lasts longer than the average quick-cut videotape. Therefore, it may be better to share this one-on-one than to read it to large groups of preschoolers.) All in all, a joy, with dazzling reproductions of Rey's simple and excellent artwork.

worth the money

This book is a delight to read no matter what age you are. The story is fun and imaginative and the illustrations are great! I was also happy to find that the cloth bound book has a very cute metalic embossed penguin hiding under the jacket. So even after the jacket wears out the book will be uniquely identifiable.

All in a day's work! Whiteblack the eternal optimist!

Whiteblack is a wonderful story tinkering on the verge of suspense thriller. Learn how one little penguin gets himself into one "pickle" after another, only to turn the most dismal of situations into an uplifting, optimistic learning experience. What will happen next! Somehow Whiteblack teaches us how to see the brighter side of life as he crashes, explodes, kicks, skates, flys and swims into one adventure after another, meeting new friends and exchanging the gift of friendship along the way. Everything about this book is simply marvelous!