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Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite
Do you ever feel like you stand out in a crowd? That something about your appearance makes you so different you can’t fit in? That was Spike’s problem. A penguin, Spike was born with rainbow hair and it embarrassed him. He just wanted to fit in, to look like all the other penguins. He was very self-conscious about his hair, so much so that he went to great lengths to try to change it. He tried wearing a large shell as a hat, dying it black, and even cutting it off, but nothing worked. The shell was too heavy, and you can imagine what happened with his other attempts. Imagine his surprise when he learned that the other young penguins really loved his rainbow hair and wished theirs was like his.
Sarah Cullen’s picture book story, Spike: The Penguin With Rainbow Hair, is a sweet story about accepting our differences. Told in rhyming verse, this story has a lyrical quality to it. Young readers will enjoy following Spike in his attempts to look like everyone else; there may even be a few chuckles along the way. The illustrations are spectacular and help move the story along. The important message is clear: to accept ourselves for who we are and the way we look; we are stronger in our differences. This is a great way to open a conversation with young readers to help them accept their differences as well as those differences they see in others around them. At the end of the book is a short quiz called Spike’s Quiz, trivia questions (with answers) about penguins. A fun read as well as a great learning experience.
