In the 1970s Tom Michell was a teacher in a boarding school in Argentina. One day when at the coast, he came across the heartbreaking sight of a beach full of dead penguins, killed by a huge oil spill. Amazingly he found one penguin that wasn't dead and rescued it, calling it Juan Salvado (John the Saved) and taking it back to school with him.
This is the wonderful true story about a Magallenic penguin with a huge personality who won the hearts of everyone who met him, who became a swimming coach and the mascot for the school rugby team and helped shy students build their confidence.
Interwoven with the stories about Juan Salvador are facts and observations about marine pollution and Argentinian politics and living standards in the 1970s.
It's a wonderfully entertaining and moving read. With beautiful portraits of Juan Salvador drawn by Neil Baker.
The Penguin Lessons by Tom Michell published (2015) by Penguin.
This does sound a very good book.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan