Pookie and Tushka Find a Little Piano

by Jorge

Pookie the penguin and Tushka the polar bear discover the essence of friendship after they rescue a frozen little blue piano from the sea surrounding their magic Icelands home.

Genres: Childrens, Animals, Picture Books, Friendship, Fiction, Ebooks

40 pages, Hardcover

First published July 28, 2003

About the author

Jorge (or Jorge Antonio Tello Aliaga for short) is a writer and illustrator born and raised in Lima, Perú.

His years of experience include designing award winning educational children’s software and being a design manager at the world’s largest graphic software company. He enjoys writing, drawing, composing, programming, cooking (Peruvian food), and speaking English (with a cool accent!).

Even as a youngster, Jorge dreamed of publishing children’s books. His other dreams include designing toys, creating a sci-fi/fantasy magazine, making cartoons, producing movies, building a theme park, becoming president of Perú, and achieving world peace (if time permits) ;)

His name is Spanish for George and it is pronounced “HOR-heh”.

Reviews

[A Bear and a Bee Books]

This was a fun book to read with my little one. She seemed to like the song and sound effects that go along with the story. There was mention of a fire that I found a little problematic and one of the characters was a nervous nelly. However, all in all it was fun and the artwork is quite nice. The pictures are bright and eye catching for children.

[Linda Plasse]

I think this book is going to be one of my new favorites. It starts and ends with beautiful art and a short poem. Throughout the book we see how Pookie and Tushka are as friends. Tushka is always anxious (relatable) and Pookie is there to help make the world less scary. Pookie initially notices he can only play sad songs. He hopes finding a new piano will solve his melancholy tunes, but alas they are still sad. Tushka becomes upset that he cannot play the piano, so Pookie gifts his with a drum. Together they begin to make music and Pookie realizes his music no longer sounds sad. This book truly has it all. Cute illustrations that look like colored pencil, a cute friendship where they lift each other up, a nice storyline, and fun character names. If I had discovered this book when I was young, it would have instantly made its way into my frequent rereading rotation. Even still I will encourage my students to read it and reflect on it.
In addition, the end of the book has all sorts of fun facts about the animals and environments mentioned. There is all sorts of possibility for learning wrapped into this book and I think it does so very well.

[K.C. Nicola]

Two polar friends - Pookie the penguin and Tushka the polar bear - find a little piano in the ice one day. After taking it home and defrosting it, they begin to make music, learning personal lessons about themselves along the way.

I loved this! I don't read many children's books, but this was too well-crafted for me to not express my fondness. The art was adorable, the writing didn't sacrifice quality for simplicity, and the story warmed my cynical heart. Not going to lie, I also related heavily to Pookie on only being able to play sad songs.

[Tori Moore]

This book is about a penguin named Pookie and a bear named Tushka, they find a frozen piano in the sea and Pookie decides to go grab it. Tushka has a lot of fears but Pookie helps him through it. The book is very cute and teaches the lesson about friendship. The pictures are very cute and the colors help show the mood of each animal. this is a cute little book that kids can read themselves or be read to them as a bed time story.

[Jean]

Very enjoyable book about an Arctic animal and an Antarctic animal who find a piano frozen in a clump of ice. They learn about bravery, persistence and being optimistic. At the end of the story are also fun facts about the Arctic, Penguins and Polar Bears.

[Debalina]

I wasn’t feeling very positive before. But once I read it it felt so good and I felt positive. And am 30. So… Is a good book for the kids too. I absolutely loves the little pieces of music in between. That is the best thing about this book.

Happy reading and listening! 🙃

[Bella Emy]

Kids loved this interactive story on the iPad

[Geo Hendrick]

At the end of the book they give all of the facts about Arctic and Antarctic; penguins and polar bears. wonderful

[Julia]

Lovely story to read to children.
I’m giving 4 stars, because making fires inside the house is dangerous.

[Eva]

Fun book to read with my nephews.

[Ellwyn Autumn]

Music and friendship bring two special characters together in harmony!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Reedsy Discovery. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

Book Summary:
One day, two friends named Pookie and Tushka find a little blue piano in the frozen waters of the magic Icelands.

Despite feeling anxious about rescuing the piano, Tushka watches as Pookie jumps in and pushes it to shore.

After a little teamwork, the pair haul the piano into their House of Ice.

Pookie is enthusiastic about playing the piano to create cheerful music instead of sad.

After playing the piano, the little penguin comes to the realization that he can only write melancholic songs no matter how hard he tries.

Tushka tries his hand at the piano too but ultimately realizes he is more talented with the drums.

Pookie encourages Tushka to join him on the piano once he gets the hang of the drum.

As the two play, Pookie realizes for the first time that he’s playing cheerful music because he isn’t playing alone.

