This is an adorable spin on the old fairytale of the front prince. I love penguins and the illustrations are wonderful. This is a great book for children, one that I can’t wait to share with my granddaughter.

Well I didn't see it coming, but the surprise here didn't really leave me with any emotions, either. We're witness to a penguin gossiping about the Secret of the Penguins, and find out what that is, the end. Other reviewers have told us what it is, too, which doesn't help, but either way this is an anecdotal kind of story that ought to belong as a 'what if' among several such in a compilation, rather than on its own like this. The artwork doesn't look too bad, but with the best will in the world struggles to get anything here worth over three and a half stars.

When I saw the cover of this book I just had to get it. I had read the blurb but I had also forgotten it by the time I came to read it and so I actually didn't expect that. But it's a cute little story inspired by The Princess and the Frog, but about penguins because they're so smartly dressed and family-oriented caring animals. I loved the start and Philippe the penguin but there were a couple of inconsistencies and oddities to the story. Overall a cute read for little ones though. And the illustration was absolutely gorgeous!

The Secret Of The Penguins by Judith M. Ackerman is a super cute twist on a popular fairy tale with some amazing illustrations. This was a bit of a roller coaster but I loved it and would highly recommend to any fan of penguins or fairy tales.

The Secret Of The Penguins by Judith M. Ackerman is a super cute twist on a popular fairy tale with some amazing illustrations. This was a bit of a roller coaster but I loved it and would highly recommend to any fan of penguins or fairy tales.

A cute picture book in which some of your favorite fairytales are told from the point of view of a Penguin named Phillip.

This book is not at all what I expected. It started out as a nature story about emperor penguins in Antarctica but then in a weird twist turned into a strange remake of a fairy tale. I wouldn't recommend it for my children.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy

I enjoyed this classic spin on fairytales that retells famous fairytales such as princess and the frog. I think this book will be a big hit with young children and if I had a child of my own I would buy them this book. A charming collection of stories!

The moral of the story is a BIG surprise and a lesson to most!
The illustrations by Yvetta Douarin are absolutely delightful and FUN!
Well suited for reading WITH someone any age including ESL, and great for gifting to everyone, but especially to a school or your local public library!
I requested and received a temporary e-Galley on PDF from BooksGoSocial via NetGalley.
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Thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book. These opinions are completely my own.

I'm not sure how I feel about this story. On one have it was amusing and oddly adorable. On the other hand it really was a weird roller coaster, that I'm not sure worked together. Everything is pretty random in this story.

I definitely understood the point of this story, but I don't think it was executed all that well. Some of the language seemed off to me. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for this advanced copy in exchange for review.

An adorable, fun and creative twist on some childhood fairy tale favorites. . You remember the girl who kisses the frog prince, Cinderella and even Sleeping Beauty. Now here it is in a new and hilarious way. Phillipe knows the truth but knows that breaking that ancient code of the penguins will come at a price. Yet he still sets out on an adventure to share what he knows. This story was full of fun and adventure that kept us laughing and guessing at the secret all the way to the very end. I love how it engages children to look for the unexpected and the magic in every adventure. The colorful and bright illustrations add to the fun of this story. Your little ones are in for a magical adventure full of twists and so much fun. Enjoy the adventure together.

This book was pretty weird. I did not like it at all. It could have been cute and the art was nice, but I did not like the prince twist. Too odd.

This is a super cute book, poking fun at the classic fairly tail of princess and the frog. The illustrations were very pretty and I loved Phillips’ spirit. I also enjoyed seeing a variety of penguin types in the book. They are such a cute animal and I know children, especially penguin lovers, will enjoy this book.

Lovely story, great illustrations. My son is younger than the suggested age range but would happily sit and listen to this while looking at the pictures; older children would appreciate the twist more :)

The Secret of the Penguins: Fairytales Are Not Just for Frogs by Judith M. Ackerman is a delightful and engaging children’s book that blends whimsy and wisdom into a heartwarming narrative. Ackerman has crafted a unique story that both entertains and educates young readers, offering a charming twist on traditional fairy tales.

