Tacky in Trouble ANNOTATION
Tacky the exuberant penguin accidentally goes sailboarding and winds up on a tropical island, where he meets an elephant who demands proof of Tacky's identity.
FROM THE PUBLISHER
Tacky the penguin goes windsurfing and ends up on a tropical island, captive to an elephant who, upon seeing Tacky's floral Hawaiian shirt, mistakes him for a bouquet of flowers. The elephant thinks that Tacky would make a pretty centerpiece, so she arranges him in a vase and sets him on her table. Tacky is going to have to use all of his best penguin moves to get himself out of this hilarious jungle mix-up. Tacky's fans are sure to delight in the show. Only the team of Helen Lester and Lynn Munsinger could pull off a tale of such far-fetched adventure. They are masters at the art of creating silly stories and beloved characters that make children laugh out loud. This latest tale about Tacky will be a hard one to keep on the shelves.
FROM THE CRITICS
Fans of previous adventures of the spunky little penguin will welcome this latest, which is probably Tacky's goofiest escapade yet. While his boring fellow penguins nap comfortably atop their iceberg, Tacky takes off on a solitary ice-surfing expedition, landing on a tropical isle. An elephant mistakes his billowing flowered shirt for a bouquet and takes Tacky home to dress up her dreary kitchen table. Convincing the deluded elephant that he's a penguin not a posy takes some doing, but Tacky finally manages it with his usual relish, leaving behind with his hostess a colorful reminder of his unexpected visit. The illustrations will sell the story.
Children's Literature - Wendy Keen
Oh, that Tacky is at it again! This time, Tacky has decided he wants to go surfing instead of taking a nap like the other penguins. Off he sets, with a small piece of ice floe as his surfboard. Or rather, off sets the ice floe with Tacky since his shirt makes a fine sail indeed! He ends up on a tropical island with strange looking penguins and warm, hairy rocks? Only Tacky could end up in this much trouble. Readers will enjoy watching Tacky extricate himself from his latest predicament. Munsinger's illustrations, as always, are hilarious.
School Library Journal
K-Gr 2Tacky the Penguin (Houghton, 1988) stars in another adventure. While he is surfing, Tacky's brightly flowered shirt catches a gust of wind, and, after many days, he finds himself on a tropical island. There, he encounters a large gray rock that turns out to be an elephant. The elephant mistakes Tacky for a bouquet of blossoms just right for his table. To escape, Tacky must prove that he really is a bird by doing "something penguinish." He marches, dives, slides, and hops across the food-filled table with a bit too much vigor and ruins the elephant's tablecloth. The penguin's luck holds, however, and the elephant loves his colorful new tablecloth. With snacks and three kisses, Tacky returns home where he is welcomed as "an odd bird, a nice bird to have around." The story will appeal to children who know that making a mess can cause trouble. The soft, watercolor illustrations and simple story line make this a good choice for reading aloud.Marty Abbott Goodman, L.J. Bell Elementary School, Rockingham, NC
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