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9th out of 93 books
—
205 voters
One Cool Friend
On a momentous visit to the aquarium, Elliot discovers his dream pet: a penguin. It's just proper enough for a straight-laced boy like him. And when he asks his father if he may have one (please and thank you), his father says yes. Elliot should have realized that Dad probably thought he meant a stuffed penguin and not a real one . . . Clever illustrations and a wild surpr...more
Hardcover, 32 pages
Published
January 10th 2012
by Dial
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One Cool Friend, By: Toni Buzzeo Illistrated by: David Small
Audience: Kindergarten and first grade
Appeal: Use this book during the winter time or right before or after a trip to the zoo. Using it at this time will help them make their own real life connections to the story.
Application: Before I read the book with the class I would ask them something along the lines of “Do you know where we are going on a field trip soon?” or “Do you remember where we went on our field trip to?” I would ask them...more
Audience: Kindergarten and first grade
Appeal: Use this book during the winter time or right before or after a trip to the zoo. Using it at this time will help them make their own real life connections to the story.
Application: Before I read the book with the class I would ask them something along the lines of “Do you know where we are going on a field trip soon?” or “Do you remember where we went on our field trip to?” I would ask them...more
Audience: This is a cute book. The whimsical illustrations coupled with the the silly story of a boy who wanted a pet, and the misunderstanding that seemingly ensues will engage young children from the pre-kindergarten stage through second grade. A third grade class might enjoy it at the beginning of the year, perhaps while discussing summer activities (trips to the zoo), however later in the school year the book might not hold their attention quite as long.
Appeal: Living in Omaha, most childre...more
Appeal: Living in Omaha, most childre...more
I might give this another try. However, on first reading, it just irritated me. The boy is just so darn polite I can't see kids relating to him at all. One person commented that the kid should have realized Dad meant a stuffed toy. I disagree. I think Dad should have realized his kid meant the real penguin. He doesn't know his kid well enough to guess what was meant? He is also just too obtuse to be believed. He just happened to never notice all these weird things happening after the kid steals...more
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Elliot was a very proper young man always impeccably dressed, formal, and polite. So Elliot wasn’t particularly thrilled when his father suggested they go to Family Fun Day at the aquarium; too many noisy kids! But Elliot was too polite to say that. Instead he said, “Of course. Thank you for inviting me.” At the aquarium Elliot explored while his father sat and read a magazine. That’s how Elliot found the Magellanic penguins. He liked their proper posture and precise black and white markings. So...more
"One Cool Friend" by Toni Buzzeo, with pictures by David Small, is a book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. The story itself is very silly and interesting for young readers. A young, proper, sophisticated boy (Elliot) is asked by his turtle loving father if he wants to go to the aquarium. Being nice, Elliot agrees and when he gets there, heads straight to the penguin exhibit. Elliot is captivated by the penguins because their "tuxedos" are very similar to his. Elliot decides he wants to take on...more
This is a very humorous story about an inquisitive, polite and intelligent boy who manages to 'acquire' a very interesting pet. The story is silly and the boy's efforts to make his new pet comfortable reminded us of Mr. Popper's Penguins. I loved how formal and polite the boy and his father are, and I love how the story emphasizes how completely absorbed his dad is in his own studies and oblivious to the boy's actions.
The ending of the story is very hilarious, and we had to reread the tale to s...more
The ending of the story is very hilarious, and we had to reread the tale to s...more
The very proper Elliot falls in love while on a visit to the aquarium. While his father reads his National Geographic, Elliot avoids the crowds of noisy kids at the other exhibits and revels in the appearance and antics of the penguins. When he politely asks if he can have a penguin, his father assumes that he wants a stuffed one, and provides the cash for it. Once Elliot and the kidnapped penguin he names Magellan have arrived home, Elliot does his best to make things comfortable for his new fr...more
One Cool Friend is about a proper young man named Elliot. One day his father decides to take him on a family fun day at the aquarium. There Elliot sees the penguins in their tidy black feather tuxedos with their proper posture,and they remind him of himself. He decides to ask his father if he can have a penguin. His father says yes, thinking he is referring to a plush penguin and gives him twenty dollars. Elliot puts the smallest penguin in his backpack and brings him home. At home, Elliot diale...more
Elliot is a very serious young man. He dresses like he is going to the opera and he is as polite as if he were taking an etiquette test. So when his father asks if he would like to go to the zoo, he politely says "yes." While at the zoo he reads all about an explorer named Magellan who discovered the Magellanic Penguin. Then Elliot makes a discovery, he has quite a bit in common with that particular penguin. In fact, he decides that he would like to get a penguin. His father gives him a $20 so h...more
Elliot is a very proper boy. When his father proposes a trip to the aquarium, Elliot politely accepts the invitation while he would rather avoid the noisy mob of kids sure to be there. With his father distracted by a copy of National Geographic, Elliot slips away to the penguin exhibit. There he discovers one Ferdinand Magellan.