Opinion:
The delightful story of Pookie and Tushka Find a Little Piano shows how friendship can balance two very different personalities.

Pookie is the level-headed, fearless, and empathetic type, while Tushka is constantly anxious and preparing for the worst-case scenario.

Tushka overcomes his fears and enjoys the moment with Pookie's support.

Mutual trust is the foundation of a healthy friendship, as demonstrated in the story. Tushka has complete trust in Pookie because he has shown himself to be trustworthy.

The watercolor backgrounds created by Jorge are a visual treat. He painted the background using a combination of blue and purple hues.

Pastel shades provide the perfect amount of storybook charm to attract children. Pookie and Tushka's bolder colors offer another level of contrast that's effortlessly visible to readers.

The book has a great educational feature that provides factual information about the Arctic, Antarctic, Polar Bears, and Penguins.

In my role as a teacher, I discovered this to be very beneficial for facilitating future discussions about animal habitats, especially regarding the incompatibility of penguins and polar bears in the same area.

It's time to shift our focus to the extra features in the book for the 20th Anniversary edition.

The extra pages are brimming with reader reviews, sketches of Pookie and Tushka, and new characters in the series.

Additionally, Jorge included pages that were omitted from the published edition of Pookie and Tushka Find A Little Piano.

Additionally, there's a preview of the prequel that highlights how the two polar friends came together.

I found the synopsis to be a little confusing. It sounds less like a summary and more like an advertisement.

I think a succinct blurb followed by a quick teaser would be more effective.

In summary, Pookie and Tushka Find A Piano is a feel-good tale that conveys a positive message about friendship and helping those we cherish.

[Kameron]

(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique)


Pookie and Tushka are back and celebrating twenty years of bringing joy to kids worldwide. Including in this edition, kids will enjoy bonus material such as new character profiles, deleted scenes, and a 15-page preview of Pookie and Tushka Become Friends. First, let me share my thoughts on today’s featured title, Pookie and Tushka Find a Little Piano.


Pookie, the penguin, loves to sing. Happy or sad, he let the words pour out. To his dismay, his songs carry so much ache. One day, while hanging out with his new friend Tushka, the polar bear, they spot a little blue piano in the sea. Pookie was excited to play the piano and happy songs for his best buddy. He tried with all his might, but only sad tunes surfaced. The little bear also tried to make music but failed as well. In his defense, he didn’t know what a piano was until Pookie informed him. That didn’t matter to the sweet bear; he was devastated he couldn’t play the piano and erupted in big tears.


Pookie was more concerned for his friend’s feelings than his own. Determined to lift Tushka’s spirits, the penguin had a great idea: a wonderful gift for the small polar bear. Tushka discovered that playing the drum required practice, and Pookie found the key to playing happy tunes. (No spoilers. Read the story!)


Pookie and Tushka Find a Little Piano teaches children valuable lessons.

1.) To be good at something requires practice. Yes, you’ll make mistakes, but you grow through these mistakes. Have patience, and keep trying!

2.) Thinking of ourselves is easy, but sometimes we must put others first. Helping others may be the ticket to your problem and lift your spirits.

3.) Always be nice and ready to help your friends!


I loved reading Pookie and Tushka’s adventure with the little blue piano. Tushka once again amused me with his vivid imagination. I would also be worried about a monster fish in the frigid waters, but a monster piano…hmm, not so much. The bear’s overboard response to everything touched my heart. After reading two books by Jorge, I can see why their series has been downloaded over a million times. These two will warm your heart and make you smile.

(Find more reviews/ratings at www.superkambrook.com)

[RusticRabbit]

I really enjoyed this book- both the original book included at the beginning as well as the special features at the end. I am a preservice teacher and I feel like this book has a lot of educational value for both home and school. I think this book would be the most appropriate for younger kids to maybe first or second grade.
I will start with the actual story "Pookie and Tushka Find a Little Piano." I really like how the text is larger when there is dialogue and the characters have different color text when they talk. I feel like this would be fun to point out to children when reading it aloud to help them understand punctuation and how dialogue works. I also think this is a great story for younger children for social emotional learning and getting over fears and overcoming loneliness. Tushka is fearful but Pookie is always able to reason with him and reassure him. Pookie is lonely in the arctic and Tushka makes him happy because he is a friend. The illustrations are very cute and warm and nostalgic. I love watercolor and Jorge does such a good job illustrating with them.
The special features are so wonderful as well. Jorge's personality is shown so clearly through the information he chose to add. There are a few pages of scientific information about geography and animals (penguins and polar bears) which can tie more educational content into this book at home or in school. He also includes a lot of information about his creative process and plans for the future all while being incredibly funny. I particularly love the page of first sketches and reference pictures of Pookie's furniture that are taken from Jorge's apartment in real life. There is also a sneak peak into the next book he will be releasing, which I am so excited for. There is also a song that goes with the book from about the time of the original release and it is actually so good. Overall, I am so glad I got the opportunity to read this book!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tea]

