The Waiter and the Penguin

From the moment the two of them meet, it’s clear that this is anything but love at first sight. When the penguin greets the waiter, the waiter does not reply. He merely points at the signs around the entrance indicating that pets are not allowed. The penguin is not impressed. ‘Do I look like a pet?’ he asks, pushing the waiter aside and waddling through the doorway.

Children's books
Authors
Joukje Akveld, Jan Jutte
Original title
De ober en de pinguïn
Year of publication
2024
Page count
76
Publisher
Lannoo

5+

  • Two very strong protagonists

  • Sublime, wryly comical dialogue

Joukje Akveld skilfully crafts the comical dialogues and the charming conclusion, as thepenguin plays a joke on the waiter and their roles are reversed. And make no mistake. With great subtlety,their playful and amusing clashes touch upon important subjects such as friendship, decency and prejudice.

Jan Jutte’s cartoonish black-and-white drawings with pinkish accents are bursting with subtle emotion and humour. With a single glance, a tremble of the hand or a meaningful gesture, Jutte perfectly captures the characters’ thoughts. It’s as if he took a snapshot at exactly the right moment in each scene.

Joukje Akveld
Joukje Akveld (b. 1974) is a writer and journalist and lives in South Africa. She writes picture books and non-fiction about animals and the human–wildlife conflict, such as 'Een aap op de wc' (2015) and 'Wij waren hier eerst' (2017), both of which won Zilveren Griffel awards. Akveld’s style is marked by her quirky and critical perspective and her sparkling use of language.
Jan Jutte
Jan Jutte (b.1953) has won the prestigious Gouden Penseel, the most important Dutch prize for illustrated children’s books, three times, including for 'Een muts voor de maan' (2004), which he wrote with Sjoerd Kuyper.
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