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Nothing Like a Puffin
There's nothing like this book! Bold, charming artwork enlivens a fun and clever game of compare-and-contrast for curious kids and puffin lovers alike.
A puffin is an amazing creature. It's completely unique and one-of-akind. A ladder is nothing like a puffin. A house is nothing like a puffin. A newspaper is nothing like a puffin. . . . But wait! Who would have guessed? Could these things be more alike than you think? Young children will love following this mischievous puffin in an entertaining exercise in creative classification-- and are guaranteed to start looking at everyday things in a whole new way.
A puffin is an amazing creature. It's completely unique and one-of-akind. A ladder is nothing like a puffin. A house is nothing like a puffin. A newspaper is nothing like a puffin. . . . But wait! Who would have guessed? Could these things be more alike than you think? Young children will love following this mischievous puffin in an entertaining exercise in creative classification-- and are guaranteed to start looking at everyday things in a whole new way.
40 pages, Paperback
First published September 13, 2011
About the author
Sue Soltis
5 books10 followersSue Soltis is a published poet. She lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
January 25, 2016
Description: There's nothing like this book! Bold, charming artwork enlivens a fun and clever game of compare-and-contrast for curious kids and puffin lovers alike.
A puffin is an amazing creature. It's completely unique and one-of-akind. A ladder is nothing like a puffin. A house is nothing like a puffin. A newspaper is nothing like a puffin. . . . But wait! Who would have guessed? Could these things be more alike than you think? Young children will love following this mischievous puffin in an entertaining exercise in creative classification-- and are guaranteed to start looking at everyday things in a whole new way.
A puffin is an amazing creature. It's completely unique and one-of-akind. A ladder is nothing like a puffin. A house is nothing like a puffin. A newspaper is nothing like a puffin. . . . But wait! Who would have guessed? Could these things be more alike than you think? Young children will love following this mischievous puffin in an entertaining exercise in creative classification-- and are guaranteed to start looking at everyday things in a whole new way.
February 12, 2018
So cute, I had to check it out again.
Library copy
Library copy
February 9, 2012
There is nothing like a puffin. Nothing.
See that ladder? Nothing like a puffin.
See that house? Nothing like a puffin.
See that newspaper? Nothing like a-- well, it is black and white.... I guess it's something like a puffin, but not much.
And this is the heart of Nothing Like a Puffin: comparing and contrasting. Which makes it good for classroom use. For simple projects, you could assign a student an animal and have him chart the animal's characteristics, then find another living or non-living thing that matches each characteristic and chart them, too.
For higher order thinking skills, you could build bridge maps with different characteristics of puffins and other animals.
See that ladder? Nothing like a puffin.
See that house? Nothing like a puffin.
See that newspaper? Nothing like a-- well, it is black and white.... I guess it's something like a puffin, but not much.
And this is the heart of Nothing Like a Puffin: comparing and contrasting. Which makes it good for classroom use. For simple projects, you could assign a student an animal and have him chart the animal's characteristics, then find another living or non-living thing that matches each characteristic and chart them, too.
For higher order thinking skills, you could build bridge maps with different characteristics of puffins and other animals.
December 21, 2011
This is a fun, bold book with lots of information about puffins. It would be a great writing model for showing how we can describe something by showing what its not.
March 8, 2018
This book starts out with the line "There is nothing like a puffin," and then goes on to elaborate by comparing a puffin to different objects like a ladder or a newspaper and showing how different they are. The plot "thickens," however, when the puffin realizes he does have similarities to a lot of things. He's black and white like a newspaper, he has two legs like a pair of pants, he can swim like a goldfish, he can dig like a shovel, he can fly like a helicopter. He is even almost the exact same as a penguin! In the end, though, our friend the puffin realizes there really is no one exactly like him, and that makes him pretty special.
Major themes: compare-and-contrast, uniqueness
I am giving this rating 4 stars.
This was a sweet book with simple language and colorful illustrations. While the premise of it seems really basic, it ties together with a nice message that can relate to all children. I do think that the sentences could have flowed together a bit more, but all in all, I enjoyed this book.
I recommend this book to young children to help introduce them to describing objects by comparing and contrasting. It's a fun way to do it while learning about an animal - the puffin - that they may not have before! A fun idea would be to have them compare and contrast themselves to different things. In the end, the book hits home by celebrating the puffin's uniqueness, just like each person's uniqueness.
Major themes: compare-and-contrast, uniqueness
I am giving this rating 4 stars.
This was a sweet book with simple language and colorful illustrations. While the premise of it seems really basic, it ties together with a nice message that can relate to all children. I do think that the sentences could have flowed together a bit more, but all in all, I enjoyed this book.
I recommend this book to young children to help introduce them to describing objects by comparing and contrasting. It's a fun way to do it while learning about an animal - the puffin - that they may not have before! A fun idea would be to have them compare and contrast themselves to different things. In the end, the book hits home by celebrating the puffin's uniqueness, just like each person's uniqueness.
