Lost and Found

What is a boy to do when a lost penguin shows up at his door? Find out where it comes from, of course, and return it. But the journey to the South Pole is long and difficult in the boy’s rowboat. There are storms to brave and deep, dark nights.To pass the time, the boy tells the penguin stories. Finally, they arrive. Yet instead of being happy, both are sad. That’s when the boy realizes: The penguin hadn’t been lost, it had merely been lonely!

Customer Reviews:

Sweet and touching story of an unlikely friendship

By Emily K. Paster "A mom and lover of children'... - October 26, 2006

Lost and Found tells the story of a boy who finds a penguin at his door and sets about returning the penguin, whom the boy assumes is lost, to his home. Along the way, the two become friends and the boy realizes that his goal of returning the penguin to the South Pole may not be the best thing to do after all. My 3 year old daughter quite enjoys this book. There is an anxious moment when the boy can't find the penguin, but by the end, all is well. My daughter likes to talk about how that part of the book is sad, but the end is happy. This is also one of those stories where kids occupy the whole world and no grown-ups are to be found. I think that is part of the appeal for young readers.

Beautiful and Magical Book!

By nycman - May 22, 2006

Lost and Found will hopefully win many awards for this touching adventure story with themes of Love and Friendship at its core.

A boy befriends a penguin and tries to return him to his home at the South Pole. They bond and enjoy each others' companionship. They never give up on each other, even when they become separated. The boy shows surprising maturity when he realizes he made a mistake leaving the penguin and then goes back to find him. What a great lesson to learn, that it's OK to make a mistake, acknowledge it, then take action to amend it!

This story illustrates that it's the Journey, the trip along the way, not necessarily just the destination that gives life meaning and value. Furthermore, the values of friendship, companionship, and sharing come through strongly in this story.

This book also taps into classic, timeless themes of finding one's way back home, almost like a kid's version of The Odyssey.

The watercolors of the book are... read more

I am in love with this penguin!

By CherubChub - March 12, 2006

Oliver Jeffer's second book has become one of my favorite picture books ever. I recommend this for children and adults. This is a story of a boy and the penguin he finds on his doorstep. Assuming he is lost, the boy attempts to return him to the South Pole. After a long and dangerous adventure, the boy realizes that the penguin was not lost-- he was lonely and looking for a friend. Just flip to end of this book and look at the two of them hugging. Its the cutest dang 'ol thing ever.