Extremely cute book that involves music, friendship, a bit about overcoming fears and gives background information to children who may not know much about the Arctic. The pictures are simple but has interactive media that is adorable. The reading is probably for a 6-8 year old. Included is a music video at the end of the ebook of the two main characters. I will be recommending this book to my friends with kids.
Below are some of the fun facts included:
“The Arctic is an ocean surrounded by continents.
The Arctic Ocean is mostly frozen.
Most areas are buried under 10 to 20 feet of ice.
The North Pole is located in the Arctic Ocean.
The Arctic’s temperature is usually between 0 and 20 degrees Fahrenheit (-18 and -7 degrees Celsius).
During the winter some areas (like Greenland and Siberia) can get as cold as -90 degrees Fahrenheit (-68 degrees Celsius).
During the summer the continental area can get as hot as 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius).
The Arctic has been populated for about 20,000 years.
It has a population of about 15 million people.
The Inuit people live in the Arctic.
The Arctic is owned by eight different countries: Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the United States of America.”

Check out this book on the iBooks Store: https://itun.es/us/qd63C.l

[Jennifer]

2.5 stars

I liked Pookie and Tushka Find a Little Piano, but I don't understand what all the awards and fuss are about. The art of the characters Pookie and Tushka is lovely with nice coloring and detail, but the illustrations are usually limited to those two characters and one other object per page. I didn't find that the "interactive media" added much to the story, since most of them were reminiscent of sounds one might find in some silly person's Powerpoint presentation. The video snippet/"music video" at the end is similarly lacking in art. I think that it may have been more effective to only have the sound recording for the song.

Although I didn't find the sounds delightful, I could see them being amusing to kids. I liked how there was information about penguins, polar bears, the North Pole and South Pole at the end of the book that could be discussed with kids.

[infectiouslove]

I downloaded this book on my daughter's iPad because it was free...can't beat that, right?

My daughter liked it, and I thought it was cute. I do like that two completely different animals share a golden friendship, and only when they create music together, Pookie is able to make a happy song. Not sad. Too cute.

On the iPad, my daughter also likes that when you tap on the pictures, you get a little surprise. She likes that.

[ShaRhonda]

Two unlikely friends- a polar bear and a penquin discover the sound of music through togetherness and friendship. My daughter an I love this book. The illustrations are beautiful and the factual information at the end of the book is wonderful. Love the apps that go along with this pair of friends. Great educational fun!

[Andrea Davis]

Very cute book that involves music, friendship, overcoming fears and gives children who may not know much about the Arctic some foundation. The pictures are adorable and well done and the words are simplistic enough for 1st or maybe 2nd grade level. It even includes a music video at the end of the ebook of the two main characters. I will be keeping this one in my collection.

[Abby]

The ebook edition has some interactive features, namely sound effects. The last few pages have facts about the polar regions, penguins, polar bears, and how penguins and polar bears don't actually share a habitat, which raised the book slighty in my estimation.
As for the story and the writing and the characters, they are tolerable but forgettable.

[The Brothers]

In this book a little penguin and polar bear find a little piano that they drag back to their igloo. The bear, Tushka, is fearful of everything and comes up with really outlandish scenarios of bad things that could happen. The little penguin, Pookie, constantly reassures him. Together they learn out to make happy music with the piano and a drum.

Sweet, almost too sweet, illustrations.

[Vanessa Lueras]

This book is a good example to have since Tushhka was always scared of taking risks. Pookie showed him comfort and was reassuring in what they were doing. Sometimes it is nice to know that people believe in other people because it helps the other person become more confident and willing to take to risks because they know they will have someone who will be there for them.

[Enkel]

I loved the colors of this book. I thought the story was pretty good for a younger kid and the added information at the back was also interesting. I rated it at a 4 star because I really liked the colors.

[Katy Brandes]

Such cute little illustrations that my four-year old and I laughed out loud.

[Vonze]

Another cute freebie from itunes. Interactive and educational!

[Vim]

Another good freebie book from itunes. An interactive book for kids. This book how the advancement of ebooks in tablet pcs can increase the enjoyment of readers. :)

[Marie]

Just read it because I was bored. It was adorable. I can definitely see kids get into it. Good little read. Could make a good bedtime story too.

[Eden]

It's a beautiful small delightful book,with amazing illustration it used.
the story was simple and i liked the positivity of pookie.

[Nicholle Lang]

Loved this book!! Super cute!

[Mai]

I luved the music inside the story ,creative and entertaining:)

[LegallyPinkReader]

Cute book to read to children.