Archie the Daredevil Penguin

June 22, 2015
Archie the penguin may have “climbed Mount Nosebleed all the way to the top” and fearlessly “tiptoed through the Leopard Seal Bunks,” but heading over to nearby Iceberg Nine for a fish fry is giving him pause. “I mustn’t let those penguins know that I am afraid of the water and the strange creatures who lurk in the briny deep,” thinks Archie as he puts the final touches on his Elasto-Launch catapult. “I think Archie might be afraid of the water and the strange creatures who lurk in the briny deep,” whispers one penguin, who has perhaps seen one too many of Archie’s invented flying machines fail. Similarly deadpan moments pop up throughout, and Rash (Sea Monster and the Bossy Fish) illustrates the slapstick action in bold cartoons whose bright colors, clean shapes, and slightly weathered-looking backgrounds feel simultaneously contemporary and retro. Panel sequences keep the story moving briskly—during an especially nifty one, Rash uses arrow-shaped panels to trace Archie’s underwater barrel rolls as he conquers his fear of swimming—and the joke-heavy dialogue should make this a read-aloud winner. Ages 4–8.

June 15, 2015
Archie's fearless and daring adventures have earned him the congratulations and admiration of the other penguins. He has climbed to the summit of Mount Nosebleed and tobogganed through Craggy Pass. Now he is intent on inventing a method for flying. He tries a giant slingshot, wings made from borrowed feathers, and a portable rocket, but all are spectacular failures. His escapades serve to hide his secret: he cannot swim and is terrified of the water and the creatures that live in the ocean, and he is even more fearful that the other penguins will find out and think less of him. It all climaxes when he is hurled into the ocean and swallowed by an orca. He uses his ingenuity to escape, and the other sea creatures help him to swim to safety. All ends happily as he becomes more than adept at swimming and discovers he really loves it. The tale is told in a modified comic-book format with dialogue bubbles and delightful use of onomatopoeia-"boing," "oof," "whump"-to add to the fun. Rash's brilliantly hued full- and half-page panels keep the action moving and highlight Archie's antics and the various reactions of his friends. Throughout it all Archie is earnest and good-natured, and his penguin buddies are completely encouraging and supportive as he overcomes his fears. Silly and charming. (Picture book. 4-8)

COPYRIGHT(2015) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

February 1, 2016

PreS-Gr 2-Archie is a daredevil. Every other penguin in the colony knows about his exciting inventions and his feats of strength and bravery. What many of those penguins don't realize is that while Archie may be a daredevil, he has one very large fear: he'll do anything to avoid the water and the strange creatures who lurk in the briny deep. When Archie is dunked into the ocean and then swallowed by a whale, he finds that swimming can actually be fun. And those "strange" creatures give him supportive advice instead of eating him up. Rash tells this tale through comic book panels and dialogue. This choice suits Archie's story perfectly. While the penguins in the colony look up to Archie, it isn't until he faces his fear that he really becomes part of the community. And all of the marine life support him-there's lots of cheering from everyone (including the hilarious mayor) for each invention. This book has saturated, vivid color in the panels. There is lots of action, energy, and sound effects to make this a fun and engrossing read-aloud. VERDICT A sure-to-be popular choice with a great deal of humor in it.-Susan E. Murray, formerly at Glendale Public Library, AZ

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2015
Grades K-2 There's a reason Archie the penguin has a reputation around the 'bergs for being a daredevil. He has climbed to the top of Mount Nosebleed, tobogganed down the icy slope of Craggy Pass, and tiptoed through a herd of sleeping leopard seals. And now he is determined to flybe it by slingshot, rocket, or Flap-O-Matic wingsto the fish fry on Iceberg Nine. Unfortunately, his flying inventions aren't having much success. While his fellow penguins can't figure out why he won't just swim over, the reader knows that Archie is afraid of the water and the strange creatures that lurk in the briny deep. After a flying mishap lands him in the ocean, Archie comes face-to-face with his fears with humorous and uplifting results. Rash's illustrations have a classic comic-book vibe, using saturated colors, speech bubbles, and panels. Kids will laugh at Archie's flying flops and cheer when he conquers his fear. Pair with Peter Brown's Flight of the Dodo (2010) for another silly tale of flightless birds.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)