The Penguin Book of Penguins

Brought to you by Penguin.

A charming and beautifully illustrated book about the world’s most beloved bird, written by a leading scientist at The British Antarctic Survey, illustrated by his wife.

There’s something about penguins that makes them irresistible. Maybe it’s their comical waddle, their black-and-white ‘tuxedo’ plumage, or their apparent cheerfulness in the face of extreme weather conditions. Whatever the reason, their cult following around the globe is indisputable. Penguins can tell us so much about the world we live in – and what the future of both our species might look like.

In The Penguin Book of Penguins, leading British Antarctic scientist Peter Fretwell introduces us to eighteen charismatic species of penguin and the fascinating lives they lead: their evolution, behaviours and habitats, and their history with humans. From the fact that emperor penguins dive twice as deep as any other bird, to the story of a king penguin called Sir Nils Olav III who was made a Major General by the Norwegian Army, we discover through fascinating first-hand encounters (and even penguin jokes and emojis!) why penguins matter so greatly to all of us.

‘Electrifyingly charismatic’ Dan Snow, author of On This Day in History

‘The world's best-loved bird from the world's best-known publisher – what's not to like?’ Stephen Moss, author of The Bird Biography series

‘Beautifully written and illustrated’ Matt Merritt, Editor of Bird Watching

'Simply wonderful. If you like feeling joy, you'll love this book' Tristan Gooley, author of How to Read a Tree

© Peter Fretwell and Lisa Fretwell 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025