Jonty Gentoo by Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler
Published by Alison Green Books, September 2024 

Aimed at readers aged 4-6, but as a lover of Zog and Room on the Broom, despite being well over the target age, I couldn’t resist this book. 

Julia Donaldson’s incomparable story telling and Axel Scheffler’s wonderful illustrations make this a guaranteed winner and ideal Christmas gift. 

Jonty is a Gentoo penguin living in a zoo but he wants to get to the South Pole. Unfortunately he accidentally ends up at the North Pole (easily done!). 

He’s brave and adventurous (which is fortunate given that he’s not very good at geography). Luckily, all’s well that ends well and the diversion offers an opportunity to include information about wildlife and the importance of the environment. 

An absolute delight.