Auniqueandmovingreal-lifestoryoftheextraordinarybondbetweenayoungteacherandapenguin,thisbookwilldelightreaderswholovedMarley&Me,DeweytheLibraryCat,TheGoodGoodPig,andanybookbyJonKatz.In1975,twenty-three-year-oldEnglishmanTomMichellfollowshiswanderlusttoArgentina,wherehebecomesassistantmasterataprestigiousboardingschool.ButMichell’sadventuresreallybeginwhen,onaweekendinUruguay,herescuesapenguincoveredinoilfromanoceanspill,cleansthebirdup,andattemptstoreturnhimtothesea.Thepenguinrefusestoleavehisrescuer’sside.“Thatwasthemomentatwhichhebecamemypenguin,andwhateverthefutureheld,we’dfaceittogether,“saysMichellinthischarmingmemoir.MichellnamesthepenguinJuanSalvador(“JohnSaved“),butJuanSalvador,asitturnsout,istheonewhosavesMichell.AfterMichellsmugglesthebirdbacktoArgentinaandintohiscampusapartment,wordspreadsabouttheyoungEnglishman’sunusualroommate.JuanSalvadorissuddenlythecenterofattention--asmascotoftherugbyteam,confidanttothedormhousekeeper,co-hostofMichell’sparties,andanunprecedentedswimmingcoachtoashyboy.EventhroughthecollapseofthePer籀nistgovernmentandamidthecountry’seconomicandpoliticalstrife,JuanSalvadorbringsjoytoeveryonearoundhim--especiallyMichell,whoconsiderstheaffectionateanimalacompadreandkindredspirit.Wittyandheartwarming,ThePenguinLessonsisaclassicinthemaking,astorythatisbothabsurdandwonderful,exactlylikeJuanSalvador.PraiseforThePenguinLessons“Ilovedthisbook,andyouwill,too!It’sascharming,heartwarming,andsurprisingasapenguinonaroofterrace.What’smore,ThePenguinLessonsteachesanimportanttruth:thatasingleactofcompassioncanberepaidathousand-fold.“--SyMontgomery,authorofTheGoodGoodPigandtheNationalBookAwardfinalistTheSoulofanOctopus“[TomMichell’s]tonesuitsthematerialperfectly....Youbelieveeveryword....Nofool,thispenguin.Nofools,thesepublishers,whohaveunleashedsuchadelightfulandcharmingbookjustintimeforChristmas.“--DailyMail(U.K.)“Heart-warmingisawhollyinadequatephrasetodescribethiscaptivatingstorythatispuredelightfrombeginningtoend.“--TheBookseller(U.K.)
