May 3, 2013 6:30 am
It’s finally May—the flowers are pushing through the dirt, the sun is ablaze with warm promises…and, well, it’s time to take a break!
I thought I’d consult with someone who knows vacationing very well. No, not my Aunt Myrna, the Long Island travel agent queen. Salina Yoon’s Penguin!
He’s a cute, chubby fellow with an itch for adventure. Let’s scratch it, shall we?
Penguin, thanks so much for joining me today. Tell me, what’s been happening at home that you decided a vacation was in order?
Hi Ms. Tara! I was just bored of the snow and ice. I can only count to 99, and after I counted my 99th snowball, I didn’t know what else to do.
You could make 33 miniature snowmen, but ya know, I like the vacation idea better.
What did Grandpa say when you packed your bag?
33 miniature snowmen…I never thought of that!
Grandpa always says to me that I should go and explore the world—and I will come back a wiser penguin. I think he is right. Grandpa is very wise, and he has traveled very far. In fact, he has been to the beach once long ago. He gave me his old swim suit for my trip. It fit perfectly.
I hope you sent him a postcard. He probably missed you very much.
I did better than that, Ms. Tara! I met a lovely seagull on the beach, and she had a camera. It went, “click! click! click!” and pretty pictures came out of a box. She took some photos of me and Crab, and Seagull delivered the photos to Grandpa because she can fly! It was very nice of Seagull. It turns out that we are distant relatives!
Speaking of Crab, you did some fun things together. What other places did you two visit on your vacation?
Crab took me caving, snorkeling, and even cliff diving on the island! I am a very good swimmer, so it was very fun. But the caves were nothing like the ice caves back at home. It was fun to see and try new things.
What advice do you have for kids heading away on vacation to someplace new and different?
My advice is to make new friends on vacation, because they will know how to have fun there even if you don’t! Also, I would say to be open to trying new things because you can do what you always do and eat the foods you always eat when you get back home. And take sunscreen…if you are going someplace sunny!
Where would you like to vacation next?
I would love to visit the Grand Canyon one day, even though I would have to pack a lot of ice with me to stay comfortable. I would also like to visit Mount Everest and see the world from the highest point on Earth! And then of course, Disneyland!
That sounds perfect. I can hear the television announcer booming, “Penguin, you just had your book published, what are you going to do next?!”
Thanks for waddling by today, Penguin. And thanks for leaving behind your adorable book signed by Salina, plus a beach ball to boot! Or throw. Or float in the pool with. Whatever the winner prefers!
Thank you for inviting me to talk with you, Ms. Tara. And happy vacationing, friends!
Please leave a comment below telling Penguin about your favorite vacation spot.
A winner of the book and ball will be randomly selected in one week!
Good luck!
Posted by Tara Lazar
Categories: Picture Book Review, Picture Books
Tags: Bloomsbury, Contest, Giveaway, Penguin on Vacation, Salina Yoon
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Congrats Salina (and Penguin)! Our vacation spot is Hilton Head, SC. How do penguins feel about gators?
By Alexa on May 3, 2013 at 6:47 am
Hi Alexa,
I think Penguin would make good friends with gators… that is if the gator can keep himself from eating Penguin! My parents have been to SC. They say it’s beautiful. Thank you for reading!
Salina
By Salina on May 3, 2013 at 9:52 am
Congratulations! I only have one comment, such a cute story why didn’t I think it first? Best wishes.
By Terri on May 3, 2013 at 6:51 am
Ha ha,… I loved your comment, Terri! One of the biggest compliments I ever received for a novelty book (Kaleidoscope, in fact, that Tara helped me launch) is from David Carter, the famous paper-engineer. He said he’d like to break my fingers! 😉
By Salina on May 3, 2013 at 9:53 am
Looks adorable! Can’t wait to read it!
By Wendi Silvano on May 3, 2013 at 6:58 am
This looks like more fun than a barrel of penguins!!! Congratulations, Salina! I love to vacation in Redstone, Colorado!
By Penny Klostermann on May 3, 2013 at 7:07 am
Oh no, Penny! Now you’ve given Penguin the idea to go down Niagara Falls in a barrel!
By Salina on May 3, 2013 at 9:55 am
What a wonderful story and “interview”! My daughter would LOVE LOVE LOVE this. Congratulations on your book!
By Beth Gallagher on May 3, 2013 at 7:24 am
Very cute! 🙂 I was married on Maui (had to get the cheesy Just Mauied t-shirt) so that is probably my all-time favorite vacation spot. However, Anguila and Nantucket are a very close second and third. Oh! And Paris too!
