Edward and Annie: A Penguin Adventure

by Caryn Rivadeneira, Katy Tanis (Illustrator), Shedd Aquarium (Contributor)

Join famous penguins, Edward and Annie, the viral sensations, as they waddle through Chicago's Shedd Aquarium in this adventure story.

When no one comes to visit the aquarium, penguin pair Edward and Annie wonder, Where did everyone go? This romp through Chicago's Shedd Aquarium takes children and their families on an adventure through the marine world. As Edward and Annie explore the unknown parts of their aquarium home and meet the other wonderfully strange creatures living there, these penguin friends discover that the world is much bigger and more interesting than they ever knew. After much excitement and many surprises, they return to the penguin habitat for the best end to any day: a cozy rest at home.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Childrens, Science

32 pages, Hardcover

Published March 8, 2022

About the author

Caryn Rivadeneira is the author of seven books--for both children and adults. Her most recent titles include Grit and Grace: Heroic Women of the Bible and The Story of Noah’s Ark (both SparkHouse Family). Caryn serves on the worship staff at Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church and is a proud member of INK: A Creative Collective and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Caryn lives in the near-west suburbs of Chicago with her husband, three kids, and one rescued pit bull.

Reviews

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Edward and Annie is a fiction book for children about two penguins who made it famous online during covid lockdown. This is a lovely book about a day at the aquarium - a day different to other days. Edward and Annie get to go explore the aquarium with Kai their feeder/carer. They get to meet all manner of marine life on their day trip around the aquarium. This is a great little book for children who love penguins or marine life.

[Maritina Mela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Edward and Annie are two adorable penguins that live in an aquarium. One day, they wake up and something feels different: the aquarium has no visitors!

Their carer takes advantage of this opportunity to walk them (and by extension the readers) to the rest of the animals that live there.

A cute story about animals that live in that type of places, that offers an alternative to visiting an actual aquarium for those who, for whatever reason, can't do that. And even if they can, this can be used as an introduction to kids learning about those animals.

If you made it this far, congratulations!
'Til next time, take care :) :) :)

I received a free e-book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Jeanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

In our city zoo, we have a special Penguin exhibit. They have the penguin walk and their personalities really shine. I love seeing this thru my grandchildren's eyes. One of the best things about having grandchildren, seeing the world thru their eyes. Edward and Annie are two penguins that put you and your child on a adventure. The two penguin's are transferred to the famous Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. One of the best aquariums in the United States. They meet their new neighbors. The staff that will be taking care of them. They also learn a thing or two about being different.

A colorful illustrated book that making learning fun.

A special thank you to Thomas Nelson and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

[Christi Flaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edward & Annie is an adorable story of two penguins off on an adventure to visit new friends at the aquarium. It is actually based on the true story, and the viral videos, of the penguins at Shedd Aquarium during covid lockdowns.

Throughout their adventures they meet several other interesting animals at the aquararium making it an educational read as well. Reading this has inspired my kids to start asking to go to an aquarium soon and I think that will be in our near future.

I do wish the hard to pronounce animals came with phonetic spelling after them but not a big concern and I can always look up proper pronunciation.

**For those worried this is a "covid book", it isn't actually mentioned in the story. The animals just note something is missing, the people! The only actual mention of covid is the note at the end explaining the inspiration for the story. It's just a cute story of penguins on an adventure.

[Monica H (TeaandBooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love penguins. Do you? Have you been to the Shedd Aquarium to see the penguins there? I went there when I was a young person. Then last year, we planned a trip to go there, but didn't get to due to some unforeseen circumstances. I still hope to go see Edward and Annie in person some day. Edward and Annie by Caryn Rivadeneira is a beautifully illustrated 32-page children's book aimed at children ages four to eight. This book is 10 1/2 inches square so it is a bit large for young children to hold on their own but it makes a great size for family reading time, I think

Edward and Annie starts out with the two penguins in their home. Then their caretaker, Kai, takes them on an adventure as they waddle through the Shedd Aquarium and visit the other animals. This book takes place during the pandemic when the aquarium was closed to visitors. Even though they are open again, this book is still a wonderful read. Following along and seeing the marine animals could be fun for any child--or adult reading along. The information is presented in an interesting way and the pictures are bright and vibrant. The end of Edward and Annie has a two-page spread sharing more about the Shedd Aquarium

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through a Goodreads giveaway. All opinions within this review are my own.

[Emi えみ Takami 鷹見 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an early copy to review from the publisher. Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the opportunity.

This little book is absolutely adorable. First of all, the art is gorgeous. The text the author pairs with this art, while educational, is simple enough for the younger kids to enjoy. The collection of marine mammals and aquatic creatures explored in this book is diverse with great illustrations. As a librarian, I learned a few things I didn't know!

