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Summary
Summary
Come on an unexpected journey with a fearless blue penguin in Rob Biddulph's debut picture book, Blown Away. In this brilliantly captivating and gloriously illustrated story, a brave young penguin takes a kite flight to a tropical paradise. But in the end, he realizes that home is where his igloo is.
Author Notes
Rob Biddulph is a U.K children's author who won the overall and best illustrated book categories at the 2015 Waterstones Childrens Book Awards.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (5)
School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-When Penguin Blue's new kite catches a strong wind, he calls to friends Jeff and Flo for help, but soon all three are aloft. Wilbur the seal and, perplexingly, a polar bear named Clive attempt to reel in the penguins only to find themselves swept away with the others. Crash-landing in the jungle, they find that the novelty of a new environment momentarily distracts them from the uncomfortable heat, but it's not long before these polar animals are piling into Clive's inflatable raft, rigging up some leaves and vines as a sail, and, with a whoosh of air from an obliging elephant, sailing back to their icy home. Biddulph's digital illustrations use clean lines and generous white space to establish an icy setting in shades of blue that contrasts nicely with the greens and yellows of the busy jungle spreads. Plenty of fun background moments, including a whale school bus and a monkey stowaway, will keep young audiences engaged, and the droll, expressionless characters add an additional element of humor. A few continuity issues mar the otherwise excellent art-kite strings and washing lines end abruptly, and there is no indication of how Wilbur gets from the ice to the sky. The text struggles with a rhythm that often feels forced and rhymes, such as fear and idea, that don't quite work. Some readers may also wonder what a polar bear and penguins are doing in the same hemisphere. Overall, the appealing illustrations but weak text make this an additional purchase for larger libraries.-Chelsea Couillard-Smith, Sacramento Public Library, CA (c) Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Crisp, formal, and understated, newcomer Biddulph's images give evidence of his training as a graphic designer (as well as his sense of humor). He begins with a simple idea-a kite that carries its owner into the sky-and develops it with tongue-in-cheek charm. Penguin Blue, the kite-flier, is a fireplug of a creature whose Prussian blue head and back contrast handsomely with the glow of sunset yellow on his white chest. As it flies, the kite gathers ever more improbable cargo, hooking a seal named Wilbur, Wilbur's laundry, and a polar bear rowing an inflatable boat. They land on a jungle island, which Biddulph, as scrupulous about rhyme and meter as he is about layout, describes as "lush and green/ (a color that they've never seen)./ `The trees look soft. We'll be all right./ Hello, jungle! Good-bye, kite!' " Their idea for getting off the island is as inventive as the mishap that got them there. With the book's gentle ending and the kind of narrative voice that gives readers the sense that everything's well in hand, children will demand repeat reads. Ages 4-8. Agent: Jodie Hodges, United Agents. (Jan.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Horn Book Review
When a red kite arrives in his mailbox one windy Antarctic day, Penguin Blue tries to fly it; it flies him instead. He asks for help, but all the animals who try to bring him back to earth end up airborne as well, and eventually Penguin Blue, three penguin pals, a seal and his clothesline, and a polar bear in a rubber raft are blown over miles of ocean. They land on a tiny, green, lush island: an amusingly rendered vertical chunk of fantasy rainforest hosting such species as elephant, zebra, peacock, giraffe, tiger, baboon, and gorilla. Penguin Blue thinks it's lovely, but too hot. Plus, "Jeff misses Mom. Clive wants to go. / Oh, dear. They can't. They're trapped. Oh, no." How to get home? A little ingenuity and the help of new friends whooossh the accidental travelers back to "solid ice." Sharp-eyed viewers will note a stowaway amongst the group, and a last, wordless spread promises further adventures for that little monkey. The jaunty rhyming text propels the goofy, lighthearted story forward. Digital illustrations (saturated colors on a background that mimics canvas) present the situation and characters with deadpan humor and contain details that will please both child listeners and adult readers: a crocodile manning an ice-cream truck; an ocean buoy that says, "You are leaving the Antarctic. Please swim carefully." martha v. parravano (c) Copyright 2015. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
A rhyming picture book about the perils and joys of travel. When Penguin Blue, in the Antarctic, test-flies his new kite on a windy day, it carries him into the air. Penguin-friends Jeff and Flo try to pull him down, but they too are blown along. Seal Wilburhanging clothes on his clotheslineand polar bear Clive, fishing (very far from home), also try to help, but soon all are careening through the sky, pulled along by the kite. When they see a tropical island, they let go. The island is filled with friendly jungle animals, including a gorilla, but the travelers are homesick (and hot). Using ingenuity, they get themselves home (with a monkey stowaway), and all is back to normal. Or is it? While the monkey stowaway finds the Antarctic too cold and flies back to the jungle island with another kitereinforcing home's emotional connectionthe last page shows the gorilla holding Clive's fishing pole and dressed in clothes from Wilbur's clothesline. Home is comfortable, but contact with other cultures has its advantages too. This tightly crafted tale shines with the hallmarks of accomplished picture-book making. From the clever (never cutesy) rhyming text through the visual jokes within the whimsical illustrations that amplify the storyline to the expert design of the endpaperseverything works, and it works together. A master-class of picture-book writing and illustrating. (Picture book. 3-7) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
In this whimsical picture book, Penguin Blue launches his kite for the first time and is literally swept away: The kite so high. The wind so strong. / It's pulling Penguin Blue along. A couple penguin buddies try to anchor him, but they also get caught up, as do Wilbur the walrus and Clive the polar bear. They all get blown across the sea to a tropical island, which, while lovely, is much too warm. They rig up a palm frond parachute and obliging elephants blow them homeward. Soon they are back safe and sound, along with a surprise stowaway. Biddulph's stylized illustrations on appealingly patterned backgrounds are delightful, and their cartoonish appearance enhances the unexpected twists and turns of this romp. The story unfolds through short, snappy four-line rhymes that complement the quirky drawings. Enthusiasts of Helen Lester and Lynn Munsinger's Tacky the Penguin series and those who enjoy the wry humor of Mo Willems will be enthralled by this author's inaugural offering.--McBroom, Kathleen Copyright 2015 Booklist