November 18, 2019
I like children's books like this, it is about discovering yourself and knowing that you are perfect just the way you are, a good lesson for young kids. Nothing Like a Puffin is about a puffin trying to find out if he is unique and along the way, finding out that there are man things like him, like pants, penguins and shovels, but there is nothing quite like him. At the end of the book he finds a penguin who is like him, but not quite like him which leads him to the conclusion that there is nothing like a puffin. I like the message the book is portraying because they did it in a subtle way that kids don't really know that it is a lesson in a book. I also really liked the illustrations! They were very bright and cute. I would definitely have this in my classroom as an option for choice reading because it isnt a super challenging book, but also is a good book for practice that I think my students would enjoy
April 19, 2018
Theme: Birds, opposites, similarities
This rhyming book is a great read for story time because it rhymes and can offer audience participation. I also really like this book because it offers the reader the idea that things can be different but have similarities. A great discussion topic for a 3-5 year old.
This rhyming book is a great read for story time because it rhymes and can offer audience participation. I also really like this book because it offers the reader the idea that things can be different but have similarities. A great discussion topic for a 3-5 year old.
June 15, 2022
My two year old picked this book out at the library. She has a puffin stuffed animal that she likes to hold while we read this book. She doesn’t really understand any of the story and comparisons, but the art is big, bold and vibrant. She likes the flip through the book herself looking at all the pages. Favorite page are the two snake pages. We talk about those every time we read this book.
January 29, 2018
This collection of comparisions, related to the charming puffin, would subtly get younger readers/listeners to think about what 'like' and 'different' mean. After all, some things are 'like' a puffin, but also 'unlike'. A fun read!
April 13, 2022
I think this is a cute book that can be used in many different lessons. You can use this book in a lesson about how everyone is unique in their own way or in a unit introducing comparing and contrasting of things.
April 19, 2022
The extremely cute story while also getting to learn about all the interesting facts about a puffin, which is not the same as a penguin which I don't think most students would know as they are not here in the U.S. Super cute story with lots of good information.
November 12, 2017
Why were they ripping the paper?
July 11, 2018
Compare and contrast
January 7, 2019
There's nothing like a puffin...unless you count newspapers (black and white), snakes (hatch from eggs), helicopters (fly), and penguins (very similar except penguins can't fly).
February 23, 2019
Loved this book.
A clever book to teach about puffins (who honestly get overshadowed by penguins).
Read in a storytime and it made the children laugh at several points.
A clever book to teach about puffins (who honestly get overshadowed by penguins).
Read in a storytime and it made the children laugh at several points.
February 28, 2019
puffins, penguins, comparisons, uniqueness, guessing, cute story. could use for preschool storytime but is a bit long...
April 5, 2019
This is pretty cute for a comparison book.
October 9, 2019
Talks about puffins.
June 17, 2022
It annoys me that the name of this book isn't "Nothin' like a Puffin."
April 4, 2023
I am not a very big fan of this book. I felt like the book was boring and very repetitive.
July 6, 2024
Just another fun kids book!
I will have to check out other books by this author!
I will have to check out other books by this author!
October 15, 2025
Dumb story and "Nothin' like a Puffin" would have been a better title.
May 7, 2026
3.5 stars. It feels like this would have been more fun for the girls to discover the comparisons themselves...
March 5, 2019
A fun story that utilizes compare/contrast elements in a unique way.
November 28, 2012
Puffin is a cute little creature that will help introduce the topic of similarities and differences to young children in a creative fun way. The puffin encounters many objects through the story thinking he has nothing in common with these things. The first few things such as a house and ladder he decides are not like him at all. Each time a new object is presented he looks a little closer and finds things he has in common that may be overlooked. The puffin runs across a penguin in the end of the story thats so similar to him yet one little difference separates them, he can fly unlike the penguin. The puffin learns in the end that we all have things in common however there is no one like yourself. This story is a great tool to use in the classroom even young children.
Lang and Lit
This book teaches children about the similarities and differences that we can find among one another. Children can have fun with the objects that are far from the same to the eye and find ways that they are alike. The book is sure to have you thinking about the way you look at people and other things around you. The Book touches of physical traits as well as abilities and personalities.
Have children in the classroom use this book to further explore similarities and differences in animals. Take the children on a trip to the zoo or to a farm where they can experience a variety of animals. Let the children see the differences that the animals have as well as find things that they have in common.Have children look for things they do that they animals do. There is alot you can talk about and learn about from seeing animals in real life and pretty much all children like animals of some kind.
Lang and Lit
This book teaches children about the similarities and differences that we can find among one another. Children can have fun with the objects that are far from the same to the eye and find ways that they are alike. The book is sure to have you thinking about the way you look at people and other things around you. The Book touches of physical traits as well as abilities and personalities.
