Horn Book Review
e-book ed. 978163299637 $9.99Seu Joao lives on an island off the coast of Brazil. When an oil-soaked Magellanic penguin washes ashore, Seu Joao takes him home, cleans him with dish soap, and names him Dindim (a grandson's attempt to pronounce the Portuguese word for penguin). As Dindim rehabilitates, the pair forms an attachment, though Seu Joao, respectful of the needs of wild animals, repeatedly tries to send Dindim back to the sea. Dindim does not leave -- until one day, months later, he does. Earle's account of this true story is skillfully restrained, describing only the two characters' actions, and leaving readers to infer what human and animal feel for each other. "Seu Joao sat and drank his coffee. His lap was empty. But he remembered Dindim's silky feathers and the beat of his heart." Four months later, when Dindim amazingly returns, "the penguin waddled as fast as his little legs could carry him, right into Seu Joao's arms." Alarcao's pastel-colored illustrations capture the appeal of the people, animals, and beaches of Praia Proveta. In addition to a brief glossary, appended notes provide additional information about Seu Joao and Dindim, facts about penguins and threats to their survival, and steps that readers can take to help protect threatened species. Danielle J. FordJanuary/February 2023 p.102 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
A true and tender tale that celebrates the lasting bond that forms between a small penguin in dire straits and the man who rescued him. One day in May, Seu João finds an oil-soaked Magellanic penguin on the beach at Praia Provetá and takes him home to clean him up. He assumes the bird won't hesitate to return to the ocean, but even when fully recovered, Dindim, as he's dubbed, has different ideas. The two--one a shin-high poppet clad in formal black and white in Alarcão's pastel-hued illustrations, the other a light-skinned elder aglow with wrinkled benevolence--become constant companions…until, one hot day the following February, Dindim begins to molt and, around the time of Carnaval, doesn't come back from his accustomed swim. But then, four months later, he waddles back out of the ocean to touch his bill to a delighted Seu João's nose, and so continues an annual pattern that goes on for seven years. In group scenes the illustrator populates the warm and sandy Brazilian setting with multihued local children in animated poses and, though he portrays Dindim with plenty of personality, resists the temptation to anthropomorphize his feathered subject. Earle expands a closing note on the real Dindim with remarks about Magellanic penguins in general and environmental and other threats to them. (This book was reviewed digitally.) An episode with a strong sense of place awash in humor and heart. (glossary) (Informational picture book. 6-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
A man named Seu Joa᷉o was walking along the beach in Brazil when he found a penguin lying on the shore, coated with goo from an oil spill and barely able to move. He took the bird home and cleaned him. Neighbors came to see the penguin, soon named Dindim, and fishermen brought him fresh sardines, but he would allow only Seu Joa᷉o to pet and feed him. After two weeks, Dindim regained his health and his friend encouraged him to leave, yet Dindim stayed. Seu Joa᷉o even released him from a fishing boat far from shore, but when Seu Joa᷉o returned home, Dindim greeted him. For seven years, they lived together. Annually, the penguin left for four months, then returned just before his friend's birthday. With a master's degree in environmental education, Earle tells the story in a straightforward manner. The back matter provides information about Magellanic penguins, discusses related topics, and offers possible explanations for Dindim's annual disappearances. Alarca᷉o's appealing illustrations help children imagine the characters and settings. An engaging picture book about an unusual friendship.
