Author Profile
Helen Lester
30 Books
Helen Lester is an American children's author who creates funny, character-driven picture books about lively animals learning gentle lessons. She is best known for her stories about Tacky the Penguin, an unconventional bird whose unique quirks constantly save the day, and Hooway for Wodney Wat, a tale about a shy rodent finding his voice. Her books feature playful language and reassuring themes about courage, kindness, and the importance of being exactly who you are. Teaming up with her long-time illustrator collaborator, she crafts stories that deliver laughs while helping children navigate social situations.
Helen Lester is known for writing incredibly funny stories, but her journey to becoming a successful author was filled with challenges. In this true story, she looks back at her childhood struggles with writing and the many hurdles she had to overcome. She openly shares her silly mistakes, the frustration of having her early work rejected, and the joy of finally holding her published book. Packed with humor and excellent tips for young writers, this biography shows that making mistakes is just part of the creative process.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
32 Pages
Princess Penelope has terrible manners and demands perfection from everyone around her. When she receives a beautiful new parrot, she instantly orders the bird to speak. The stubborn parrot refuses to say a single word, causing Penelope to throw a tantrum and call the poor bird terrible names. But parrots are excellent listeners. When the handsome Prince Percival arrives at the castle to meet Penelope, she quickly hides the quiet bird away. She attempts to act like a perfectly polite princess, completely unaware that her parrot has finally decided to open its beak.
6-8 Years
32 Pages
The Wizard, the Fairy, and the Magic Chicken are three incredibly proud spellcasters. Each one is absolutely convinced they are the greatest magician in the entire world. To prove their power, they begin a fierce competition, throwing reckless spells to see who can create the most impressive magic. Their bragging quickly gets out of control when they accidentally summon a horde of hairy, bumpy monsters. Running for their lives, the three rivals must drop their pride and combine their magic if they want to survive the disaster they created.
6-8 Years
32 Pages
Twitchly Fidget is a small lemur who spends his entire life worrying. He refuses to eat cereal, wear his sneakers, or attend parties because his vivid imagination instantly creates a terrifying disaster for every situation. Deciding the world is just too dangerous, he hides alone inside his dark, doorless hut to wait for the worst to happen. Then his bright and energetic Aunt Bridget Fidget drops in for a surprise visit. She refuses to let him hide forever and sets out to show Twitchly how to properly handle his fears.
6-8 Years
32 Pages
Wodney Wat is a sweet rodent who struggles to pronounce his R sounds. When he receives a special talking robot for his birthday, he is thrilled to have a new toy that might just help him practice his speech. His peaceful days at school are interrupted when Camilla Capybara, the biggest and meanest bully in class, returns to cause trouble. Camilla thinks she can pick on everyone, but she has never met a robot quite like Wodney's new friend. You will cheer for Wodney as he discovers that being clever and brave is much more important than being big. This funny school story shows how brains can easily outsmart brawn.
6-8 Years
37 Pages
Tacky is not your average, sleek, and graceful penguin. While his friends Goodly, Lovely, Angel, Neatly, and Perfect prefer doing things properly, Tacky marches to the beat of his own drum. Now, the iceberg-wide Penguin Cheering Contest is approaching, and his team desperately wants to win those shiny first-place bow ties. His friends worry that Tacky's clumsy moves and loud voice will ruin their perfectly synchronized routine. You will watch Tacky practice hard to learn the routine, but when the big day finally arrives, he simply cannot help adding his own unique flair. This hilarious story proves that sometimes a little bit of silly originality is exactly what a team needs to stand out.
6-8 Years
32 Pages
Tacky the penguin is looking for a relaxing day of sailboarding, but a sudden gust of wind blows him completely off course. He washes up on a warm, tropical island that is very different from his icy home. Wearing his favorite floral Hawaiian shirt, Tacky catches the eye of an elephant who mistakes him for a beautiful bouquet of flowers. The elephant decides Tacky will make the perfect table centerpiece and refuses to let him go. You will laugh out loud as Tacky uses all of his wackiest penguin moves to prove he is a real bird, not a plant. This silly jungle mix-up brings a hilarious tropical twist to Tacky's usual snowy adventures.
