A unique and moving real-life story of the extraordinary bond between
a young teacher and a penguin, this book will delight readers who loved
Marley & Me, Dewey the Library Cat, The Good Good Pig, and any book by
Jon Katz.
In 1975, twenty-three-year-old Englishman Tom Michell follows his
wanderlust to Argentina, where he becomes assistant master at a
prestigious boarding school. But Michell's adventures really begin when,
on a weekend in Uruguay, he rescues a penguin covered in oil from an
ocean spill, cleans the bird up, and attempts to return him to the sea.
The penguin refuses to leave his rescuer's side. "That was the moment at
which he became my penguin, and whatever the future held, we'd face it
together," says Michell in this charming memoir.
Michell names the penguin Juan Salvador ("John Saved"), but Juan
Salvador, as it turns out, is the one who saves Michell.
After Michell smuggles the bird back to Argentina and into his campus
apartment, word spreads about the young Englishman's unusual roommate.
Juan Salvador is suddenly the center of attention--as mascot of the
rugby team, confidant to the dorm housekeeper, co-host of Michell's
parties, and an unprecedented swimming coach to a shy boy. Even through
the collapse of the Perónist government and amid the country's economic
and political strife, Juan Salvador brings joy to everyone around
him--especially Michell, who considers the affectionate animal a
compadre and kindred spirit.
Witty and heartwarming, The Penguin Lessons is a classic in the
making, a story that is both absurd and wonderful, exactly like Juan
Salvador.
Praise for The Penguin Lessons
"I loved this book, and you will, too! It's as charming, heartwarming,
and surprising as a penguin on a roof terrace. What's more, The Penguin
Lessons teaches an important truth: that a single act of compassion can
be repaid a thousand-fold."--Sy Montgomery, author of The Good Good
Pig and the National Book Award finalist The Soul of an Octopus
"[Tom Michell's] tone suits the material perfectly. . . . You believe
every word. . . . No fool, this penguin. No fools, these publishers, who
have unleashed such a delightful and charming book just in time for
Christmas."--Daily Mail (U.K.)
"Heart-warming is a wholly inadequate phrase to describe this
captivating story that is pure delight from beginning to end."--The
Bookseller (U.K.)