I enjoyed everything about this book. In fact, I ordered a copy for the library I work at. Edward and Annie are sure to be a hit with the kids!

[Melissa (Nissa_the.bookworm) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to partners @tlcbooktours, @tommynelsonbooks, @carynrivadeneira and @shedd_aquarium for sending me this copy of Edward and Annie!

Edward and Annie is a wonderful picture book for children of all ages! During the Covid-19 pandemic, the aquariums weren’t getting visitors, but the animals still needed plenty of interaction. Follow Edward and Annie as they explore the empty aquarium with their trainer, Kai. They’ll meet otters and beluga whales and plenty of other underwater creatures!

I really loved this educational yet fun children’s story. I’m often hearing about how cruel it is to keep wild animals kept in small cages, but this book really helped bring to life the fact that most of these animals are incapable of surviving on their own in the wild, either due to a serious injury or because they are young and without family. For this reason, aquariums are great places to house and learn about orphaned sea creatures, along with teaching the general public about these majestic animals!

[MookNana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED watching Edward, Annie, Wellington and their friends have their lockdown adventures at the Shedd Aquarium! I'm so thrilled to see their journeys were adapted into such a great book. Not only is this a gorgeous tour of the aquarium and an introduction to various forms of sea life, it's a sweet, gentle reflection about how our lives changed due to COVID and lockdowns. There is a lovely lesson in here about how sometimes different can be good, especially with good friends, and how sometimes "normal" changes.

This is an excellent read for preschoolers and early elementary and would be a great conversation starter about what changed due to the pandemic, how we found ways to adapt, and what we discovered about what was really important to us. The illustrations are striking and detailed and will hold reader attention well. It would make a wonderful addition to school, classroom, and community libraries!

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

[Thea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a cute story about a zoo and the animal adventures.

[Emilee (emileereadsbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and Tommy Nelson for a free digital copy.

Such a fun tale of these two penguins! They get to go on a fun adventure and readers get to learn more about ocean animals along with them.

[Kari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edward and Annie is an adorable book about two of the real life penguins from the Lake Michigan Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. During the 2020 pandemic shut down, the caretakers at the aquarium took these two as well as other penguins on adventures throughout the aquarium in order to provide enrichment activities and exercise. The Shedd Aquarium has short videos of these adventures on YouTube. I highly recommend looking for them. They are too adorable.

In this book, we follow both Annie and Edward, as well as their caregiver Kai, as they explore and meet new friends. Throughout the adventure, Annie remarks that things are different. Edward helps her learn that different doesn't always mean a bad thing. Different can be exciting and fun. At the end of the book, there is a section explaining about the real aquarium and how the animals are cared for. The book is beautifully illustrated with colorful drawings that will give young readers a lot to look at and explore. I highly recommend this one. It would be a wonderful addition to any library.

[Mehsi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.


I spotted this book on Twitter and when I saw it up on Netgalley I just had to click that request button! I just love penguins and I was curious to read about their adventures in the aquarium.

In this adorable book we meet Edward and Annie, two adorable penguins who are about to go on a wonderful adventure! They are allowed to walk through the aquarium and see all the animals and all the other fun things! I just loved seeing them explore the aquarium and meet the inhabitants, from a turtle to otters to fish. I will never be able to visit this aquarium (no plans to go to the US/that particular part) so I am delighted that through this book I can still visit in a way. See the animals, see the beautiful places they are staying in. I was just as excited as our two penguins! OMG, look at how pretty that is! Look what is there? I found it very sweet of their carer to take them out and have a fun time! I wonder if they also did that for the other penguins or if these two are trained/special. The blurb mention these are viral sensations?? So maybe just them? I would just let all the penguins have a fun moment. XD

People who read my reviews know that I am very much against Corona in books, hello we are still living partially in it and we had a hell of a 2 years, so no thank you. But I didn’t mind it that much in this one. It wasn’t specifically mentioned, just that the penguins were wondering where the humans were and that their trainer/carer said something that he hoped that people would be back soon. That is all, and I can live with that as I can spin it into something else than COVID. Like that the Aquarium was just closed for renovations or something. XD

The art was just so cute! I really love the style and loved how it was both cute and realistic!

All in all, this was just so adorable and fun and I hope that Annie and Edward have made many more adventures in the aquarium~ I will definitely be searching the internet to see if there are any pictures/videos anywhere!

Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/

[Sany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another day was dawning at Shedd Aquarium. Everything looked the same as always but Annie noticed something different, something had changed although she couldn't say what.

She immediately looked for Edward to see if he noticed it too but was interrupted by the arrival of their caretaker who had a surprise in store for them.

Kai had set them up for an adventurous day of exploring and meeting some of their neighbors at Shedd Aquarium.

