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Penguin
Penguin's Christmas Wish
Geisel Honor-winning author/illustrator Salina Yoon's beloved character Penguin celebrates the season in Penguin's Christmas Wish-- a charming picture book that's perfect for the holidays.
Penguin can't wait to celebrate Christmas with his family and friends. But when things don't go exactly as planned, Penguin learns to find holiday magic in the most unexpected places.
Countless readers have already come to love the adorable Penguin, and Salina Yoon continues this series with a timeless story of holiday magic and the importance of family and friends.
Don't miss these other books from Salina Yoon!
The Penguin series
Penguin and Pinecone
Penguin on Vacation
Penguin in Love
Penguin and Pumpkin
Penguin's Big Adventure
Penguin's Christmas Wish
The Bear series
Found
Stormy Night
Bear's Big Day
The Duck, Duck, Porcupine series
Duck, Duck, Porcupine
My Kite is Stuck! And Other Stories
That's My Book! And Other Stories
Be a Friend
Penguin can't wait to celebrate Christmas with his family and friends. But when things don't go exactly as planned, Penguin learns to find holiday magic in the most unexpected places.
Countless readers have already come to love the adorable Penguin, and Salina Yoon continues this series with a timeless story of holiday magic and the importance of family and friends.
Don't miss these other books from Salina Yoon!
The Penguin series
Penguin and Pinecone
Penguin on Vacation
Penguin in Love
Penguin and Pumpkin
Penguin's Big Adventure
Penguin's Christmas Wish
The Bear series
Found
Stormy Night
Bear's Big Day
The Duck, Duck, Porcupine series
Duck, Duck, Porcupine
My Kite is Stuck! And Other Stories
That's My Book! And Other Stories
Be a Friend
40 pages, Hardcover
First published September 6, 2016
7 people are currently reading
110 people want to read
About the author
Salina Yoon
246 books270 followersSalina Yoon is an award-winning author/illustrator of over 150 books for children, including Penguin and Pinecone, Penguin on Vacation, Penguin in Love, Penguin and Pumpkin, Penguin's Big Adventure, Found, and Stormy Night.
Her latest book, Be a Friend, was a Winter 2015-2016 Kids' Indie Next Pick. Among her other awards are a Scholastic Teachers Top 10 Picture Book for Penguin's Big Adventure, and an NPR Best Book and 2014 SCIBA Book Award for Best Picture Book for Found. (complete list is on the website ABOUT page)
She studied art and design at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, and now lives in San Diego with her family.
www.salinayoon.com
Her latest book, Be a Friend, was a Winter 2015-2016 Kids' Indie Next Pick. Among her other awards are a Scholastic Teachers Top 10 Picture Book for Penguin's Big Adventure, and an NPR Best Book and 2014 SCIBA Book Award for Best Picture Book for Found. (complete list is on the website ABOUT page)
She studied art and design at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, and now lives in San Diego with her family.
www.salinayoon.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
December 17, 2019
Well, that was a waste of a few minutes. This is a picture book for oblivious kids. I was confused myself, until I realized that I was supposed to not notice something pretty glaring. Kids notice things. Don't treat them as if they're stupid.
Penguin and his friends (family?) are preparing for Christmas. Pumpkin wishes they had a real tree, so they pack up all their Christmas paraphernalia and Penguin leads them "away from their frozen home" to some forest where he's apparently on a first-name basis with one of the trees, Pinecone. The penguins decorate Pinecone, put their gifts under it, and make their Christmas wishes. Penguin's wish is to share Christmas with the whole forest. During the night, a blizzard sweeps through the forest, blowing all the ornaments off of Pinecone and scattering the presents. So Penguin has to improvise gifts. But his own Christmas wish has yet to come true. He waits all day, and then notices that the ornaments have blown onto every other tree in the forest, and all the other critters come out to join them. The wish has come true! The end.
