After laying her first egg, a young female emperor penguin sets off for open sea—and food. Once there, she travels more than 930 miles as she hunts and feeds to build up her reserves. “Then one day, at the beginning of August, as the ruby red sun peeks above the horizon, the young female leaves the sea. A feeling deep inside her tells her it is time to go.” Sandra Markle chronicles a female emperor’s journey from the time she lays her egg to the moment she returns and is reunited with her mate and now-hatched chick. Her poetic narrative admirably refrains from giving the penguins human emotions. Instead, she applies her artfulness to wonderful imagery of the environment they inhabit, which are in turn reflected in Alan Marks’s watercolor and ink illustrations. (Ages 4–7)

Acclaimed nonfiction author Sandra Markle presents the daring story of a mother emperor penguin's struggle to reach the sea, find food, avoid predators, and make her way back to her mate and their newborn chick before they starve. Alan Marks' luminous illustrations highlight the harsh conditions and stunning landscapes of Antarctica.