Edward and Annie is a children's book that brings children closer to biodiversity and marine ecosystems from a different perspective. With beautiful images that convey joy and a short and simple text, it manages to awaken curiosity and the desire for adventure in children while encouraging them to adapt to the circumstances.

I really liked the way the author refers to the period of confinement. It is an event that has had a great impact on our lives and especially on the lives of the little ones. The fact that it is included in a children's book invites children to talk, to ask and express themselves about how they have lived it or what they have felt in an open way and without pressure.

Although it is true that the author does not go into detail as this is a children's book, she does focus and pay special attention to the way in which our lifestyle was affected. She stresses the importance of seeing change as an opportunity to do and learn new things.

After reading Edward and Annie, no child will be able to resist the urge to visit an aquarium. A highly recommended reading.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edward and Annie is a book that introduces children and their families to the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. It is a quiet day with no visitors, so Edward and Annie go on a tour of areas of their aquarium home that they have not visited before, touring with their carer, Kai. They meet other creatures that live there and learn that there is so much more to the world than their own penguin habitat. This was a cute book to learn about different animals, specifically, life in water habitats. This is a great book to read to children who are learning about habitats, or before visiting an aquarium. It is also perfect for armchair travel for children. I didn't know about their adventures online during Covid lockdown, but we watched many of their videos after reading this book and learned a lot more about the animals, especially Rockhopper Penguins. This is a fantastic book to have in public, school and classroom libraries. It is one that sparked a lot of interest in my home and has been read more that once. The Shedd Aquarium Facebook page is one we now follow.

[Daniele Kasper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Real life rockhopper penguins, Edward and Annie live at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. Children will love reading this story about these two penguins and their adventures, maybe they will have a chance to see them in real life one day if they ever visit the aquarium. Knowing the book is about real animals instead of made up characters brings a new level of excitement and delight to young readers.

The two penguins go on an adventure and explore the aquarium, meeting many of the other animals who also call Shedd their home. But there are so many strange and wonderous creatures and the two friends realize that there is so much out there they do not understand. The book shares a valuable lesson that differences are amazing and should be treasured. Just because someone is different, does not mean it is bad and that exploring something new is much more exciting when done with a friend by your side when you start to feel nervous. With an underlying lesson of tolerance, trying new things and sticking together, this is a wonderful tale for all.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is super cute and sweet and gives great insight into life at the Shedd Aquarium. The story follows two penguins who, as part of the aquarium's enrichment programming, go on an adventure exploring the aquarium. It is a great opportunity for children to learn about aquariums and positive experiences in captivity while also teaching about an important landmark. children will be drawn in by the beautiful pictures and the variety of neat animals.

As a grade 3 teacher I would absolutely purchase this book for my classroom. Parents, be warned, you will probably be asked by your children to go to the Shedd aquarium if you decide to buy this book for your kiddos, but other than that it is a fantastic and appropriate book for children in the 4-10 age range approximately. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review this wonderful book!

[Karen_RunwrightReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a children's book that i read with my 2 year old and we both enjoyed it for different reasons. She likes the gorgeous pictures of the penguins, including main characters Edward and Annie, and the other animals at the Chicago Shedd Aquarium, like otters and turtles which are animals she knows and enjoys hearing stories about. I appreciated the representation of a black woman caretaker. The storyline includes some repetition which makes it easy to emphasize the message of the story but it also has several layers of subject matter, like referencing that the exotic animals at the aquarium are not captives, but rescues, because they cannot thrive in their natural habitat. I also liked that the page format flipped at a section in the book to mirror movement within the aquarium. Such an attention grabber and my little one enjoyed that too.


I received a complimentary copy of the book from Thomas Nelson Publishers and TLC Book Tours in order to participate in a publicity tour. I was not otherwise compensated and my review reflects my honest opinion of the book.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was delightful! I really appreciate how it thoughtfully highlights the core purpose behind many zoos and aquariums - the animals in their care are ambassadors to their habitats, intended to educate and inspire respect for our world. The author shows the love and care keepers have for the animals under their care, the enrichment provided to many animals to challenge them as they would be challenged in their natural environment, in addition to a few animal rescue stories. The two penguins were so popular among families and children during pandemic, I’m so glad the author featured them and their personalities in a fun story that takes them on a journey to see new “places” and animals, all within a safe and familiar environment of Shedd Aquarium. Very fun read!

[Sara Strand · Rating 4 out of 5]

My youngest daughter absolutely LOVES penguins, so when I got a chance to review this one, I jumped at it because who doesn't love a good penguin book? While this has great illustrations, and kids will learn a thing or two while reading it, it IS kind of long. It's written in the perspective of penguins Edward and Annie as they tour the Shedd Aquarium (which is a very cool aquarium if you're ever in Chicago- highly recommend visiting!). If you have a kiddo who loves a visit to the aquarium, they will enjoy this, but maybe not as a bedtime read otherwise they'll be up long after with questions!

