I accidentally discovered that TURKEY ON THE RUN! is already available for preorders anywhere you buy books. I also found out I can share the cover! I can’t wait until I can share a few illustrations. It’s so fun, funny, and active!
As I was going through comments on my post about how the story that inspired my picture bookAn Old Man and His Penguin: How Dindim Made João Pereira de Souza an Honorary Penguin also inspired a movie My Penguin Friend, I discovered that a lot of people were asking about a tracker on Dindim. They didn’t have a tracker on him. But they did have a tag. The reason they tagged him was because they wanted to prove that it was the same penguin returning to João each year. Because there was not tracker, they weren’t able to follow where Dindim went when not with João. Like all those who read my post, I have trouble understanding why they didn’t put a tracker on the penguin. And like the readers of my post, I wish that they had.
Just when the movie MY PENGUIN FRIEND came out, and the softcover for AN OLD MAN AND HIS PENGUIN was selling well, things went KABLOOEY! with my publisher. I was heartbroken. Prior to that, the hardcover had been out of print for a couple of years, which made me frustrated and sad. I am so excited to share that both the hardcover and softcover are back in print and available in most places books are sold. This is such good news that I came upon this announcement that I had no part of. And I learned the book is available on Amazon both in Australia and the UK.
This is such great news for me that I have decided to celebrate by giving away a critique with a video call, which could result in a mini picture book writing lesson. To learn more about my critiques click here. Details on how to enter the drawing are at the end of this post. First, here is some information about AN OLD MAN AND HIS PENGUIN.
Winner of the Story Monsters Approved Award for Nonfiction
“A moving, affectionate, and joyful tale, all the more so for being true.”—Kirkus Reviews
“An Old Man and His Penguin holds a number of important messages about human/animal relationships, love, oil slicks and their impact on sea life, and loneliness . . . its underlying focus on letting go and reaping rewards from non-possessiveness offers an outstanding lesson about love for the very young.”— D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review
João loves Dindim like a son. Dindim loves João as if he were another penguin.
On an island off the coast of Brazil, a black blob bobs on the beach. The tarry figure shimmers and squirms in flowing sea foam.
João squints and moves closer.
Slippery. Heavy. Soaked with oil. The penguin squiggles and wiggles. It cannot stand.
João cradles the dying penguin in his arms and calls him Dindim.
So starts the poignant portrayal of an unlikely father-son relationship between an old man and his penguin.
Based on the magical true story that touched hearts across the globe in 2011 and became a movie in 2024, Alayne Kay Christian and Milanka Reardon bring this captivating story to life for young children everywhere. João and Dindim swim together, fish together, and stroll the beach together. But there are real penguins somewhere across the sea. Dindim dives deep and disappears, leaving João sad and lonely. Miraculously, Dindim returns. And the cycle repeats year after year. Still, each year, João sits on the shore wondering, waiting, and watching for his friend’s return. One day, as João loses hope, villagers tell him that the penguin will never come back. João cannot say if he will or will not. Are the villagers right? Will Dindim ever patter into his old friend’s loving arms again?
“Adults looking for an inviting animal story with an important message will welcome this appealingly different seaside tale”— D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review
“The underlying lesson about compassion and good stewardship is subtle but effective; an author’s note explains the real-life circumstances. Reardon, who also illustrated the penguin-themed Noodles’s & Albie’s Birthday Surprise (2016), deftly captures the story’s charm and expressiveness.”— Kirkus Reviews
Since January 20 is National Penguin Day, I think this is a good time to share that I have finally found the answer to the question, “Whatever happened to Dindim and João Pereira de Souza?” In case you don’t know, these are the real-life characters from my picture book AN OLD MAN AND HIS PENGUIN: HOW DINDIM MADE JOÃO PEREIRA DE SOUZA AN HONORARY PENGUIN (illustrated by Milanka Reardon).
In February 2021, I was contacted by a television production company asking about the rights to my book. They questioned (as many people have) whatever happened to Dindim? From the time I started writing the story back in 2016, I had tried to answer that question. I never had any luck. But this time, the stars were aligned and I found some answers. Once again, I reached out to João Paulo Krajewski, PhD (I never heard back from him the first time.) He is a nature and wildlife documentarian at Natural History Brazil and the person who became friends with João Pereira de Souza and his family. His interviews with Pereira de Souza and documentary about him and Dindim are how I, and the rest of the world, first learned about this unusual father-son relationship between an old man and his penguin. This time, February 2021, I got a response.
He assured me that João Pereira de Souza was fine. And then he wrote, “I contacted Mr João Pereira last year about this story. Unfortunately, Dindim has not returned to Ilha Grande since one year I’ve filmed this story (I think this was 5 years ago). Since no tracking devices have been attached to him, it’s hard to know what happened to him.”
Again, the stars aligned, and I was able to find two videos from 2020 about João still waiting on the beach for Dindim’s return. I suspect he will faithfully and lovingly continue to wait for the rest of his days. Unfortunately, João is speaking in Portuguese with no subtitles. Fortunately, I have a friend who translated the key points for me. Sofia Flores also translated the documentary for me as part of my research for the book, and she is acknowledged in the book.
Following is what Sofia shared with me. Warning: It is quite sad.
Alayne, the first video is only him saying he has been waiting for Dindim. He is talking to Dindim and asking him to come, so Joao can be happy again and play with him. He shows his 3 friends and says they are always at the sea, so Joao asks them to keep on the lookout for Dindim. In the second one, he says how much he misses him and how he wishes Dindim would come back. He is calling him and he says that he is always thinking about him. He offers him sardines and that he can come play with his dog and he can pinch his dog as usual. He says, “I am waiting for you here day and night.”
I much more prefer the ending in my book. And as I wrote in my author’s note in the book, “Like João, I dream about Dindim. I imagine that he goes to the sea to be with other penguins and one day, he will return with his children to meet their human grandfather.
I much more prefer the ending in my book. And as I wrote in my author’s note in the book, “Like João, I dream about Dindim. I imagine that he goes to the sea to be with other penguins and one day, he will return with his children to meet their human grandfather.
Following are the videos mentioned above.
Alayne Kay Christian 
