Helen Lester facts for kids

Helen Lester, born on June 12, 1936, is a well-known American writer. She creates wonderful stories for children. Many people know her best for her funny character, Tacky the Penguin. Tacky stars in many of her popular books.

Helen Lester was born in Evanston, Illinois. She lived in many different cities across the United States. These cities included New York City, San Francisco, and Chicago. She also lived in Minneapolis. Eventually, she settled in Pawling, New York with her husband.

When Helen was a girl, she dreamed of getting married. She never thought about becoming a writer. She first became an elementary school teacher. Later, she got married and had two sons. After her sons were born, Helen took a break from teaching. This is when she started writing children's books. Her stories are often inspired by her old second-grade students. These students helped her create characters like Tacky the Penguin. Other characters include Pinkerton the Pig and Fragility the Hippopotamus.

Helen Lester's first children's book came out in 1979. Her writing career quickly grew from there. She has now published more than 25 books.

Helen has illustrated a few of her own books. However, Lynn Munsinger has drawn pictures for most of Lester's books. Helen Lester and Lynn Munsinger have worked together on over a dozen children's books.

Besides writing, Helen Lester travels around the country. She visits schools and encourages children to write. She also wrote a book called Author: A True Story. This book came out in 1997. It is for young writers. The book shares what she learned from visiting schools. It also explains how writers edit their work.

Meet Tacky the Penguin

Tacky the Penguin is a series of children's picture books. Helen Lester wrote them, and Lynn Munsinger drew the pictures. Tacky is a made-up animal character. He is special because he is very unique and funny. Young children really enjoy his silly actions. He first appeared in the book Tacky the Penguin. After that, he was in nine more books between 1989 and 2015.

Some of Tacky's books have been printed in Braille. They are also available in Spanish, Swedish, Chinese, and Italian. You can also find e-book versions and audiobooks. A soft Tacky the Penguin plush toy was sold in 2000.

What Happens in Tacky's Stories?

In every book, Tacky's loud and wild behavior is different. It stands out from his smooth and graceful penguin friends. These friends live in a place called "Nice Icy Land." The stories show that being different can be a good thing. Tacky's unique ways often help everyone.

Lynn Munsinger's drawings show Tacky wearing a Hawaiian shirt. It is buttoned wrong. He also wears a purple plaid bow-tie. All the other penguins look neat and proper. They look like they are wearing tuxedos. The other penguins sing together beautifully. But Tacky's voice is loud and off-key. His friends do not like Tacky at first. Then, they see his loud, un-penguin-like behavior. It scares away a group of hunters. This saves all the penguins.

In each book, Tacky's actions might seem messy. But he always means well. And his behavior always ends up being helpful. This mix of humor and kindness is very popular with young readers. These books are great for kids from pre-kindergarten to third grade.

Tacky the Penguin Books

• Tacky the Penguin (1988) - Tacky does not fit in with his neat friends. But his odd behavior helps when hunters arrive.
• Three Cheers for Tacky (1996) - Tacky adds his own special style to his team's routine. This happens at the Penguin Cheering Contest. The results are surprising.
• Tacky in Trouble (1997) - Tacky accidentally goes sailboarding. He ends up on a tropical island. There, he meets an elephant. The elephant wants to know who Tacky is.
• Tacky and the Emperor (2000) - Penguins are waiting for the Emperor to visit. They do not recognize Tacky when he is wearing the Emperor's clothes.
• Tackylocks and the Three Bears (2004) - Tacky and his friends put on a play. It is for the little penguins in Mrs. Beakly's class. But with Tacky in the main role, things do not go as planned.
• Tacky and the Winter Games (2005) - Tacky and his friends train hard for the Winter Games. Tacky's silly actions make it seem like they might not win.
• Tacky Goes to Camp (2009) - Tacky and his friends go to Camp Whoopihaha. They tell scary ghost stories around the campfire. They never expect one of the stories to come true.
• Tacky's Christmas (2010) - Goodly, Lovely, Angel, Neatly, Perfect, and Tacky have a great Christmas. They have a unique tree. Tacky's strange behavior saves them from hunters.
• Happy Birdday, Tacky! (2013) - Tacky's friends planned a perfect surprise party for him. It took weeks of quiet chirps. With songs, gifts, cake, and entertainment, what could go wrong?
• Tacky and the Haunted Igloo (2015) - Tacky is not very helpful for Halloween. His friends turn their igloo into a haunted house. They also make treats. But while Tacky finishes his costume, something truly scary arrives. Only Tacky can make it go away.

Main Characters in Tacky's World

• Tacky: He is the main penguin character. One writer called him "a bumbler." This means he is clumsy. He is the kind of character who might fall over when giving a speech. Tacky has been called "an icon of individuality." This means he is a symbol of being unique. He is also seen as a "modern-day Don Quixote." He accidentally fights against everyone being the same.
• Goodly, Lovely, Angel, Neatly, and Perfect: These are Tacky's friends. They are pretty penguins. They march neatly in a line. They dive gracefully. And they sing beautiful songs.

Helen Lester's Books

The Tacky Series

• Tacky the Penguin (1988)
• Three Cheers for Tacky (1996)
• Tacky in Trouble (1997)
• Tacky and the Emperor (2000)
• Tackylocks and the Three Bears (2004)
• Tacky and the Winter Games (2005)
• Tacky Goes to Camp (2009)
• Tacky’s Christmas (2010)
• Happy Birdday, Tacky! (2013)
• Tacky and the Haunted Igloo (2015)

Other Books by Helen Lester

• A Porcupine Named Fluffy (1986)
• Score One for the SLOTHS (1987)
• The Wizard, the Fairy, and the Magic Chicken (1988)
• It Wasn't My Fault (1989)
• Pookins Gets Her Way (1990)
• Me First (1992)
• Wuzzy Takes Off (1995)
• Princess Penelope's Parrot (1996)
• Listen Buddy (1997)
• Author: A True Story (2002)
• Hooway for Wodney Wat (2002)
• Score One for the Sloths (2003)
• Something Might Happen (2003)
• Batter Up Wombat (2006)
• Hurty Feelings (2007)
• The Sheep in Wolf's Clothing (2007)
• Wodney Wat's Wobot (2011)
• All for Me and None for All (2012)
• The Loch Mess Monster (2014)
• Bravo, Bucket Head (2022)