[joyce w. laudon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A student whom I tutor loves ks about the natural world and its creatures. She would be so delighted by this title that also delighted me.

Here is the Shedd Aquarium, a place that must be amazing in real life but that is also fun to visit in this book. As it is set during Covid, there are no people but the hope is that they will be back soon. Meanwhile, an employee travels all over the aquarium with our two penguin friends.

With vivid illustrations and helpful text, readers get to see and know many sea critters. Such a nice and informative (virtual) field trip.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

[Meg (thyme.for.books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley & Thomas Nelson!

Edward and Annie is a beautifully illustrated children’s book about a pair of penguins at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. One day Edward and Annie are taken on an adventure around the aquarium by their keeper. Their journey takes them around all and they get to see many new animals and interesting exhibits.

This is a fun book even if you have never been to the Shedd Aquarium. There are a couple pages at the end of the book about the aquarium itself.

[Theediscerning · Rating 2 out of 5]

I came here to review books, not adverts. This is gorgeous, make no mistake, but it's piffle and just an advert for a certain aquarium. Two penguins wake up to the delights of a walking tour of their home, and nowhen at all do they look at a tank of fish and think "lunch! large lunch, and lots of it!". No, they like the experience, and we gradually get the sense they've got the tour – and by design we've got the tour – because covid has locked the doors to the place. It might have been a much better entry-level guide to aquatic biology, but no, it's an advert, and a pronoun-mangling one at that. So two stars would be on the generous side were it not for the visual quality.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

All aquaria were closed to the public during Covid, and the more sentient animals had their routines almost as disrupted as the children did. Edward and Annie are Southern rockhopper penguins who live at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, Illinois and they are a bit bored. Annie wakes up and feels that something different is about to happen. Sure enough, animal care specialist Kai takes the pair on a tour of the aquarium. What fun! I missed out on an e-book through NetGalley, but I had a copy sent to family in Indianapolis and got a look at it at my local library. Wonderful book with really nifty illustrations by Katy Tanis.

[Ashley Hoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a lovely book for children. It gives a wonderful glimpse into what can be seen at the Shedd Aquarium while also overcoming difference in search of something new. On their adventure through the aquarium Annie knew something was different but she followed along seeing and learning new things despite her concern. Then once she was able to determine the difference, she continued on. The illustrations were also perfect for the story and highlighted the characters being mentioned. #EdwardandAnnie #NetGalley

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whenever we travel as a family, we like to pick up a new book or two from the places we've visited. Our girls have accrued books from many a gift shop, and I know that Edward and Annie would be a wonderful souvenir of our next adventure to the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. This beautiful picture book features bright, colorful illustrations, along with introductions to many different types of animals who call the aquarium home.


(I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a gorgeously illustrated tale of two penguins who go on an adventure in their aquarium. These rockhoppers meet several friends along the way, and enlighten the reader with animal facts as they go. Not only was this story beautiful to read, but it makes you feel nostalgia for being young and exploring new sights. The details were truly stunning, and the facts about the Shedd Aquarium were fascinating. What a delightful read. A book I will surely add to my classroom library!

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the eARC.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edward and Annie by Caryn Rivadeneira is engaging and informative! The illustrations are absolutely beautiful and detailed! I especially loved that the book was based on real quarantine excursions the penguins got to experience during Covid. How fun for the penguins! My son and I loved reading Edward and Annie. Thanks to the author and publisher as well as Shedd Aquarium for participating in the Goodreads giveaway. I was fortunate to win a copy and will keep it on my bookshelf for many years to come.

[Katie Reilley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on the real Edward and Annie at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium, this sweet story also showcases many of the wonderful, strange creatures that call the Shedd home. A note at the end teaches readers about the job of animal care specialists and explain the importance of enrichment exercises for the animals that reside at the Aquarium. Be sure to pair with the adorable YouTube videos that show Edward and Annie exploring!

[Cathyjost · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and more importantly my granddaughter who is a year old was mesmerized by the pictures. The illustrations are beautiful and colorful. I had the opportunity to visit Antarctica a few years ago and literally saw millions of penguins. They are mesmerizing to watch. Edward and Annie’s adventure taught me a few things as there adventure took them through the Aquarium. I hope to visit the aquarium some day!

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story. It is colorful and entertaining. It is about 2 penguins, Edward and Annie who go on an adventure with Kai, making this day a different day from the days before. They take an adventurous walk through the aquarium with Kai and learn about new animals living there. This book will go well with curriculum and visits to the aquarium or for a child who is experiencing changes to his normal routines.

Very lovely book!