Oh, Panda

Melding lovely art with toddlerlike determination, this amalgamation of ice castles and vibrant butterflies soars.

"Good morning, Panda. What are we going to do today?" asks this picture book's slightly overbearing narrator before suggesting their own idea: "Should we build an ice castle? With tiny circle windows to look out over all the land?" But Panda, who's surrounded by a landscape of radiant ice and velvety snow rendered in purple-hued watercolor and gouache, has a plan that's not on that agenda. Tantalized by a fluttering pink and gold butterfly that heads up a tall, slippery mountain, the little bear is determined to assert its free will and follow the insect to the top. "Oh, Panda," the exasperated-sounding narrator sighs after the fluffy critter's mountain-scaling efforts end in setbacks. Seeing how forlorn Panda has become, the voice finally stops deflecting the bear and offers genuine help in the form of pinecone snowshoes, which, along with Panda's tenacity and ingenuity, result in a successful ascension, a visually revelatory vista, and an appreciative and awestruck reprisal: "Oh, Panda." Tackling persistence and much more, this wryly empathic story from Derby (Blurp's Book of Manners) thoughtfully models an instance of learning to respect autonomy and offer meaningful support. Ages 2-5. Agent: Jennifer Laughran, Andrea Brown Literary. (Sept.)

PreS-K--Panda never utters a word in Derby's sweet story; the text is the voice of an unseen narrator who opens the tale by asking the cub, "What are we going to do today? Should we build an ice castle?" Just then a bright red-and-gold butterfly, which is about the only spot of color in the black-and-white snow-covered landscape, catches Panda's attention. The youngster becomes fascinated by it and is determined to follow the beautiful insect that has soared over a snow-covered mountain. Panda's stubborn determination to go after the butterfly results in several setbacks as the steep and icy slope proves to be too slippery to scale. Panda tries using sticky sap and small branches to give him some purchase in making the climb, but to no avail. When it's very clear the young animal has his mind set on finding the butterfly, the narrator helps with some useful items. Ice blue, black, and white watercolors with gouache create a striking snowy landscape with some surprise pops of color at sunrise and sunset. The narrator vocalizes the words "Oh, Panda" with varying inflections, conveying different meanings such as frustration, pity, disappointment, and awe. The stand-in for a child is direct and loving; by leaving the narrator invisible, but ever-present, the story is surprisingly empowering without being scary. VERDICT Reminiscent of a human toddler struggling against the odds, the headstrong cub uses his energy and strong will to accomplish what he set out to do in this charming, effective picture book adventure.--Maryann H. Owen