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Most people do not imagine penguins nesting beneath desert cacti or swimming around a subtropical island.
Dunedin author Danni Rae reveals a range of penguin habitats in her new children’s book, Lulu the Little Blue Penguin, which launches on Monday.
After a storm blows Lulu off course, the lost bird must trek around the world to find her way home.
She crosses oceans and deserts to icy landscapes and remote islands, meeting her penguin cousins along the way.
“Everyone thinks of penguins and automatically usually thinks of Antarctica, but only two of the 18 penguin species actually live on the Antarctic continent,” Rae said.
“And it might come as a little bit of a surprise for kids to learn that you find penguins in the Galapagos Islands.”
Her background working as a zookeeper and as a wildlife biologist shapes her storytelling.
“I had the privilege of being able to work with a huge variety of species and be involved in a lot of conservation work within the zoo, but also with our field conservation partners.”
Her books combine her love of both animals and literature.
“I was a reader before I was a writer.
“The books are kind of my two passions coming together.”
The new release is the fourth in a series for children aged 3 to 6, each title focussing on a single animal.
“One of the inspirations for Lulu the Little Blue Penguin is the fact I am now working as a wildlife biologist with Blue Penguins Pukekura out on the Otago Peninsula.”
To produce the story with publisher Little Love, she sent location photographs and layout notes to Waipū-based illustrator Evan Heasman, who painted each element before layering the pages digitally.
“He is absolutely fabulous . . . he is magic.”
Rae introduces new words to build vocabulary and includes a fact sheet at the back explaining how families can care for local wildlife.
“I really want kids to know that it doesn’t matter how young you are, you can make a difference.
“There’s little things that you can do that can help protect little blue penguins in your local coastlines or your local areas as well,” she said.
- The Star has one copy of Lulu the Little Blue Penguin to give away. To enter the draw, email competitions@thestar.co.nz with your name and postal address and the answer to this question before noon on Wednesday, November 4: How many of the 18 penguin species actually live on the Antarctic continent?
Lulu the Little Blue Penguin is written by Danni Rae and illustrated by Evan Heasman. Graphic: Supplied