The Accidental Penguin Hotel by Andrew Kelly

The Accidental Penguin Hotel Reviews

• 
  Laura Farrington

  Lovely story, a bit subtle and quiet, the story is not really exciting or emotion provoking, however it is beautiful and soft. Great for bedtimes, not so much for a big story group - unless there was a specific Penguin theme. Loved the idea of the penguin needing to find a space to make his nest and taking that leap to nest somewhere new. 'build it and they shall come' so to speak. Loved the illustrations portraying how close to the city they actually are, and how native animals can adapt.
  4 stars.
• 
  Catherine

  Author: Andrew Kelly
  Illustrator: Dean A. Jones
  Age Recommendation: Kinder, Early Primary
  Art Style: Near photo-realistic, computer-generated
  Topic/ Theme: The St Kilda Penguin Colony
  Setting: St Kilda, Victoria

  Oh man this is so cute. The illustrating style used by Jones is stunning for this. He gives the penguins so much character, you can almost see expressions on their adorable little faces and in their bodies. From determination to satisfaction to adoration. The work with lighting is wonderful it's so diverse from brilliant bright light to almost total darkness to a single point of light needing a lot of detail.

  The wording is effective. This colony was something I knew nothing about, especially the origins of it. It was interesting to see how a colony starts at all. I live in Victoria and have of course done the Penguin Parade at Phillip Island which does make an appearance in the book. These penguins started at that colony before the St Kilda colony was started. We don't talk about other penguins. On penguins in general there is a decent information section on penguins at the back. Which I really quite like. This is a lovely book that I really recommend even if just for the illustrations alone.
• 
  Jennie

  Based in a real event, Kelly recounts the events surrounding a male penguin unable to find space to build a burrow and then woo a female penguin in the overcrowded colony on Philip Island off the Victorian coast. What follows is an imaginative but believable interpretation of how the penguin landed on St Kilda Beach after feeding in the Port Philip Bay rather than returning to the Island. His quest for a burrow, a mate and then the establishment of a small colony is simply told in bold text in different colours to contrast with the strong and vibrant page spreads. Dean Jones's illustrations are captivating - strong lines, bold colours and then touches of light to add poignancy to some of the scenes.
  A remarkable story in a remarkable package.
• 
  Sally

  Lovely story of the development of a fairy penguin colony on the break wall at St Kilda.
• 
  Isa Rive

  The beautiful illustrations are the highlight of this book. I was briefly baffled thinking it was set at St Kilda, Dunedin and wondering where the high rises had appeared from. (There are penguins in the locale). But having also lived in Melbourne and visited Phillip Island, I quickly reoriented my geography. The narrative is a little lacking in drama but it is peacefully told. Lovely for kids who are fascinated by these little birds and know the area especially.