An engagingly humorous animal tale with appealing illustrations and a wholesome message.
A giant panda and a red panda discover their differences and similarities in this picture book.
The pagoda-roofed Panda Palace is divided into two strictly separate sections, one for red pandas and the other for giant pandas. Exploring one day, red panda Ping sees giant panda Pang taking a nap in a secluded area. To their mutual surprise, each proudly declares: “I’m a panda!” But that can’t be. Obviously, says Pang, pandas are large, black and white, have round ears and small round tails, and enjoy sleeping. Ping maintains that pandas are small, red and black, have pointy ears and long fluffy tails, and enjoy climbing trees. But then both pandas realize they just love eating bamboo, overshadowing any differences. Now Ping and Pang meet every day to share a meal. Begin, an experienced writer and illustrator, tells an amusing story with thoroughly adorable characters. She also gently offers an inclusivity lesson that can be extended through the supplied “Conversation Starters for Parents & Educators.” Her delightful images blend realism—well-rendered textures, details, and shading—with appropriate cuteness. Whimsical compositions, as when Pang shows off his tail, add to the fun.
An engagingly humorous animal tale with appealing illustrations and a wholesome message.Pub Date: July 6, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-954332-08-9
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Wyatt-MacKenzie Publishing
Review Posted Online: April 20, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
An instructive tale about big feelings, lightened up by a furious kid’s theatrics.
An angry child attempts to calm down.
A kid with paper-white skin, clad in a blue dress and striped tights, makes an absurd request: “Can we get a pet penguin, name it Marshmallow, and feed it carrots?” Mom, off-stage, says simply, “Not today,” and the tot transforms into a rather odd creature: a spicy nugget! The nugget is imperfectly ovoid in form, with red rosy cheeks, rage-filled dot-eyes, and a spiraling black-hole mouth. The sight gag works beautifully: When one feels truly angry, all poise disappears, leaving only a flailing ball of rage. Our protagonist hurls a teddy bear, unsuccessfully tries out a list of calming methods, and finally retreats to bed, where “I can feel my breathing; I know that I am safe.” The youngster reverts back to human form, and Mom arrives with kind words: “You are not your big feelings. You are not your angry thoughts.” The takeaway is unmistakable, especially at the story’s conclusion: It’s OK to get mad and important to practice coping strategies. The young narrator expresses emotion with fabulous vigor, though the story’s lilting rhyme scheme occasionally distracts from these outbursts with cuteness. Nonetheless, this increasingly enraged nugget-child is irresistible; anyone who’s grappled with overwhelming emotions will relate—in a word, everyone.
An instructive tale about big feelings, lightened up by a furious kid’s theatrics. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 8, 2026
ISBN: 9798217042142
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: May 18, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2026
SEEN & HEARD
Fun times, fond friends, and a festive farmyard setting—little ones will be charmed.
Beep! Beep! Beep! Toad and Little Blue Truck get ready for a hayride.
After the titular vehicle is loaded with hay, Toad is nowhere to be found. “Beep! Beep! Beep! Where are you, Toad?” asks Little Blue Truck. All the barnyard animals look for him. Sheep searches the meadow. Goose and Duck check the pond. Others pitch in, too, but Toad seems to have disappeared…until Hen hears snoring coming from the pile of hay in the back of Little Blue Truck. Although the text’s scansion is imperfect in places (adults may want to pre-read to ensure a smooth read-aloud), the bouncy meter and rhyming text nevertheless capture the energy of the search and the farmyard community’s concern for Toad’s safety, making this a solid storytime choice. Eye-catching illustrations with rich, fully saturated colors balance the right level of detail while still highlighting the animal that is the focus of each verse. By introducing one farm animal at a time, Schertle also helps the youngest readers begin to identify barnyard animals by name and understand their unique farm homes. Traditional animal sounds are part of the text, and listeners will add them to their vocabulary. It all ends with the promised hayride, bringing the tale to a joyous ending.
Fun times, fond friends, and a festive farmyard setting—little ones will be charmed. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 18, 2026
ISBN: 9780063436121
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 20, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2026
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