I loved the idea behind this book and the great illustrations. Chilly da Vinci tells the story of a penguin, who theoretically emulates Leonardo da Vinci as an inventor. Unfortunately, one of his inventions puts him and his friends in danger by mistake, calving the iceberg on which they live. Chilly has to invent/build something else to save them and get them safely back to the other penguins. ( )

Chilly da Vinci was not at all what I was expecting, and if there was any correlation between him and Leonardo da Vinci, it wasn't obvious. We start the book with Chilly's inventions breaking apart and sinking into the ocean, which is terrible for the creatures that live there. One, there's pollution. Two, any of those parts could end up killing an animal, or making their existence extremely painful. Also, you have to suspend all belief, because where is Chilly getting all of these parts in the first place? They're stranded on an iceberg, yet he manages to build giant, non-working machines.

Chilly also talks down about himself, saying his "brain is full of seawater", and his sketchbook is "full of goof-ups". I want the characters in children's books to have confidence, so they're setting a good example for the spongey minds reading them. It's okay for characters to feel flawed and inadequate, if that's what the story is focusing on, but Chilly just had a negative personality. He doesn't get encouragement from his friends, or think positively about himself when something does work out.

Chilly's terminology for things made very little sense, and confusing language isn't something you want in a children's book. Additionally, the wording was weird, and the story felt jagged and disorganized. The imagery was also confusing. I think at times we were supposed to be seeing what Chilly was imagining, and not what was happening in reality. People were wanting his autograph at one point, although I'm not sure why, or what it had to do with the story. Maybe because he hoped to be a famous inventor? Honestly, I have no idea. Chilly's goals and aspirations were unclear, and his character left a lot to be desired.

Someone named Vinnie is throwing things and Chilly and being a bully, but again... where are all these things coming from? I wish the other penguins would have been discussed more, and that the bullying would have been addressed. Instead, Chilly thinks about leaving Vinnie behind when they make their escape, which is not what you want to teach a child. I wish the main character had been more compassionate and included the other penguins that were trapped with him. (Side note: He does take Vinnie with them, but only because Vinnie offered something in exchange. Fritters, I think. We should be teaching children to show kindness regardless of what the other person has done, and that they shouldn't need to be bribed into doing the right thing.)

"Note: I am terrible at thinking. I should do it less." Seriously? We should want to encourage more thinking, not less. The humor wasn't humorous, and the story wasn't environmentally friendly. "I'll use leather for the wings so they won't tear. And I'll use bones." An animal is wanting to use another animal's skin for his project? It felt wrong. Also, Chilly said he doesn't eat fish, only kelp, so I'm assuming he's a vegetarian...but one that has no qualms about using other aspects of animals for his inventions. It just didn't make sense.

Chilly da Vinci was a random assortment of nonsense that left me feeling frustrated and annoyed. Chilly's failed projects polluted the water near his home, so I'm sure that will impact the food supply his family and friends need to survive. There is no character development, and Chilly seems very judgmental of those around him. I dislike how negative he was in general, especially about himself, and believe that sets a bad example for children. They're in danger the entire book, but I never felt a sense of urgency. I would not recommend this book for children, and I'm glad I decided to read it on my own before sharing it with my kids.

I originally received this book from NetGalley, but the formatting was too difficult to read on my iPad. I stumbled across this book at a store, and decided to give it a shot. My thoughts and opinions are my own. ( )

Chilly da Vinci is not your normal everyday penguin. He is an inventor. The only problem is, like most inventors, not all his inventions work the way he hopes. When one of them sends him and his friends floating on a large chunk of ice in the sea with a hungry orca nearby, he frantically tries to find a way to get them safely home. Throughout the book there are sketches of his inventions done on the yellow paper with faded lead similar to what you find in books about Leonardo da Vinci. The book shows those young inventors out there that it is okay to have an unsuccessful invention, but it does not mean that you should give up trying. A cute little book. The penguins however, don't look a lot like any penguin I have seen. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley. ( )

An enchanting story of a bird that will just not give up. One of his crazy inventions strands him and some friends on a small iceberg, and maybe one of his inventions can help them escape. The illustrator does a masterful job with mixing drawings that remind a reader of Leonardo Da Vinci works, and the fun of a crazy penguin story. All over a fun book that kids will want to read again and again. ( )

Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. ( )