The problem I had is that, when we first see Pinecone stripped of all the ornaments, there's another tree on the same spread that's covered in lights and baubles. So I scratched my head as I kept turning the pages. There were obviously ornaments on all the other trees. Why on earth did it take until nightfall for Penguin to notice that the blizzard had merely rearranged the ornaments? (He also didn't notice the other critters popping up until he noticed the ornaments. Either Penguin needs glasses, or he's just really slow.)
The illustrations might've saved this for me, had they been great, but they're not. The characters are drawn so simply (and without eyebrows) that there are few facial expressions to be had. Penguin has the same look on his face throughout... whether he's supposed to be upset that the blizzard has wrecked their Christmas tree or happy that his wish has finally come true.
This was a complete miss for me. By treating the reader as if they're stupid and oblivious, it makes them feel stupid and oblivious... when they're actually one step ahead of the clueless characters.
Penguin and his friends (family?) are preparing for Christmas. Pumpkin wishes they had a real tree, so they pack up all their Christmas paraphernalia and Penguin leads them "away from their frozen home" to some forest where he's apparently on a first-name basis with one of the trees, Pinecone. The penguins decorate Pinecone, put their gifts under it, and make their Christmas wishes. Penguin's wish is to share Christmas with the whole forest. During the night, a blizzard sweeps through the forest, blowing all the ornaments off of Pinecone and scattering the presents. So Penguin has to improvise gifts. But his own Christmas wish has yet to come true. He waits all day, and then notices that the ornaments have blown onto every other tree in the forest, and all the other critters come out to join them. The wish has come true! The end.
The problem I had is that, when we first see Pinecone stripped of all the ornaments, there's another tree on the same spread that's covered in lights and baubles. So I scratched my head as I kept turning the pages. There were obviously ornaments on all the other trees. Why on earth did it take until nightfall for Penguin to notice that the blizzard had merely rearranged the ornaments? (He also didn't notice the other critters popping up until he noticed the ornaments. Either Penguin needs glasses, or he's just really slow.)
The illustrations might've saved this for me, had they been great, but they're not. The characters are drawn so simply (and without eyebrows) that there are few facial expressions to be had. Penguin has the same look on his face throughout... whether he's supposed to be upset that the blizzard has wrecked their Christmas tree or happy that his wish has finally come true.
This was a complete miss for me. By treating the reader as if they're stupid and oblivious, it makes them feel stupid and oblivious... when they're actually one step ahead of the clueless characters.
December 14, 2025
This is the cutest. Would love to read more books from the series.
November 23, 2023
The most merry time of year.🎄
November 21, 2023
The return of Pinecone brought me to tears 🌲
The biggest drama of my life is seeing another character from a different Salina Yoon book. The Yooniverse is complex so it seems.
The biggest drama of my life is seeing another character from a different Salina Yoon book. The Yooniverse is complex so it seems.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 30, 2023
merry cwistmoist
December 16, 2018
Love the pine cone cameo from the previous book!
December 17, 2018
I hadn't read this until now, sad to admit! I'm so glad I finally did! It has the dearest Christmas message and a special dedication in memory of Debbie Alvarez: "Christmas is not about decorations and presents," said Grandpa. "It is about being with the ones you love." Thanks to Salina Yoon for Penguin and friends who always bring warmest feelings at this time of year.
January 13, 2017
One of the hardest things to teach children (and maybe adults) is that Christmas is not about the "stuff." When Pumpkin wants a real tree, Penguin leads them to Pinecone's forest. When a nighttime blizzard blew away the ornaments and presents, Grandpa reminds them that Christmas is about being with family. After finding a simple way to fulfill everyone's wishes, Penguin discovers that his wish - to share Christmas with the whole forest - comes true. Bringing together characters from her other books, Salina Yoon shows us that the magic of Christmas is not the presents, but sharing time and beauty with friends "far and wide." It is a beautiful tale, with Yoon's characteristic bold colors and deceiving simplicity, destined to be a Christmas favorite. A wonderful addition to any Christmas collection and the rest of the Penguin series.
October 30, 2016
Salina Yoon's heart shines through in this latest Penguin book.
