Peppy and the Giant Snowball by M. D. Jones is a short story about a family of penguins. The illustrations by Jonathon Taylor are amazing and colorful and help bring the story to life. This is a fun story, but it also teaches kids that courage is important, as is family. Peppy shows that he will do whatever it takes to save his brother from danger, no matter how much danger he puts himself in. It also teaches kids to have faith, not just in themselves and their families, but in God, too. At the end of the book is a short series of "huddle up" questions, testing children on how well they understand the messages in the story and how they can show faith in their family and God. This is a wonderful story told by the author to his kids when they were young and based on real events from his own childhood - real experiences always make the best stories. Highly recommended for kids of all ages.

-Anne-Marie Reynolds for Readers' Favorite

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Outdoor fun meets family goodness and a snowy adventure with heart...and that with super, cute penguins, too.

Peppy can't wait to head outdoors with his siblings and play in the snow. They throw snowballs and have all sorts of fun. As the idea to form a huge snowball hits them, all jump in to do their part...until the ball begins to roll downhill. It's fun to watch, and the youngest of them, Bellybutton, decides to race the ball down the hill. But the snowball grows and grows and grows. If Peppy doesn't do something quick, Bellybutton's fun might turn into disaster.

This is a cute read, which is well suited for a bedtime adventure. While the penguins are adorable, and playing in the snow is inviting, it's the family warmth and goodness which makes these pages shine. The siblings get along very well, and it's hard not to want to head outdoors with them. The wholesome enjoyment of being together comes across clearly with natural flow and doesn't near preachiness. This goodness sets the stage for the later tension and allows listeners to worry about Bellybutton when the snowball situation gets out of hand. There's just enough danger to grab young readers' attentions and put them at the edge of their seat, while still never leaving what's appropriate for the age group or over-exciting them to make bedtime difficult. Instead, everything rounds off with the atmosphere of a warm hug and invites to pleasant dreams.

At the end, there are several short questions for those interested in opening up discussions or heading into a little, deeper thought.

- Bookworm for Kids