Who doesn’t find penguins cute? (If your answer is “I don’t”, what’s wrong with you???) I remember this little Russian stop-motion cartoon series named “Pingu”, which I watched dedicatedly every weekend in my younger years. Many years later came the 3D animated movie ‘Madagascar” and Skipper and his team became firm favourites. Long story short: I love penguins.

The above is why I requested the book from NetGalley. The above is also why I had high expectations from this book. (Quite unfair to the book, I agree.) And finally, the above is why I felt a little let down when my expectations weren’t met entirely.

Let’s start at the beginning… The story.

When the Stewarts (Dad, Mom, nine year old Imogen and 6 year old Arthur) visit the London zoo on a cold December afternoon, the last thing they expect is for a penguin to follow them home and make himself their guest. He is carrying a rucksack labelled “Einstein”, and the sack is full of kippers. The fellow sure came prepared! Now comes the big question. Why has Einstein come to the Stewarts? Can he stay with them like a pet? Soon, a mystery begins to unravel and Imogen and Arthur discover that Einstein is as smart as his name and has come to them on a mission.

The story has a nice mix of genres and themes. It has a warm and cuddly family tale, it has a dark and dangerous mystery, it has a smart animal who seems to know more than humans, it has some troubling moments at school, it has some adventurous thrills, it has two adorable children and crazy parents,… Basically, it offers quite a lot within its 200-odd pages. The family-centric and school-related parts were my favourite. There are so many relatable familial situations that made me burst out laughing. There is a lot of humour in the writing, some of which is outright silly but still hilarious.

On the other hand, the book started off well for me but soon became quite far-fetched. Kids will enjoy the antics of the siblings and the clever penguin as long as they don’t ask “how”. This is because there are quite a few things left unexplained and are absolutely unrealistic. (Yeah, okay… Children’s book… I gotta dial down my logical side.) There are also some things that didn’t quite work out the way I wanted. (Expectations issue again… Sigh!)

The story carries a lot of Paddington vibes, mainly because this tale is also set in London and that wild-animal-with-a-family trope seems similar and familiar. But other than this common factor, the two stories are quite different. Of course, I would have loved it to be more like Paddington. Who wouldn’t want a talking penguin?
There are plenty of black-and-white illustrations in the book that accentuate the tale nicely with their simplicity and funniness.

The blurb says that this is “perfect for all readers from 7 to 70”. I would disagree a bit. For the correct age group (7-10 year olds based on the language and the illustrations), this will surely be a nice Christmas book. Some old preteens might enjoy it too. But for grown-up children of my age, there are better kiddie books out there to savour. Let’s leave this one only for actual children.

3.5 stars from me, rounding up to 4 because… penguins!

My thanks to Harper Collins Children’s Books UK and NetGalley for the ARC of “Einstein the Penguin”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

With strong Paddington vibes, the book's enigmatic titular penguin turns up at the home of a London family, kicking off a relatively relaxed plot and some low-key journeys of self-discovery. It's a very pleasant book, with minimal levels of tension and drama and undemanding in the emotional stakes. The characters are great to spend time with, particularly as they accommodate their new guest with impressive nonchalance.

It's good fun and carries some of that Paddington-esque charm.

I’m not sure who loved this more, me or my niece. It’s an absolutely adorable and engaging story, it has lovely illustrations to accompany the story, Arthur our main character (other than Einstein obviously) is 6 and I loved reading through the eyes of such innocence again, the joy, the energy (my niece is almost 6 so it was wonderful to share a little of her world) This is a magical adventure , one I recommend to children young and old

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

To be honest, I’m not sure why I requested to read this book but I’m so glad I did. It was clearly fate!

When the Stewart family visit London Zoo, they get chatting to a little penguin. That evening, there’s a knock on their door and the very same penguin is there with a rucksack full of fish bearing the name ‘Einstein’. Cue some hilarious mishaps, unconventional yet beautiful friendships and an intricate sleuthing operation. Why did Einstein show up at their door and who is the strange man in the white coat?

There are some really cute illustrations from the talented David Tazzyman throughout the book. He has a very unique, line heavy, almost childlike style and it suited the nature of the strange story very well. I loved seeing what Einstein would get up to next.

Einstein’s arrival at the Stewarts’ house strongly reminded me of Judith Kerr’s The Tiger Who Came To Tea. He apparently loves lasagne and simply gobbles everything up in a huge mess. The bizarre nature of having an animal in a normal family dinner situation is a really amusing, charming notion that still tickles me as an adult. I can only imagine how much young readers will enjoy the idea of a penguin in their house.

The story itself is a whimsical, action-packed adventure and Rangeley captures the mindset of both children perfectly. Arthur is only six and it has been a while since I read the perspective of a character that young. It was a really lovely experience and Arthur felt very true to me. He believes that he will think and feel very differently about things when he’s grown up and I can clearly remember being the exact same way as a kid.

Einstein the Penguin is a quick, uplifting, joyous read that is perfect for the winter season. You’ll be sure to fall even more in love with penguins than you already are and you might even shed a tear or two at the end!

What a totally warm and cuddly book, despite the winter weather, especially the snow. Einstein is a remarkable penguin who does not speak (of course) but managed to get to England from Australia and is on a mission to find his best friend. This is full of Christmas spirit and yet manages to give us snippets of information about a variety of penguins, as well as about various UK zoos.

A simply brilliant book full of fun and adventure. This is a must read book and perfect for the Christmas season. An ideal read aloud for year 2/3. The adventures of Einstein and the Stewart family are bound to have you laughing out loud.