December 12, 2023
This book is about Penguin taking his family to experience a true Christmas. He leads them on a journey to a forest where his old friend Pinecone has grown into a big, beautiful pine tree. The whole family decorates Pinecone and they make a perfect, real Christmas tree! Each family member had their own Christmas wish, but Penguin's was to be able to share Christmas with the whole forest. That night, a big blizzard came through and wiped Pinecone clean of their decorations. When Penguin is sad, Grandpa reminds him that Christmas is about being with the ones you love. Penguin sets out to gather sticks and realizes that he can make his family's Christmas wishes come true, but Penguin still wishes for his to come true. All of a sudden, the sun comes out and melts the snow off the trees to reveal that Pinecone's decorations landed on all of trees in the forest. Penguin's wish did come true - he got to share Christmas with the whole forest!
This was a sweet book and it was very appropriate for the season. It was a quick and easy read for me, but also loved the multiple little lessons that Penguin and his family teach us through the story. For example, Christmas is about being with the ones you love, anything can be anything with your imagination, and it's good to share love and joy with all those around you.
This would be a great book to have in my classroom library. It's a short, easy read for independent reading time. Not only is it cute and entertaining, though, it also can teach young kids the little lessons I mentioned previously.
This was a sweet book and it was very appropriate for the season. It was a quick and easy read for me, but also loved the multiple little lessons that Penguin and his family teach us through the story. For example, Christmas is about being with the ones you love, anything can be anything with your imagination, and it's good to share love and joy with all those around you.
This would be a great book to have in my classroom library. It's a short, easy read for independent reading time. Not only is it cute and entertaining, though, it also can teach young kids the little lessons I mentioned previously.
January 6, 2020
The twenty-fifth of December is a day filled with love and happiness. Will this continue to be true when a young family’s plans for it fall apart?
All of the penguins were adorable. I enjoyed seeing how they worked together to decorate their Christmas tree at the beginning of the plot. They were so cute as they figured out how to carry the candy canes and decorations deep into the forest where their chosen tree was waiting. When something happened that ruined their plans, their responses to it only made me like them even more.
Christmas means different things to different people. I adored the focus on spending time with loved ones and enjoying the simple things in life with this particular family. It’s a message that can be appreciated by everyone no matter why or how they celebrate this holiday. That inclusiveness was a wonderful thing to find, and it’s one of the many reasons why I rated this book so highly.
There was so much kindness woven into every other scene as well. Penguin, the main character, was a huge fan of Christmas and wanted to share it with everyone he knew. His reason for doing so was simply lovely. He wanted everyone to feel joy on that day. There was something so pure and innocent about his wish that I couldn’t wait to find out if and how it might come true.
Penguin’s Christmas Wish was a beautiful, heartwarming tale that should be read by anyone who loves this holiday.
All of the penguins were adorable. I enjoyed seeing how they worked together to decorate their Christmas tree at the beginning of the plot. They were so cute as they figured out how to carry the candy canes and decorations deep into the forest where their chosen tree was waiting. When something happened that ruined their plans, their responses to it only made me like them even more.
Christmas means different things to different people. I adored the focus on spending time with loved ones and enjoying the simple things in life with this particular family. It’s a message that can be appreciated by everyone no matter why or how they celebrate this holiday. That inclusiveness was a wonderful thing to find, and it’s one of the many reasons why I rated this book so highly.
There was so much kindness woven into every other scene as well. Penguin, the main character, was a huge fan of Christmas and wanted to share it with everyone he knew. His reason for doing so was simply lovely. He wanted everyone to feel joy on that day. There was something so pure and innocent about his wish that I couldn’t wait to find out if and how it might come true.
Penguin’s Christmas Wish was a beautiful, heartwarming tale that should be read by anyone who loves this holiday.
January 25, 2018
Nice big print and relatively few words make this an easy picture book for preschoolers.
This is probably best for people who have read Penguin and Pinecone.
Penguin and his family load up the sled and head to the forest to celebrate Christmas by decorating a grown Pinecone. But, a storm in the night blows all the decorations and presents away.
