The Blue Penguin teaches a great lesson to young readers that it is okay to just be YOU This book teaches the reader to be proud of what you accomplish and the challenges you face everyday. The author, Dr. Karen Hutchins Pirnot is inspired everyday herself by her own grandchildren. One of them just happens to be the illustrator of this book. Her name, Makenna Karen Klanot. Makenna is in the fifth grade. Two of her favorite things are penguins and dance. When she grows up, she wants to work with penguins and to be a dancer.