Elliot asks his father for a penguin and is given twenty dollars for a toy. Elliot, however, has other plans. He squeezes Ferdinand into his backpack and takes the well-d...more
Elliot asks his father for a penguin and is given twenty dollars for a toy. Elliot, however, has other plans. He squeezes Ferdinand into his backpack and takes the well-d...more
Elliot is a very polite boy. Always dressed in a tuxedo and looking his best, his manners fit his behavior. When his father suggests a day outing to the aquarium Elliot doesn't particularly want to go but it would be rude to put off the offer. So Elliot finds ways to amuse himself that don't involve the hoards of kids at the touch tank and jellyfish tank.
What he finds is penguins! And boy, are penguins exactly what Elliot needs! So formal and polite. Magellan the penguin mistakenly finds his way...more
What he finds is penguins! And boy, are penguins exactly what Elliot needs! So formal and polite. Magellan the penguin mistakenly finds his way...more
Written by Toni Buzzeo, Illustrated by David Small, 2012. This was a fun picture book which was a story which had 3 characters in it - Elliot, his father, and a penguin. The father is somewhat of an absent minded professor and Elliot is a very self contained, grown up little boy. The father decides to take Elliot to the aquarium. He sends Elliot off to look at everything while he sits and reads a magazine. Elliot keeps walking until he find the Penguin display. He goes back to ask his dad if he...more
One Cool Friend by Toni Buzzeo is a funny and great read for young children. In this book the a little boy by the name Elliott always wears a suit. He visits a animal museum and discovered penguins. He liked them so much because he thought they wore really nice tuxedos. He went through many adventures trying to hide Magellan (the small penguin) from his father until eventually hid=s father round him in the bathtub.This book is really just a fun enjoyable read for the students.
The illustrations w...more
The illustrations w...more
Sep 17, 2012
Samantha Van
added it
Title: One Cool Friend
Author: Toni Buzzeo
Illustrator: David Small
Artistic Media: Cartoon Style
Brief Summary: A very polite little boy named Elliot went to the zoo with his dad. He then decides to take a penguin home from the zoo. His adventures then begin!
Artistic Critique
Font/Style: I love how the words go off the page or follow some of the pictures. It might be a little confusing for beginner readers but for those that are advanced for their age it is a perfect challenge.
Color: The color of th...more
Author: Toni Buzzeo
Illustrator: David Small
Artistic Media: Cartoon Style
Brief Summary: A very polite little boy named Elliot went to the zoo with his dad. He then decides to take a penguin home from the zoo. His adventures then begin!
Artistic Critique
Font/Style: I love how the words go off the page or follow some of the pictures. It might be a little confusing for beginner readers but for those that are advanced for their age it is a perfect challenge.
Color: The color of th...more
Elliot is a very proper third grade boy (he wears a tuxedo!) who consents to go to the aquarium with his father despite his aversion to crowds and noisy children. He eschews the shark, the jellyfish, and the touch pool, but is drawn to the penguins. Like him, they wear black and white and have perfect posture. He asks his father for a penguin and his father, thinking that he means a plush penguin, gives him a $20. There's a lot of unrealistic stuff going on here: for example, little boy's rooms...more
Buzzeo, Toni - One Cool Friend - pictures by David Small - Dial Books for Young Readers, 2012.