6-8 Years
36 Pages
Murdley Gurdson is a boy who just cannot catch a break. He accidentally squeezes toothpaste everywhere, breaks fragile vases, and trips straight into wastepaper baskets. Even worse, whenever something goes wrong, it is almost always his own fault. But everything changes during a simple walk when a bird suddenly drops an egg right onto his head. For once, Murdley is absolutely certain that this messy disaster is not his fault, and he sets out to find out who is truly to blame. You will follow along on his hilarious quest to discover exactly how this gooey accident happened. This silly story is a funny look at how one little mistake can lead to a giant chain reaction.
6-8 Years
40 Pages
The Champs are a baseball team looking for a fresh start. After finishing in last place the previous year, they are ready to turn their luck around on opening day. Suddenly, a wombat from Australia wanders onto the field. The team happily welcomes the new player, hoping he will be a powerful hitter. However, the wombat has never seen a baseball game before and takes all the sports language literally. When the coach tells him to steal third base, he causes hilarious chaos that just might accidentally win them the game.
6-8 Years
32 Pages
The Nice Icy Land is buzzing with excitement. Goodly, Lovely, Angel, Neatly, and Perfect have spent weeks secretly preparing the ultimate surprise party for Tacky the Penguin's special hatchday. They have arranged everything perfectly, from the fishy ice cream to a special performance by Twinklewebs the Dance Queen. However, when you mix an elegant party with a clumsy penguin like Tacky, things are bound to get messy. A hilarious comedy of errors unfolds, turning the flawless celebration into a wild and chaotic event. You will love watching Tacky use his upbeat attitude and goofy dance moves to save the day, proving that a party does not have to be perfect to be a huge success.
6-8 Years
37 Pages
Sleepy Valley Sloth School is a very peaceful place. The students spend almost the entire day sleeping, occasionally waking up to snore or yawn. This quiet routine is shattered when a new sloth named Sparky arrives. Unlike the others, Sparky loves to move, play, and stay awake. Her lazy classmates think she is exhausting, but her high energy becomes their only hope when a strict inspector arrives. The inspector plans to shut the school down forever unless the sleepy students can prove they are actually learning.
6-8 Years
32 Pages
Rodney Rat has a tough time at school because he cannot pronounce his R sounds. The other rodents tease him constantly, making him feel small and shy. The classroom dynamic changes completely when Camilla Capybara arrives. Camilla is bigger, meaner, and smarter than everyone else, and she immediately begins bullying the entire class. No one knows how to stop her until the students play a game of Simon Says. You will discover how Rodney's unique way of speaking unexpectedly becomes a secret weapon against the fierce new bully. This heartwarming and hilarious story reminds us that sometimes our biggest insecurities can turn into our greatest strengths.
6-8 Years
37 Pages
The sun has gone down, but Boris the badger is wide awake. While the rest of his family is ready to sleep, Boris is suffering from a terrible case of the worrisome wakies. He feels too itchy, too hungry, and completely certain that his pajamas are on backward. No matter what his tired parents try to do, Boris simply refuses to close his eyes. But staying awake all night has natural consequences, and Boris soon finds himself desperately trying to stay awake during the school day.
6-8 Years
32 Pages
Ewetopia is a sheep who never feels quite comfortable in her own wool. She desperately wants to impress her flock, so she spends hours picking out the perfect disguise for the upcoming costume ball. She arrives dressed as a terrifying wolf, hoping to look spectacular. Instead, she scares all the other sheep away and finds herself completely alone. Just as she is feeling sorry for herself, a handsome stranger arrives dressed as a sheep. As they dance, Ewetopia notices his deep growl and realizes her costume idea might have attracted a real predator.
6-8 Years
32 Pages
Tacky is an odd bird who definitely marches to the beat of his own drummer. While his perfectly polite companions Goodly, Lovely, Angel, Neatly, and Perfect spend their days greeting each other quietly and marching in straight lines, Tacky prefers loud Hawaiian shirts and making giant splashy cannonballs. His fellow penguins find his quirky behavior quite annoying. Their peaceful icy land is threatened when a group of intimidating hunters arrive with maps and traps, looking for pretty penguins to capture. You will see how Tacky's eccentric habits and un-penguin-like behavior confuse the hunters and protect the entire flock. This hilarious adventure proves that being true to yourself is always the best way to stand out.
