Review - Polar Opposites

Polar Opposites
by Erik Brooks
Date: 2010
Publisher: Two Lions
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 30
Format: e-book
Source: Amazon.ca

Alex is a BIG polar bear. Zina is a tiny penguin. Alex lives in the Arctic. Zina lives in the Antarctic. Alex and Zina are polar opposites! They live on opposite sides of the world. Their personalities are very different, too. But they find a way to meet in the middle. Erik Brooks’s simple text and vibrant watercolor illustrations bring opposites to life in this lively look at two unusual best friends.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This adorable picture book would be great for teaching children about the concept of opposites! Alex and Zina are different in almost every way, but they're still great friends. Their friendship seems to be based mostly on letters, but as the book progresses, we start to get hints that the two pals are up to something.

The illustrations are really cute. Alex is a great big brute of a polar bear, complete with a black tongue. Zina is a little penguin, dainty and refined. The watercolour illustrations are really charming, and I enjoyed turning the pages in anticipation of what I was going to see next. The last few pages are especially sweet.

I can't find much to complain about here. Polar Opposites is a really cute book that helps teach a concept while also serving up an adorable story about friendship.

Quotable moment:

Premise: 5/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 5/5

Overall: 4.5 out of 5