**This is a funny book filled with mischief and misunderstandings, or is it? Elliot and his father visit the aquarium where Elliot asks if he can have a penguin. His father gives him $20 for what he thinks is a stuffed penguin, but Elliot selects a real penguin and bring him home. Elliot does research about his penguin at the library (YAY!! nod to research and library use) and he and his penguin are fas...more
**This is a funny book filled with mischief and misunderstandings, or is it? Elliot and his father visit the aquarium where Elliot asks if he can have a penguin. His father gives him $20 for what he thinks is a stuffed penguin, but Elliot selects a real penguin and bring him home. Elliot does research about his penguin at the library (YAY!! nod to research and library use) and he and his penguin are fas...more
TEXT:
A fun story of friendship and wish-fulfillment. Just like it says on the tin. Page turns, text flow naturally. Sounds great aloud. Occasional changes in size of type for emphasis. No obvious rhymes or rhythms, but many fun unusual words and phrases, stemming largely from Elliot's propriety ("excuse the inconvenience"). Tiny bits of patterned language ("Antarctic Anecdotes," "May I please have a penguin?").
ILLUSTRATION:
pen and ink illustrations with some washes on white background. Varied th...more
A fun story of friendship and wish-fulfillment. Just like it says on the tin. Page turns, text flow naturally. Sounds great aloud. Occasional changes in size of type for emphasis. No obvious rhymes or rhythms, but many fun unusual words and phrases, stemming largely from Elliot's propriety ("excuse the inconvenience"). Tiny bits of patterned language ("Antarctic Anecdotes," "May I please have a penguin?").
ILLUSTRATION:
pen and ink illustrations with some washes on white background. Varied th...more
A warm and humorous story that's perfectly complemented by David Small's illustrations. Elliot picks up a souvenir when he and his father visit the aquarium. But instead of the stuffed penguin that his father assumes Elliot has purchased, Elliot has brought home the real thing-- a Magellanic Penguin from the southern tip of Argentina. Dad is delightfully obtuse as Elliot cares for his penguin, builds an ice skating rink in his bedroom, and heads to the library for some research on Magellan... hi...more
During a visit to an aquarium, Elliot asks his father for a penguin. Little does dear old dad know that it's a real, live penguin! (Dad seems to be quite oblivious to what is really going on, or is he?) This would be a fun choice to read for a polar regions unit in 1st or 2nd grade. Kids would love the humor and they could do a lot of creative thinking by using "what if" questions as prompts for writing. They could also use their imaginations to build more cold weather related activities for Mag...more
This story is so much fun! I think it should be taken as pure fantasy (don’t get too up in arms about the penguin not being in his natural habitat) and then it’s just a delight. I’m already a fan of David Small’s illustrations and they shine here. That very proper, polite young Elliot has such a perfect look and it’s so cute how he looks kind of like his new penguin friend. I love the contrast between him and his father—yet how alike they are in some ways, too. The father’s look is great, too, a...more
2013 Caldecott Honor book. When well-mannered Elliot reluctantly visits the aquarium with his distractible father, he politely asks whether he can have a penguin--and then removes one from the penguin pool to his backpack. The fun of caring for a penguin in a New England Victorian house is followed by a surprise revelation by Elliot's father.
"Energetic line and dizzying perspective combine for a rollicking tale of Father, Elliot and a highly improbable pet (or two). Buzzeo’s text, brimming with...more
"Energetic line and dizzying perspective combine for a rollicking tale of Father, Elliot and a highly improbable pet (or two). Buzzeo’s text, brimming with...more
This is child-centered fiction. The adults don't get in the way (Dad, Librarian--and where was aquarium security? Quietly never pictured.), and Elliot moves forward assuming they won't--even though I was worried the entire time about when he would be found out. "Wild surprise ending"? No, a calm vindication of the story arc. This ending provided not only resolution to my worry, but also deconstructed it--a pleasant ending! And never a worry about there being a 'lesson' to be taught. Hmmm. I woul...more
Elliot is a very proper young man, with a knack for being polite and a habit of wearing tuxedos. When his father takes him to the zoo, he discovers that penguins are an awful lot like him! So he takes one home and names him Magellan.
