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by Diane M. Shampine (Author), Chris Corsi (Illustrator)
From the beginning, adults and children can easily relate to the characters of Nikko's and His Remarkable New Friends. Many children today live with a variety of health conditions and/or physical limitations. They struggle with the feeling of being imperfect or different and not being socially accepted by their peers or others. They do not understand that we each have our own unique challenges, whether seen or unseen. Even with those challenges, we can accomplish great things.
Nikkos, a young Humboldt penguin feels different because he can't walk and play like the other penguins. Although his mother Prancy, encourages and tells him how special he is, Nikkos always felt sad and alone. It's not until he meets other penguins with challenges of their own, he recognizes everyone is actually different and it is the belief in oneself that matters most.
