A Little Round Panda on the Big Blue Earth (Big Blue Earth)

PreS-Gr 3--This lyrical picture book opens with a small adorable round panda chewing on bamboo and then slowly pulls back to depict forests, rivers, villages, towns, and city, from the Sichuan Province to Shanghai, until readers see the view from space before zooming back in on the panda. By highlighting the interconnectedness of the world from a small specific location, the beautifully rendered combination of text and illustration takes readers on a journey through perspective. The poetic nature of the words draws readers in while the illustrations expand on and enhance the simple but evocative wording. In detailed, textured illustrations, Powell evokes the beauty and deep greens of the bamboo forests, the intricate layers of the rice terraces, the warm pastels of the countryside, the deep rich tones of the city, and the bold brightness of the greater planet. End papers include a map of the area shared and its relation to the world. VERDICT With a spare text, this book can be shared with preschoolers as a wonderful read-aloud, or for older readers to peruse alone.--Kristyn Dorfman, The Nightingale-Bamford Sch., New York City