Readers of all ages will be delighted by this story, as Magellan seems to be escaping the notice of Elliot’s father, who offered to pay for a stuffed penguin at the zoo. The twist at the end comes as a sweet surprise, and will send readers back through the book agai...more
Readers of all ages will be delighted by this story, as Magellan seems to be escaping the notice of Elliot’s father, who offered to pay for a stuffed penguin at the zoo. The twist at the end comes as a sweet surprise, and will send readers back through the book agai...more
The book club I'm in read all the Caldecott and some of the Newberry winners for this year and this was one of them.
I don't think this book is awful, I just didn't like it. I don't see how a majority of kids would actually get the ending, so I think it should really be for maybe 4th or 5th graders, but they think they're too cool for picture books, so how's that going to happen.
I read this to a pre-school audience and it didn't work, so I ended up fast forwarding to the end. But if you're real...more
I don't think this book is awful, I just didn't like it. I don't see how a majority of kids would actually get the ending, so I think it should really be for maybe 4th or 5th graders, but they think they're too cool for picture books, so how's that going to happen.
I read this to a pre-school audience and it didn't work, so I ended up fast forwarding to the end. But if you're real...more
This story was very amusing. It was a quick read, and had fun illustrations. I can see it being very liked by a classroom of younger students, perhaps as a story read by their teacher. As far as classroom use goes, I do not see it providing much more benefit than enjoyment, unless however certain vocabulary words were to be present. Although it does mention Magellan, the famous explorer, and points out the geographic homeland of penguins; it neither provides much factual information as to be us...more
I loved this book and thought it should've won the Caldecott Award, but it was awarded a 2013 Caldecott Honor instead. Elliot is a very well-behaved and put together young man. One day his dad takes him to the aquarium, and he discovers Magellanic Penguins and decides to take one home (clearing it with his father first of course). He lets the penguin skate in his room, checks out book at the library on penguins, and take a bath in his tub. It is only then, when his father goes to take his own ba...more
A trip to the aquarium results in an uncommon pet: a penguin! A very proper boy is attracted to the penguins in their pseudo-tuxedos and his oblivious Dad gives his permission for the boy to take one home assuming he was approving the purchase of a stuffed toy.
A funny story with a surprise ending and a great read aloud the kids won't soon forget. Illustrations were done with pen and ink, ink wash, watercolor, and colored pencil. I loved how well the illustrator mirrored the gentlemanly demeanor...more
A funny story with a surprise ending and a great read aloud the kids won't soon forget. Illustrations were done with pen and ink, ink wash, watercolor, and colored pencil. I loved how well the illustrator mirrored the gentlemanly demeanor...more
Funny book about a very proper young man who decides he'd like a penguin (because they wear tuxedos, of course!) from the aquarium. His absent-minded father says he can have one (but of course, thinks he's talking about a stuffed penguin) and the two have some pretty adorable adventures.
The art is almost monochromatic, with black and white dominating the illustrations. Pops of color and utilized to make certain elements jump off the page, to good effect.
This one would be a tad long for toddlers,...more
The art is almost monochromatic, with black and white dominating the illustrations. Pops of color and utilized to make certain elements jump off the page, to good effect.
This one would be a tad long for toddlers,...more
I loved this picture book. It is so different from other picture books that I have read, and I have read many! It even had a surprise ending that I didn't see coming. Afterward, I flipped back through and saw the ending forshadowed in many of the illustrations. So clever! Elliot is such a fun, unique boy. The only thing I had trouble with was Elliot just taking a penguin from the aquarium, but I will suspend my disbelief and trepedation and take this one as it is meant to be, as a fun, imaginati...more
One Cool Friend is one cool book. Elliot is very proper and meticulous. He wears a suit and dislikes noise and crowds. When his dad sugests they go to the aquarium, Elliot agrees, even though he dislikes crowds and kids. Elliot picks up a live penguin and take him home. He dad is clueless about the strange requests that Elliot has. The illustrations have a lot of white in them which helps the action of Elliot and the penguin stand out. The use of blues help to evoke cold temperatures, perfect fo...more
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