Macaroni ( Eudyptes chrysolophus)- Macaroni penguins are the most abundant of all the penguins. The most southerly distributed crested penguin, they live along the coasts of sub-Antarctic islands and the Antarctic Peninsula. The lifespan of a Macaroni penguin spans from 8 to 15 years. Macaroni prefer krill but will also eat small fish and squid. They are roughly 27.5 inches (70 cm) in height and between 8 to 14 pounds (3.7-6.4 kg) in weight. A penguin’s feathers serve to regulate body temperature, increase aerodynamic efficiency underwater, and defend against the elements. Beyond providing insulation, feathers can also minimize drag by trapping bubbles against their body and then releasing them during a dive. A diving penguin emits a visible trail of bubbles as it moves through the water. Penguins take great care of their feathers, often preening three hours a day. An oil secreting gland, the uropygial gland, lies at the base of a penguin’s tail and dispenses water-repelling and microbial deterring oil that a penguin then physically spreads over its body. Follow the life of a little penguin in this extraordinary picture book. Watch as the little penguin hatches from an egg between his father’s feet, faces natural predators, survives in the harsh, icy climate, and finally cradles an egg between his feet, where his own little penguin hatches.

Contrary to popular belief, only five penguin species ever set foot on the icy Antarctic continent and only two, the Adélie and emperor, live there exclusively. In fact, penguins inhabit a very diverse array of environments. The Humboldt penguin of Chile and Peru lives on the shores of the Atacama Desert, the driest desert in the world where temperatures can reach around 70°F (21°C). The yellow-eyed penguins of Enderby Island off New Zealand burrow under the trees of the dwarf rata forests. Each penguin species is uniquely adapted to its home environment. On average, penguins dive to depths between 30 and 60 feet (9 and 18 m). The smaller species of penguin tend to feed at the surface of the water, but larger penguins like the king penguin frequently dive to 300 feet (91 m), and emperor penguins can reach depths around 1,700 feet (518 m). A 2018 study measured an emperor penguin diving for over 32 minutes—the longest recorded avian dive to date. A clear, compelling guide to some of the most pressing debates in technology today.” —Bill Gates, from the foreword Casual readers who know Microsoft primarily for Windows, Office and maybe Xbox will be surprised by the level of insight Smith brings to some of the biggest issues facing not just the industry but humanity. [ Tools and Weapons] is written for a mass market, not just tech and policy wonks. It offers a framework for everyday readers to understand and think about the implications of powerful new forms of technology. . . . It’s full of behind-the-scenes anecdotes, from internal Microsoft meetings to high-level sessions at the Obama and Trump White Houses. It makes ample use of historical references to put modern trends and technologies in context.”— GeekWire Whether you go for something humorous or a story that’s inspiring, we hope that you found this list of books about penguins useful and that your young readers will love them too.Only a tad bigger than a bowling pin, little penguins (sometimes called fairy penguins) are the smallest penguin species in the world. These petite paddlers make their homes along the coast of southern Australia, with colonies located on Montague Island and Sydney’s Manly Beach in NSW, the St Kilda breakwater in Melbourne, Victoria’s Phillip Island and the aptly-named Penguin Island in WA (among others).

A tornado of sardines swirls around diver and photographer Erwin Poliakoff in the Philippines. (Erwin Poliakoff) Each morning, little penguins will leave their burrow to spend the day fishing at sea. Over the day, they’ll travel up to 20km in search of fish, cephalopods and crustaceans. After dusk, they return home in “rafts” and scurry across the beach in a “penguin parade”. Most little penguin colonies are located on offshore islands, where they are somewhat safer from introduced predators like cats and foxes. Uncontrolled dogs also pose a threat to little penguins, as does human disturbance. Eradication programmes and specially-trained guard dogs are some of the ways we’re trying to protect these pint-sized penguins. King penguin Adélie ( Pygoscelis adeliae)- The Adélie penguin is one of two penguins to nest exclusively on Antarctic shores, the only other penguin to do so is the formidable emperor penguin. An ice-dependent species, they rely on the ice for foraging, often trapping prey under ice floes (sheets of ice that jigsaw the ocean surface) and resting on top of them to avoid predators. Populations are on the decline on the northern Antarctic Peninsula, where air temperatures significantly increased in the latter half of the 20th century due to climate change. Breeding season begins in October, with eggs hatching after 35 days of incubation. They rely heavily on Antarctic krill but also eat fish, crustaceans, and other krill species. The birds stand at 27 inches (70 cm) and weigh up to 12 pounds (6.5 kg).Gilbert the penguin has always wanted to fly. But with only small, fluffy wings as his aid, learning to fly is a bigger challenge than he ever thought it would be. The other penguins tell Gilbert there’s no use, and that he’ll never be able to fly, but Gilbert is determined and won’t let any obstacle stand in his way. The endearing and charismatic portrayal of penguins permeates through mainstream media—in books, movies, comic strips and video games.

