Meet our new penguin partner: Jonty Gentoo
05/09/2024
UKAHT has partnered with Scholastic to celebrate the launch of bestselling children’s author Julia Donaldson’s latest book about a plucky little penguin on the journey of a lifetime.
We are thrilled to announce we are the official charity partner for children’s author Julia Donaldson’s latest book, Jonty Gentoo: the Adventures of a Penguin. Julia, one of the country's best-loved picture book writers, has again teamed up with acclaimed illustrator Axel Scheffler. The pair, who have been collaborating for over 20 years, are best known for creating the unforgettable children's books, The Gruffalo, Stick Man and Zog.
Jonty Gentoo is available on the UKAHT website (Credit: Alison Green Books)
We will work together to raise awareness of gentoo penguins and their habitat with children, families and schools nationwide. On publication day (12 September), penguin experts from UKAHT joined Julia and Axel for a Scholastic Schools Live virtual event, reaching tens of thousands of children in their classrooms. They shared fun facts about the lives and habitats of gentoos to help children understand the importance of conserving Antarctic wildlife.
The Scholastic Schools Live event (Credit: Scholastic)
Postcards for Jonty competition!
Get your children drawing penguins and email their postcard-sized pictures for a chance to win. Axel Scheffler will select his 10 favourite penguin postcards that will be sent for display in Antarctica at Port Lockroy, AKA the Penguin Post Office!
Email your entries for a chance to win (Credit: UKAHT)
His overall favourite will receive a UKAHT gentoo penguin adoption pack and all 10 winners will receive a signed copy of Jonty Gentoo and a postcard sent from the gentoos in Antarctica!
Parents, carers and teachers can email entries to jonty@scholastic.co.uk by 1 Nov 2024. Entrants should be 11 or under and from the UK & Ireland.
A pole-to-pole adventure
Jonty Gentoo is a pole-to-pole adventure about a little gentoo penguin who goes on a journey of a lifetime. He is helped along the way by, among other wild creatures, a polar bear and an Arctic tern.
“We are all excited about the publication of Jonty Gentoo by Julia and Axel this autumn. Gentoo penguins are a huge part of our lives at UKAHT as we share many of our historic sites in Antarctica with them. Taking care of the Antarctic environment as well as its heritage is what we are here to do and that includes the amazing wildlife, like penguins. I am sure the gentoo rookery at Port Lockroy would be familiar to Jonty as a place he could call home. I am delighted that a whole new generation of children can explore Jonty’s world and, through us, get a glimpse into the real lives of gentoo penguins in Antarctica and the wonder of Antarctica and its heritage. My hope is that fans of Jonty will grow up to be as passionate about Antarctica as I am.”
– Camilla Nichol, CEO, UKAHT
For now, Jonty Gentoo is available on our online shop for just £12.99, making it an ideal Christmas gift.
You can also get Jonty Gentoo for half price – just £6.49 – when you adopt a penguin at the same time. When you shop with UKAHT you support our conservation work in Antarctica and help our team continue to monitor the colony at Port Lockroy.
Follow a unique colony at the end of the world
The gentoos of Port Lockroy are perhaps some of the most famous penguins in the world! The colony made their home with us on Goudier Island over 30 years ago and we have been studying and contributing to their protection ever since. Inquisitive, fluffy and funny, we love sharing their activity with everyone around the world.
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