Introduction
Tacky the Penguin. This is a story regarding a penguin nicknamed Tacky who is not at all anxious to be himself. His friends go regarding their daily habits in a systematic and thorough practice, but Tacky likes to do conditions in his own way, like marching shallow, advancing splashy cannonballs, and harmonizing to his tune. One time, some shooters show upset to hunt some penguins, but Tacky understands just how to obtain rid of them. This is a numerous story about being yourself, even if no one more is with you. The pictures are bright and simple, yet just sufficient detail.
Tacky the Penguin by Helen Lester
There once lived a penguin. His home was a nice icy land he shared with his companions
His companions were named Goodly, Lovely, Angel, Neatly, and Perfect. His name was Tacky. Tacky was an odd bird.
Every day Goodly, Lovely, Angel, Neatly, and Perfect greeted each other quitely and politely.
Tacky greeted them with a hearty slap and a loud, “What’s happening?”
Goodly, Lovely, Neatly, Angel, and Perfect always marched, “One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four.”
Tacky always marched, “One, two, three… four. Two. Three. Six. Zero. Two and a half. Zero.”
His companions were graceful divers.
Tacky liked to do splashy cannonballs.
Goodly, Lovely, Angel, Neatly and Perfect always sang pretty songs like, “Sunrise on the Iceberg.”
Tacky always sang songs like, “How many toes does a fish have?” Tacky was an odd bird!
One day the penguins heard the thump, thump, thump of feet in the distance. This could only mean one thing. Hunters had come.
They came with maps, and traps, and rocks, and locks, and they were rough and tough. As the thump, thump, thump drew closer, the penguins could hear the growling voices chanting, “We’re gonna catch some pretty penguins, and we’ll march them with a switch, and we’ll sell them for a dollar, and get rich, rich, rich.”
Goodly, Lovely, Angel, Neatly, and Perfect ran away in fright.
They hid behind a block of ice.
Tacky stood alone. The hunters marched right up to him, chanting, “We’re gonna catch some pretty penguins, and we’ll march them with a switch, and we’ll sell them for a dollar, and get rich, rich, rich.”
“What’s happening?” blaired Tacky giving one hunter an especially hearty slap on the back. They growled, “We’re hunting for penguins. That’s what’s happening.”
“Penguins? Do you mean those birds that march neatly in a row?” and he marched one, two, three, four, two, three, six, zero, two and a half, zero.
The hunters looked puzzled.
“Do you mean those birds that dive so gracefully?” Tacky asked.
“Do you mean those birds that sing such pretty songs?” Tacky began to sing and from behind the block of ice came the voices of his companions, all singing as loudly and dreadfully as they could.
“How many toes does a fish have? And how many wings on a cow? I wonder, yup I wonder.”
The hunters could not stand the horrible singing. This could not be the land of the pretty penguins. They ran away with their hands clasped tightly over their ears, leaving behind their maps, and traps, and rocks, and locks, and not looking at all rough and tough.
Goodly, Lovely, Angel, Neatly, and Perfect hugged Tacky. Tacky was an odd bird but a very nice bird to have around.
“Tacky the Penguin” Book Read Aloud Youtube Video
Conversations
So what conversation will you have with your child after reading this book?
Some questions you might like to ask are:
How is penguin home?
His home was a nice icy land he shared with his companions.
What are the names of his companions?
His companions were named Goodly, Lovely, Angel, Neatly, and Perfect.
How tacky Marched?
Tacky always marched, “One, two, three… four. Two. Three. Six. Zero. Two and a half. Zero.”
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