In the Australian realm, macaroni penguins are found on Heard Island and McDonaldIslands. Although macaroni penguins are the most numerous penguin species in the world, their numbers are declining. Scientists aren’t sure exactly why, but climate change may be affecting the abundance and distribution of their favoured prey. Industrial fishing for finfish and krill is another potential factor. Adélie penguinAs krill fishing in the Southern Ocean increases due to the demand for Omega-3 oil used in supplements, scientists worry the removal could impact the higher trophic levels that include penguins, seals, and whales. The impact of the krill fishery is under close watch by scientists and the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), which was established in 1982 to regulate krill harvesting in the Southern Ocean. An acute sensitivity to sound may be a defense penguins employ in the face of predators like orcas and leopard seals. One study showed even when asleep, king penguins could distinguish between predatory sounds and harmless sounds. In the presence of an orca call penguins flee upon awakening. Similar to migratory birds, penguins may rest only one half of their brain while the other stays vigilant, constantly monitoring the surroundings for possible threats. Yellow-Eyed ( Megadyptes antipodes)- Yellow-eyed penguins are the most private of all penguins, preferring to nest out of sight from other penguins. They often forgo parental duties if they are within eyesight of other nesting couples. For this reason they often nest among the tree trunks of the dwarf rata forests on the islands off of New Zealand where they are native. The breeding season is particularly long, lasting from August to February. Egg incubation alone can take up to two months. They weigh between 5 and 5.5 pounds (2.3-2.5 kg) and reach heights of 65 cm (25 inches).

King penguins forage for fish at the Antarctic Polar Front – a region rich in tasty lanternfish, the kings’ preferred food. They will dive up to 100 times per day, reaching speeds of 12km/h in pursuit of a meal. King penguins have been observed diving to depths greater than 300m, and in excess of nine minutes. For penguin species living in Antarctica, climbing temperatures due to climate change may be altering their living environment at a rate too fast for penguins to adapt. A study released in June 2016 predicts that by the end of the 21st century roughly 60 percent of Adélie penguin colonies in Antarctica will be decreasing in size because of changing climate. Another study predicts emperor penguin populations will also decline on average by about 19 percent during the same timeframe—with two thirds of the 45 known colonies experiencing declines greater than 50 percent. The colony featured in The March of the Penguins is one such colony. Experts warn at this rate the species could be headed for extinction. Snares Crested ( Eudyptes robustus)-Snares crested penguins live on the isolated and densely forested Snares Islands, a group of small islands roughly 60 miles (100 km) south of New Zealand. They inhabit the most restricted area out of all the penguins and eat squid and small fish. The birds breed under the protection of the Olearia forests in nests of peat, pebbles, and brush beginning in September. Two eggs are laid a few days apart and hatch between 31 and 37 days later. Snares crested penguins reach sexual maturity at age 6 and may live up to their early 20s. They stand at 22 inches (56 cm) and weigh between 6 and 10 pounds (2.7 to 4.5 kg) Feather color is another indicator of male health. Birds in general display the health of their immune systems in what is called an honest signal. Color for feathers is costly since the yellow orange pigments, carotenoids, are also used within the immune system to fight infection. Bright plumage means a healthy bird. However, historically this principle was found in sexually dimorphic birds, where males and females are physically different. Penguins are monomorphic, it’s even difficult for experts to tell the sexes apart. Even so, experiments where king penguin plumage was altered showed that the altered feather colors significantly reduced the ability of males to pair with a mate but not females. A group of oiled penguins on the Eastern shore of South Africa's Robben Island. The penguins were contaminated by a spill off the island's coast.Sea Secrets: Tiny Clues to a Big Mystery by Mary M. Cerullo and Beth Simmons, illustrated by Kirsten Carlson (ages 5-10) Tuxedoed birds with endearing personalities, penguins are fascinating to young and old alike. Clumsy and comical on land, they become beautifully graceful swimmers below the ocean’s waves. Although the various species of penguins look similar, the largest penguin, the emperor, stands at 4 foot, 5 inches (1.35 meters) and the smallest penguin, the fairy or little, stands at about a foot tall (.33 meters).