By rnewman504 on May 3, 2013 at 7:37 am
Oh Robin you stole my spot – Anguilla!
(Maui and ‘tucket also favorites, and Maine)
By Cathy Ballou Mealey on May 3, 2013 at 7:50 am
Ah! Anguilla . . . 🙂
By rnewman504 on May 3, 2013 at 9:47 am
Ha ha.. Just Mauied!!! So funny— and romantic, too. If Penguin needs a romantic spot,… he’ll know just the place! (Penguin in Love releases in Dec,… just in time for Valentine’s Day, 2014!)
By Salina on May 3, 2013 at 10:00 am
Congrats Salina! We just returned from Jamaica, which was the perfect place for two little girls who may be part mermaid, but the genetic testing was inconclusive.
By laurimeyers on May 3, 2013 at 7:40 am
Love the concept and the illustrations. Penguins are my favorite. Good luck!
By Kathy Mazurowski on May 3, 2013 at 7:41 am
The new book looks adorable. The waterpark in Williamsburg, VA was a great vacation and I bet a properly cooled penguin would fit right in there.
By Wendy Greenley on May 3, 2013 at 7:47 am
Salina, do you know why you rarely see penguins in Britain?
They are afraid of Wales. (Ba dum bum.)
Hope Penguin continues to delight us with more adventures! Thank you Tara for this fun post!
By Cathy Ballou Mealey on May 3, 2013 at 7:49 am
You know I’ll be repeating this joke on visits now, don’t you? Ha ha– love it! Thanks, Cathy!
Salina
By Salina on May 3, 2013 at 10:03 am
Ha! I love that.
By Diana Murray on May 3, 2013 at 9:31 pm
So adorable! We are headed to Isle of Palms, South Carolina again this summer…so lovely! Beach vacations are the best!
By katiemillsgiorgio on May 3, 2013 at 7:56 am
I’d love to win Penguin on Vacation so I can write a review for my local paper, The Baytown Sun. Here in hot Gulf Coast, we need reminders of coolness to overcome100 degree temps.
By joanwatsonmartin on May 3, 2013 at 8:06 am
What? A review for your local paper? Please just email me with an address. I’ll send you a copy! Thank you for the offer, Joan!
Salina
By Salina on May 3, 2013 at 10:04 am
My favorite vacation spot is the farm that I grew up on which is near the tiny town of Victoria, Kansas. Penguin is welcome there anytime!
By Tammi Sauer on May 3, 2013 at 8:13 am
I’m so glad Penguin went to the beach because that’s my favorite vacation spot! I prefer the white sands of the Gulf Coast (Destin, FL or Orange Beach, AL)!
By Tanya Konerman on May 3, 2013 at 8:20 am
Penguin should come to Colorado for his next vacation: we had 80F on Monday, and over a foot of snow on Wednesday – this past week! Glad you are showcasing this adorable fella, Tara!
By julie rowan zoch on May 3, 2013 at 8:37 am
For something really different for you, Penguin, you should come to Glenwood Springs CO and soak in the world’s largest hot springs pool! Look for me down at the hottest end. I like to vacation in Seattle–because that’s where my grandbabies are.
By deborahholtwilliams on May 3, 2013 at 8:49 am
Wow… the world’s largest hot springs pool? That sounds amazing! Thanks for the idea!
And I like Seattle, too. My nephews (and sister) are there! And a good friend.
By Salina on May 3, 2013 at 10:06 am
My favorite spot is Newport Beach, CA. I always see some new creature there. Penguin is adorable!
By tinamcho on May 3, 2013 at 8:53 am
What a sweet interview! I think my littlest would love Penguin. He’s so adorable! 🙂
By diandramae on May 3, 2013 at 9:00 am
Salina–Penguin is the cutest! We live in AZ…glad to hear he will be visiting our neck of the woods soon 🙂
By Lori Alexander on May 3, 2013 at 10:18 am
Penguin is the cutest! I’m sure he would love to visit Yosemite National Park. Mountains to climb and rivers to raft!
By Jill Richards Proctor on May 3, 2013 at 10:27 am
Thanks for all the SUPER vacation suggestions, friends!!! Penguin and I will be busy googling these places!
And for more penguin fun, you can visit his blog!
http://www.penguinandpinecone.com
By Salina on May 3, 2013 at 10:30 am
My favorite place to vacation is England.–I look forward to reading about your adventures,Penguin! 🙂
By Ashley N. Bohmer on May 3, 2013 at 11:18 am
Penguin, I do not like the cold. Snow is great, but not cold. My favorite place is any island in the Caribbean. Now that is warm weather.
