A Very Special Penguin

About the Book

P>Peter is just like every other penguin on the iceberg. He's black and white, has webbed feet, and waddles side to side-just like every other penguin. "A Very Special Penguin" chronicles Peter's struggle with "sameness". His attempts at being different are amusing and heartwarming, but always a failure. In the end, Peter discovers that it is not what he looks like, but how he acts, that sets him apart from all the other penguins.

-Claudia Toenies-author

Janes Bates-illustrator

About the Author

Claudia Toenies was born and raised in New York City. She graduated from Hunter College in 1969, and received her Master’s Degree in Elementary Education from Dowling College in 1977.

            Claudia taught junior-senior high school in Manorville, N.Y. for eleven years while also raising her three children-Claudine, Tammy and Joseph Matthew.

            In 1986 she and her husband, Stephen, moved to Houston, Missouri where they had a small horse farm. Claudia continued her teaching career in Houston where she taught second grade and coordinated the Parent’s As Teachers program for nineteen years.

            After 30 years in education, she and her husband retired to Silver City, New Mexico where they currently reside.

            “A Very Special Penguin” was originally written while Claudia was teaching second grade. With no one to illustrate her manuscript, the book sat idle until date would unite her with Jane Bates, a friend and comember of the Church of the Good Shepherd.

            Plans are in the works for a sequel to “A Very Special Penguin”. Be looking in the near future for this team to have another heartwarming tale of Peter’s personal struggles.

-Claudia Toenies-author

About the Illustrator: 

Jane grew up in Bozeman, Montana.  She married her husband, Tom, a career Army officer, and has lived in many different places around the world, including Germany, Panama, Korea, Argentina and Ecuador.  Several years ago, Jane retired as a clinical mental health counselor (working primarily with children and their families) and currently lives with her husband in Silver City, New Mexico.  Retirement has allowed Jane more time to devote to art.  She has BA in art and A Very Special Penguin is the third book she has illustrated.