6-8 Years
36 Pages
Fragility is a large, sturdy hippopotamus with a deeply sensitive heart. Even the kindest compliment can severely hurt her feelings. If someone says she looks nice, she bursts into tears because she thinks they are comparing her to a squishy cupcake. Her constant crying exhausts her friends so much that they eventually stop talking to her. Left alone on the soccer field, Fragility meets an elephant named Rudy who actually loves being rude. Facing real insults for the first time, she must find a way to toughen up.
6-8 Years
35 Pages
The Magic Chicken is still annoyed by his ongoing rivalry with the Wizard and the Fairy. Determined to finally prove he is the most powerful magic user in the world, he begins plotting a clever revenge against his old friends. However, throwing wild spells out of spite is a dangerous game. His grand plan quickly backfires, sending his magic spinning wildly out of control. Once again, the three stubborn magicians find themselves trapped in a hilarious disaster that will force them to work together.
6-8 Years
30 Pages
Mrs. Beakly's class of energetic young penguins is putting on a school play to entertain the crowd. Keeping everyone's attention during a full performance is tough, but when Tacky takes center stage, it is impossible to look away. Dressed in a flowing blond wig and bright red skipping shoes, Tacky takes on the lead role in the classic tale of the Three Bears. As usual, he brings his own wild personality to the stage, causing chaos and leaving the set in complete shambles. You will laugh as this misfit bird turns a quiet fairy tale into a wildly unpredictable comedy. It is a show the audience will never forget.
6-8 Years
37 Pages
Gruntly is a hog who truly lives up to his name. He hogs the playground equipment, he hogs the best snacks, and he absolutely refuses to share anything with his friends. When he hears about a special weekend treasure hunt, he rushes ahead of everyone else. Gruntly is determined to find every clue himself so he can claim the final prize all on his own. But as the hunt becomes more difficult, the greedy pig realizes that reaching the end might be impossible without a little help from the friends he left behind.
6-8 Years
38 Pages
The holidays have arrived in the Nice Icy Land, and the penguins are busy celebrating with cheerful singing, beautiful decorations, and plenty of gifts. Goodly, Lovely, Angel, Neatly, and Perfect have carefully prepared everything, but Tacky's idea of a perfect Christmas present is highly unusual. His friends are not quite sure what to make of his strange gift. The peaceful merrymaking comes to a sudden halt when greedy hunters sneak onto the ice, looking to capture pretty penguins. You will see how Tacky's oddball behavior and very unconventional present become the exact tools needed to chase the intruders away. This festive winter tale shows that sometimes the strangest gifts are the most valuable.
6-8 Years
37 Pages
Pinkerton Pig is completely obsessed with being first at everything. Whether it is rushing down the slide at the playground, grabbing the front seat on the school bus, or cutting in line at the trough-a-teria, Pinkerton will push anyone out of the way to claim the top spot. His extremely selfish habits seem to work perfectly for him until the Pig Scouts take a long hike at the beach. Hearing a voice ask if anyone cares for a sandwich, Pinkerton sprints ahead to grab the treat. You will laugh as he discovers that he has not found a tasty lunch, but a grumpy Sandwitch who lives in a castle and needs someone to do all her chores.
6-8 Years
37 Pages
Fluffy is a young porcupine with a very prickly problem. His name is Fluffy, but there is absolutely nothing soft or fluffy about him. He tries his hardest to match his name by pretending to be a gentle cloud and even a squishy pillow, but his sharp quills always get in the way and cause trouble. Just when he is feeling completely defeated, he meets a large rhinoceros with an equally confusing name. Together, the two new friends learn to laugh at their silly names and accept themselves exactly as they are.
6-8 Years
32 Pages
Tacky and his perfectly polite penguin friends are packing their bags for a thrilling trip to summer camp in the Nice Icy Land. They spend their days rock hopping, line dancing, and playing intense games of Capture the Ice Cube. When the sun sets, they gather around the glowing campfire to roast s'mores and share spooky ghost stories. But the fun takes a scary turn when something straight out of their frightening tales visits their sleeping cabin. While his friends want to run away as fast as they can, Tacky stays behind. You will discover how this oddball bird uses his own wacky brand of heroics to face the campfire monster and save the camp.
