The well-known Penguin Books emblem has adorned literary works since 1935, yet many readers are unaware of the origin of the charming figure, or even its given name. Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Bookmark
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If you’ve perused a book within the last nine decades, chances are you’ve come across a delightful penguin peering from the book’s spine.
The peculiar avian friend, nestled inside an orange oval, represents the renowned trademark of Penguin Books – which evolved into Penguin Random House in 2013 – and it decorates countless volumes, from Michelle Obama’s autobiography, Becoming, to the classic children’s tale, The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.
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Throughout its 90-year history, the penguin has undergone several alterations, but it has consistently maintained a presence. Furthermore, the rendition you currently observe on books is the most widely acknowledged, remaining constant since 2003.
However, what drove the publishing company to select a penguin as the symbol for its books? Many of us do not associate penguins with reading. There is already a bird celebrated for intellect, frequently depicted as an avid reader, specifically the owl—so why opt for a penguin?
The account traces back to the publisher’s establishment by Allen Lane and his siblings, Richard and John, in 1935. Allen expressed a desire for a symbol that conveyed a “dignified yet playful” character, and his secretary, Joan Coles, suggested that a penguin might fulfill that role—prompting the brothers to name their publishing house Penguin Books.
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However, the penguin you encounter on your books is more than a mere anonymous entity. As it happens, it possesses a name, and just last year, in observance of the publisher’s 90th anniversary, it was joined by a fresh assortment of companions visible in advertisements and merchandise.
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In a brief YouTube video shared by Ryan Selvy, it was revealed that the penguin—named Alan, presumably after one of the publisher’s founders—that graces the books you acquire will remain unchanged, but novel penguins have recently been sketched in various postures to enable the publisher’s creative divisions to disseminate more visually stimulating content.
He stated: “This little fellow has appeared on billions of books since 1935. Apparently, his moniker is Alan, and he has scarcely changed in nearly a century. He’s experienced minor adjustments, the most recent being a 2003 revision that rendered him 15% slimmer. Which appears bizarre until you consider he’s predominantly viewed on the spine of books, and a trimmer penguin translates to enhanced vertical space.
“Whenever Penguin has attempted to employ other penguins outside of the emblem, they invariably resemble imitations. As if someone is drawing the logo from memory, just sufficiently different to feel unauthentic.
“But now, they’ve entrusted Matt Blease with constructing an entirely distinct group of penguins. A flexible collection of characters that complement the icon, rather than contend with it.”
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London-based artist Matt Blease conceived the assortment of hand-drawn illustrations, called the “Playful Penguins,” to be featured across Penguin Random House’s global markets, notably on social media outlets and point-of-sale presentations. The penguins are portrayed in assorted poses, encompassing jumping, dancing, and, of course, reading.
However, crucially, they are not Alan. Actually, Blease clarified they are designed to be “part of the same family,” and mentioned he sketched them with the understanding that they could logically be “guests at Alan’s wedding.”
According to Penguin Random House UK’s design director, Derek Man, the Playful Penguins will assist in “meeting the brand’s requirements in 2026 and beyond.” And, crucially, they will not interfere with the renowned Alan.
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Speaking to Fast Company, he commented: “Importantly, these illustrations have been carefully fashioned to be visually separate from the logo through variations in form and texture.”
“This unambiguous distinction permits our recognizable lozenge Penguin to remain untouched – persisting to stand proudly as one of our most potent and identifiable brand assets, while supplying teams with a versatile, captivating group of assets tailored for creative utilization.”