Zenguin - Perfect Picture Book Friday #PPBF

Maria Marshall
31 minutes ago
3 min read

As perennial as penguin picture books are, this book's release on January 6th was perfect timing for all those still "shell-shocked" after jumping right back into busy, boisterous schedules, after the holidays. It's a great book for anyone wishing for a little more peace and calmness in their lives.

Book cover - a meditating penguin, with a heart mark on its chest, sits on an iceberg as two other penguins watch and grin.

Zenguin

Author: Danna Smith

Illustrator: Sydney Hanson

Publisher: Workman Press

Ages: 4-8

Fiction

Themes:

Mindfulness, calming techniques, penguins, and friends.

Synopsis:

Learn about mindfulness and calm with the help of ZENGUIN!

From New York Times bestselling illustrator Sydney Hanson and Danna Smith comes a sweet and calming picture book that helps instill life skills in young readers with basic, age-appropriate concept learning.

Penguin is anxious amidst the hustle and bustle of his busy colony. He wishes to feel calm inside, but he doesn’t know how! Thankfully, a few of his Antarctica friends teach him their strategies for finding inner peace. Before long, Penguin can use his own zen techniques to handle a stressful situation, earning him his new name—Zenguin!

Opening Lines:

Penguin loved his friends in Antarctica . . .

What I LOVED about this book:

The sweet start with a sleeping penguin pile on an iceberg surrounded by softly glowing lights and jumping fish,

Internal spread - on the left a pile of five penguins snuggle together and sleep on an iceberg.

Zenguin by ©Danna Smith, ©Illustrated by Sydney Hanson, Workman Kids 2026

takes quick turn to the chaotic once everyone awakes. Gently, yet forcefully, setting up Penguin's struggle. I love how Penguin tries to use snow as earmuffs. Using a wonderful economy of text and adorable illustrations, Danna Smith and Sydney Hanson capture so much anxiety and stress. Anyone sensitive to noise and commotion will easily identify with his struggle.

Internal spread - on the left, Penguin surrounded by four, loudly squawking penguins as a little one runs up calling "pip." On the right, Penguin lying on the snow, trying use snow as an earmuff, as his little sister pats him and fills the page with "pips."

Zenguin by ©Danna Smith, ©Illustrated by Sydney Hanson, Workman Kids 2026

But sometimes, they stressed him out.

Every day, they squawked until the sun went down.

Even his little sister, Pip, was loud.

The whole colony makes noise. As Penguin's anxiety grows, so does his trigger temper. All he wanted was "to feel peaceful and calm." I appreciate that the change Penguin seeks is internal and not a change imposed upon his friends, family, or colony.

He seeks advice from some Antarctic fiends. Blue whale teaches him deep breathing (in a gorgeous, magical moment), seal introduces Penguin to yoga (highlighting hilarious poses from a penguin!), and Seagull invites Penguin to enjoy his snow garden (a southern continent "sand" garden with twig raked swirls, rocks, shells, and seaweed.).

Putting these techniques together, Penguin felt calmer and quieter, even though all around him was noisy. I love the moment of him quietly sharing a snack with a snow penguin in a swirl of the garden. Until, suddenly, his little sister, Pip, was in trouble. And more she struggled to get out of her tangles, the tighter they became.

Internal spread - on the left, penguin sits in a circle, munching a carrot, next to a snow penguin. On the right, a little penguin gets tangled in her knitting yarn..

In a touching and satisfying ending, Penguin's solution and reward, along with the stunning "wordless" spread, is touching and magical. Sure to pull on your heart and produce a bunch of sighs. The final page even includes four strategies for finding our own calm. It's a very special, heartfelt picture book, full of stunning, magical illustrations and self-care suggestions.

Resources:

check out Zenguin's coloring and maze pages.

learn to make you our "Zen space" with Zenguin and learn some special Zen Words.

make some penguin friends to practice your Zen skills with.

pair this with Clovis Keeps His Cool by Katelyn Aronson, illustrated by Eve Farb, A Morning with Grandpa by Sylvia Liu, illustrated by Christina Forshay, and Zen Shorts by Jon Muth.

If you missed my interview with Danna Smith on Monday, find it (here).

This post is part of a series of blog posts by authors and KidLit bloggers called Perfect Picture Book Fridays. For more picture book suggestions and resources see Susanna Leonard Hill's Perfect Picture Books.