Tara, I have a message for you, other than I want to win this book. You have been nominated for the WordPress Family Award by Kid Lit Reviews. You can read about the award and your nomination here: http://kid-lit-reviews.com/2013/05/02/bella-saves-the-beach-tour-an-award-a-blog-hop/
By KidLitReviews on May 3, 2013 at 11:48 am
CONGRATS, TARA!!! So deserving!!!! YAY!
By Salina on May 3, 2013 at 12:18 pm
I love this! Hi Penguin!! I have his new book, so don’t enter me, but thanks for making me drool over vacation a couple months early.
By carterhiggins on May 3, 2013 at 12:17 pm
Such a cute Penguin! I want to go on vacation too!!
It is REALLY tough for me to pick one favorite vacation spot. So I’ll tell you my new criteria for a great vacay spot – one where bougainvillea grows wild!
By Michelle Levin on May 3, 2013 at 12:31 pm
Ooooh, Penguin–come hiking with me in the mountains of Idaho! In the summer, you won’t even need your scarf!
By LeslieG on May 3, 2013 at 1:03 pm
Cute idea! I would love to win Penguin.
My favorite vacation….The beach of course!
By Kathy on May 3, 2013 at 1:17 pm
My favorite vacation spot is Holden Beach, NC. My sibs and our families go there every alternating year for a week. We’ve been doing it (with my parents originally) for 30 years. This summer we’ll have over 60 of us there.
I love your books, Salina. Checked 6 of them out of the library last week. You’re such a creative writer and illustrator. I would love to win PENGUIN ON VACATION in the drawing. Best wishes!
By evelynchristensen on May 3, 2013 at 1:43 pm
That’s so nice that you have a spot you go to so regularly with your family! And wow… your library had 6 of my books?!? I’m impressed! Thank you for looking them up!
By Salina on May 3, 2013 at 2:03 pm
Mom took me to her friend’s house at the beach once. I was afraid of the sand. And the grill. But I ate a piece of pineapple and had a lick of Mom’s ice cream with sprinkles. Vacation! Yay!
Love and licks,
Cupcake
By Genevieve Petrillo on May 3, 2013 at 3:06 pm
I don’t think I have a favorite vacation spot. But my kids would probably say “the water park”. They want to move next door. Thanks for the fun post! I love the illustrations! 🙂
By Diana Murray on May 3, 2013 at 9:30 pm
My favorite vacation spot was Virginia Beach when my son was 3. We stayed at a hostel a block from the beach and visited all the historical sites and aquariums in the area. Oh how I would love to go back there some day!
Fabulous book…great post! Thanks Tara and Salina…
By Donna L Martin on May 3, 2013 at 10:34 pm
My favorite vacation site is st Maarten. Come to the French side. The water is very gentle but you will need to pack lots of ice. The beach ball will be fun to play with.
By Bernadette laganella on May 4, 2013 at 6:09 am
My favorite vacation site is Ireland! The people, the food, the scenery, the art, and the music all feed my soul.
By Charlotte on May 4, 2013 at 12:35 pm
Dear Penguin. My favorite vacation spot is a beach house in Florida. I’ve only been once, but family made it perfect. 🙂
By Brenda Harris on May 4, 2013 at 5:52 pm
Penguin, it ‘s nice to read about your beach adventure. I’m fortunate in that I consider Hawaii and California my home. So a vacation like the Grand Canyon is a wonderful idea. Perhaps we can travel together. I have two boys who will keep you on good company!
By Romelle Broas on May 4, 2013 at 8:39 pm
My favorite vacation spot is in North Carolina because that’s where my family lives, and the ocean and mountains are so fun to see! 🙂
By lunamaria413 on May 5, 2013 at 3:48 pm
The most amazing vacation I ever took was to Kerala, India. More realistically, we vacation at the Philly zoo.
Thanks for the fun interview.
There’s a fab peek into Salina Yoon’s creative process on Jenn Bertman’s interview site too.
She’s a busy lady this month!
http://writerjenn.blogspot.com/2013/04/a-peek-at-creative-space-of-salina-yoon.html
By Joanne Roberts on May 7, 2013 at 8:11 am
My favorite vacation spot is Pete’s Lake, a beautiful campground not too very far from my home, but I love to go there with my children and husband and family. It’s very relaxing.
By angiebreault on May 8, 2013 at 11:29 pm
Idaho is gorgeous and ripe for outdoor adventure!
By Laura Renauld on May 12, 2013 at 1:43 pm