The plot revolves around a young scientist girl, who embarks on a journey where she encounters penguins with secrets and life lessons to share. What stands out in this book is the refreshing premise that fairy tales aren't just for frogs or typical characters, but can be enjoyed by a variety of creatures—penguins included. Basically, it a retelling of a retelling.

Author's use of colorful, imaginative illustrations adds an extra layer of charm to the story, enhancing the magical atmosphere. The book is sprinkled with playful humor, making it an enjoyable read-aloud for parents and children alike. The characters of Philippe and young girl given time to develop in this short read and girl's journey encourages curiosity and the importance of stepping outside one’s comfort zone.

While the book is undeniably enjoyable, some readers may find the pacing a little slow in places, particularly for children who are accustomed to faster-paced illustrated stories. The lessons and themes are valuable, but the storyline occasionally veers into predictability, making it less surprising for older readers. However, the story is still full of heart and younger audiences will likely be captivated by the magical retelling that Ackerman has built.

Overall, The Secret of the Penguins is a wonderful read for me that captured the imaginations of young readers and foster important conversations about courage, self-reliance and the power of storytelling. It’s an excellent choice for families seeking a wholesome, imaginative tale with a touch of magic and meaning for their younger ones, specially a girl child.

Thank you to NetGalley for this e-copy of The Secret of the Penguins : Fairytales are not just for Frogsby Judith M Ackerman in exchange for a honest review.This is a cute, whimsical retelling of the old fairy tale when the princess kisses the frog and he turns into a prince except this time the frog is a penguin named Philippe who is different then the other penguins but watch and see what happens when he is captured by a group of scientists..Cute story with beautiful illustrations.

The Secrets of the Penguins had a very cute story accompanied by fantastic art (though it did look a little off in places). A very clever twist on the Princess and the Frog, this book is perfect for any children who love fairy tales and/or penguins!

A complete knock off of The Princess and The Frog story’s but with a slight twist at the end and I just found it stupid.
It tried to be funny, but it wasn’t and I found myself rolling my eyes as I read it.
Not a story I’ll be sharing with my daughter - stick with the original story.

I think my son will love this book, it’s very adorable! The art is very pretty, and I like that in the beginning it shares some information about how penguins are so clean and proud. I think that was supposed to hint at them being prince-like? I thought Philippe was going to be different than the other penguins, but he was just chatty!

It felt just a little disorganized. I felt like I kept getting led to conclusions that didn’t follow through. When Philippe was said to be “different” I thought it was a story about it being ok to be yourself even if you’re different. When the author specified that Philippe was spilling Walley and Louie’s secret, I thought perhaps we were getting a cute story about a couple of gay penguins and how it’s k to be yourself. Even though it was later specified as the “secret of the penguins” being the secret, I thought it would be about acceptance in one form or another.

It felt like the explorers were marked as “evil kidnappers” and the scientists were “good guys” who treated the penguins kindly. I had to giggle at the fact that the scientists are essentially Stockholm syndrome-ing the penguins. I know no child is going to read into it like that, I’m just sharing because it made me giggle!

I love love love that the kiss that turned Philippe into a prince was a forehead kiss!!!! So sweet, so wholesome! We don’t need romance to be kisses on the lips and love can be as sweet as a forehead kiss and showing compassion when another being is sad. This is a fantastic message <3

This fairy tale is strange and different and interesting and I love it! From now on, I’ll make sure to only kiss penguins!

I was a little sad while reading the author’s note, because the book is very “girl” centric, and I’m looking for more books that are inclusive. Don’t get me wrong - the scientist being a girl is freaking awesome, and Philippe being a boy is not a -problem-
I enjoyed that the author’s note gave some more information about penguins, but I think there rather than “young girls” she could have said “young children” and included princes in the mix too!
(I did not take a star away for that, to be clear.)