Have children in the classroom use this book to further explore similarities and differences in animals. Take the children on a trip to the zoo or to a farm where they can experience a variety of animals. Let the children see the differences that the animals have as well as find things that they have in common.Have children look for things they do that they animals do. There is alot you can talk about and learn about from seeing animals in real life and pretty much all children like animals of some kind.
December 22, 2016
Adorable art. Teaches compare and contrast, and basic logic.
May 1, 2012
Puffin’s are marvelous birds. There’s nothing like a puffin. Puffins aren’t like ladders or houses or newspapers…wait! Newspapers have black and white pages and puffins have black and white feathers! Goodness! And that's just the beginning, the similarities continue. A pair of jeans are like a puffin because they have two legs. A shovel is like a puffin because it can dig. Perhaps puffins aren’t as marvelous as we thought. Puffins and penguins are so alike, they’re nearly two of a kind…wait! Penguins can’t fly, but puffins can! There really is nothing like a puffin.
The puffin’s black and white feathers and bright orange feet make it a prime candidate for Kolar’s bold style. Color abounds as the small and mischievous puffin makes his way through this book. The text is conversational and full of rhetorical questions, making it a fun read aloud book. Kids who enjoy non-fiction books will probably like the logical nature of this book and the way Soltis shares information about Puffins as the story progresses. I also found myself marveling at how perfectly the font (Caecilia Heavy) compliments the illustrations.
Full Review at Picture-Book-a-Day: http://picturebookaday.blogspot.com/2...
The puffin’s black and white feathers and bright orange feet make it a prime candidate for Kolar’s bold style. Color abounds as the small and mischievous puffin makes his way through this book. The text is conversational and full of rhetorical questions, making it a fun read aloud book. Kids who enjoy non-fiction books will probably like the logical nature of this book and the way Soltis shares information about Puffins as the story progresses. I also found myself marveling at how perfectly the font (Caecilia Heavy) compliments the illustrations.
Full Review at Picture-Book-a-Day: http://picturebookaday.blogspot.com/2...
December 14, 2013
I liked the compare and contrast game played in this book. It encourages children to look beyond their initial impressions to find similarities between things that seem incredibly different. While the book does this in a fairly silly way, I think that it could be built on... different people, a new hometown, a new school, etc.
And, if you like to really perform books when you read them, this one is great. You get to be emphatic and alarmed and cautious and all sorts of fun things.
The illustrations made me think of old cartoons in a way, even though they were digitally rendered. I think part of it is that they are flat and use wide swaths of color. And part of it is probably the limited color palette--red, blue, yellow, black, and white. And yet, the illustrations are full of life and character. They pop off the page.
Now that we're living Downeast, near Puffin nesting territory, I figured it would be fun to start teaching my daughter a little bit about them. (Especially because she keeps calling them penguins!)
And, if you like to really perform books when you read them, this one is great. You get to be emphatic and alarmed and cautious and all sorts of fun things.
The illustrations made me think of old cartoons in a way, even though they were digitally rendered. I think part of it is that they are flat and use wide swaths of color. And part of it is probably the limited color palette--red, blue, yellow, black, and white. And yet, the illustrations are full of life and character. They pop off the page.
Now that we're living Downeast, near Puffin nesting territory, I figured it would be fun to start teaching my daughter a little bit about them. (Especially because she keeps calling them penguins!)
October 14, 2012
What a joyful invitation to think and consider. So very well visually connected and presented. The whole concept is to compare very disparate objects, but Kolar makes sure the experience doesn't feel too disjointed. From the painter on the ladder in the endpapers to the ladder up the house, to the man in the window of the house with the newspaper...then later we get a hint of the snake and a hint of the icebergs before the page turns. Plus the limited color palette also ties everything together.
There's lots to explore here. Just because the design is clean doesn't mean this will only appeal to very young children; elementary school kids will appreciate this, too.
It would be even fun in a preschool storytime, especially with a simple category activity afterwards--something where you could match by shapes or by color or by size in different ways.
There's lots to explore here. Just because the design is clean doesn't mean this will only appeal to very young children; elementary school kids will appreciate this, too.
It would be even fun in a preschool storytime, especially with a simple category activity afterwards--something where you could match by shapes or by color or by size in different ways.
December 14, 2011
The premise behind this book is that there's nothing quite as unique as a puffin. The author then introduces objects such as a ladder, a house, and a newspaper, all of which seem on the surface to have nothing in common with a puffin. But after considering them a little more carefully, it turns out they do have some things in common. While I applaud the author's efforts to challenge readers' assumptions about puffins through comparing and contrasting, that may be a big leap in logic for many young readers. The digital illustrations feature the vivacious, active puffin flitting from scene to scene.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews