The Penguin Book of Penguins

A charming and beautifully illustrated book about the world’s most beloved bird, written by a leading Scientist at British Antarctic Survey, illustrated by his wife.

There’s something about penguins that makes them irresistible. Maybe it is their comical waddle, their black and white ‘tuxedo’ plumage, or their apparent cheerfulness in the face of extreme weather conditions. Whatever the reason, their cult following around the world is indisputable. Penguins can tell us so much about the world we live in – and what the future of both our species might look like.

In The Penguin Book of Penguins, leading British Antarctic scientist Peter Fretwell introduces us to eighteen charismatic species of penguin and the fascinating lives they lead: their evolution, behaviours and habitats, and their history with humans. From the fact that Emperor penguins dive twice as deep as any other bird to the story of a king penguin called ‘Nils Olaf’ who was made a Brigadier General by the Swedish Army, we discover through fascinating first-hand encounters (and even penguin jokes and emojis!) why penguins matter so greatly to all of us.