6-8 Years
37 Pages
Angus is a young monster living comfortably at the bottom of Loch Ness. His parents try to teach him how to keep his room tidy, but Angus prefers making a mess. He drops peanut shells in the corners, tosses dirty laundry into massive piles, and leaves empty potato cans scattered across the floor. Over time, his bedroom garbage grows into a literal mountain. Soon, his gigantic mess becomes so large that it forces him right out of his own home and up to the surface of the lake.
6-8 Years
37 Pages
Mousetta is a deeply shy field mouse who feels completely overwhelmed by the world. While the other young mice play outside, she prefers to stay hidden and quiet. The only way she feels brave enough to leave her home is by wearing a large bucket firmly over her head to hide her face. Her strange outfit keeps her safe from talking to strangers, but when a group of hungry foxes attacks the meadow, the panicked mice desperately need a hero. Mousetta must decide if she has the courage to take the bucket off.
6-8 Years
32 Pages
Buddy the bunny has beautiful, giant ears, but he has one major problem: he never actually listens. When his parents ask him to buy tomatoes, he brings home potatoes. When they ask for a slice of bread, he saws off a piece of his bed. His scatterbrained habits are mostly just silly until he takes a wrong turn on the path and ends up completely lost. Suddenly, he finds himself face to face with the scary Scruffy Varmint, who immediately puts him to work making soup. You will find out if Buddy can finally learn to follow directions before he accidentally becomes the main ingredient in bunny stew. This fast-paced story is a hilarious reminder of why listening matters.
6-8 Years
36 Pages
It is time for Halloween in the Nice Icy Land. Goodly, Lovely, Angel, Neatly, and Perfect are busy transforming their home into the spookiest haunted igloo ever built. They are hanging creepy cobwebs and baking terrible waffle treats to share. Meanwhile, Tacky is busy eating all the treats and working on his own ridiculous costume instead of helping. When a group of ghostly hunters suddenly arrives, demanding all the snacks that Tacky has already eaten, the penguins are trapped in a tricky situation. You will laugh out loud as Tacky steps up to show the hunters that if they cannot have a treat, they are definitely going to get a trick.
6-8 Years
37 Pages
Everyone knows that Tacky is not the best-dressed penguin in the flock. While his companions prefer formal bow ties, Tacky loves loud, colorful Hawaiian shirts. The whole iceberg is thrown into a frenzy when they hear that the grand Emperor is coming for a special visit. The penguins rush to make everything perfect and elegant for the royal guest. Tacky tries his best to dress up for the big occasion, but he completely gets carried away and ends up wearing an outfit that is far too elaborate. You will enjoy watching the chaos unfold as Tacky's mistaken identity and silly wardrobe bring endless laughs to the Emperor's royal tour.
6-8 Years
37 Pages
The icy winds are blowing, and Team Nice Icy Land is officially preparing for the grand Winter Games. Goodly, Lovely, Angel, Neatly, and Perfect are training rigorously to get in top shape for the athletic competitions. They run, lift, and practice their synchronized moves until they are flawless. Tacky wants to help his team bring home a shiny medal, but his version of training involves a lot more snacking and bumbling around than serious practice. You will cheer for the penguins as they tackle speed skating, ski jumping, and bobsledding. From start to finish, Tacky brings his loud and unpredictable style to the games, reminding everyone that having fun is the biggest victory of all.
6-8 Years
37 Pages
Pookins is used to getting exactly what she wants. If anyone tells her no, she throws apples, makes terrible faces, and yells at the top of her lungs. Her bad behavior works perfectly until she meets a magical gnome who offers her three wishes. Without thinking, Pookins carelessly wishes to be a flower. Suddenly, she finds herself planted in the dirt, completely unable to move or demand anything. To get out of this leafy mess, she will have to discover the magic of empathy and learn that being a bully is never the right choice.
6-8 Years
35 Pages
