8 BOOKS WE'RE LOVING NOW

READING INSPIRATION

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MEMOIR

The Penguin Lessons by Tim Michell

I admit I've never been much of a bird lover. Puffins, pigeons, parakeets, penguins...I could take them or leave them,” says Kristina Mastrocola, FIRST Senior Editor. “But when I saw a movie trailer for a British dramedy called The Penguin Lessons, hitting theaters this April, I thought I should give the birds another chance. So I picked up the memoir upon which the movie is based—and I'm so glad I did.”

This is the charming true story of Englishman Tom Michell, who travels to South America in 1975 to teach at a prep school. On a weekend trip to the sea, he saves a penguin covered in oil. He names the bird Juan Salvador and the two form an unlikely bond as the penguin refuses to leave his rescuer’s side. When Michell brings Juan back to school with him, the penguin becomes a campus hero, taking on the unlikely roles of therapist, confidant and coach to the student body.

“I always smile when I see a bumper sticker about pet adoption that reads: ‘Who saved who?’ But I never thought it could apply to a penguin,” says Kristina. “This sweet story is a lovely reminder that all animals have the power to teach us about what it means to be human.” (Ballantine, 2015)

HISTORICAL MYSTERY

The Cliffs by J. Courtney Sullivan

“Sullivan's