Grandpa tries to reassure them that Christmas isn't about decorations and presents.
Penguin manages to find/make gifts for all the others; Penguin's wish comes true when the snow melts and they realize their decorations are all around them.
This is probably best for people who have read Penguin and Pinecone.
Penguin and his family load up the sled and head to the forest to celebrate Christmas by decorating a grown Pinecone. But, a storm in the night blows all the decorations and presents away.
Grandpa tries to reassure them that Christmas isn't about decorations and presents.
Penguin manages to find/make gifts for all the others; Penguin's wish comes true when the snow melts and they realize their decorations are all around them.
August 4, 2019
I enjoy the Penguin books quite a bit and this one is cute just like the others. There are lots of tie-ins to previous books in the Penguin series and other Yoon books. However, that makes it really hard for new readers to understand this book. I would recommend checking this one out if you're familiar with the others in the series.
For: penguin fans; readers who enjoyed the previous books.
Possible red flags: some readers may find this book too confusing.
For: penguin fans; readers who enjoyed the previous books.
Possible red flags: some readers may find this book too confusing.
December 4, 2019
I'm a big fan of Salina Yoon, and while this isn't my favorite Penguin book, its message is a nice, warm reminder of what Christmas is truly about. I like the message here, and Penguin fans will get their holiday fix. Might use this for my playtime crowd, as its brevity will likely hold their attention.
August 15, 2020
In this title Pumpkin, Penguin’s little brother wishes for the best Christmas holiday ever. Penguin, Pumpkin, Bootsy, and Grandpa go off into the forest where there are trees to celebrate Christmas. The Penguin understated but magical celebrations of holidays and vacations continues in this story. Always a delightful feel good story with Penguin.
September 2, 2022
Penguin is planning the perfect Christmas, complete with a star, presents, and lots of friends and family, but when a blizzard blows through, the holiday is ruined. What will these penguins do to keep the magic alive?
This is a simple story reminding us that sometimes the simple things are the most magical of all.
This is a simple story reminding us that sometimes the simple things are the most magical of all.
December 19, 2018
Summary: All penguin wants to is share Christmas with the whole forest, but when he tries to decorate the trees, all the decorations disappear. How can he save Christmas?
Review: This book was cute. It didn't have a lot of morals or anything, but somehow it was still heartwarming.
Review: This book was cute. It didn't have a lot of morals or anything, but somehow it was still heartwarming.
December 25, 2022
Pumpkin wants a Christmas tree but no pine trees grow in the ice. So they pack up the decorations and go to visit Pinecone. Lots of Christmas magic happens and holiday dreams come true. Sweet holiday story, bright and cheerful illustrations.
December 23, 2024
Love the connection to Penguin and Pinecone!
July 20, 2017
A Christmas book where the best gifts are the intangibles.
Good mentor text for theme and recurring ideas in other books between tangible and the abstract.
Good mentor text for theme and recurring ideas in other books between tangible and the abstract.
November 16, 2017
This is a cute book about some critters who can't find their Christmas presents but make the best of the day and find that they all get just what they need.
December 14, 2017
This would be a good story to share with preschoolers and kindergarten students.
December 15, 2017
Super cute book about how Christmas isn't just about "stuff". Penguin helps his friends get their Christmas wishes after a snowstorm comes though.
December 26, 2017
Cute story, overshadowed by the engaging illustrations, but it's ALL good.
December 27, 2017
This is a story about anticipating Christmas with friends and family, and when things don't go exactly as planned, how we can make the best of what we've got.
March 18, 2018
"Christmas is not about decorations and presents. It is about being with the ones you love."
August 17, 2018
Penguin and friends has Christmas with Pinecone. This story had a beautiful and heartfelt point to it. I would totally do this for a christmas story time.
December 14, 2019
Love the Penguin books <3
December 18, 2020
We drank hot coco while reading, we enjoyed it so much.
December 21, 2020
I thought this book was cute, but I really think you need to read Penguin and Pinecone first( maybe a few others as well) to really appreciate/understand everything about this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews