A review by tashrow
Up and Down by Oliver Jeffers

4.0

Jeffers continues his story of the friendship between a boy and penguin in this fourth book about the boy. The boy and the penguin are great friends. They do everything together. But when the penguin decided that he had to learn to fly, he knew he had to do it on his own. The boy tried to help, looking up information and trying to connect the penguin with flying experts. But when the penguin figures out a solution, he heads off immediately to make it happen. The boy had no idea where the penguin went. The penguin finds himself alone and lost, unable to get in touch with his friend. When the boy discovers where the penguin is, the question is whether he will be able to reach him in time to see his friend succeed or fall.

This book is written with the same charming simplicity of the earlier books. There is such a gentle and loving spirit to these books. Yet they still have a spirit of adventure and surprise. The friendship between the two characters is strong and true, supporting one another even if the other friend needs to do something on their own. This is a touching story of real friendship.

Jeffers’ illustrations are done in the same style as the earlier books in the series. They are done in a modern style that is infused with warmth from the charm of the characters and the bright colors.

A fitting follow-up to Lost and Found, this book will appeal to fans of Jeffers and to new readers as well. Appropriate for ages 4-6.