Panda-Monium!

PreS-Gr 1—An oblivious panda with a hankering for bamboo inadvertently leads a flock of followers on his quest to find some. Brief rhyming text accentuates punchy descriptions as the cub rambles down hills, prances through flowers, and pushes away brambles in search of his coveted treat. As the action builds, more and more pandas follow the unwitting leader. When he climbs a ginkgo tree to get a better view, the hungry pandas scamper after him, causing them to catapult to the ground in a heap—except for Beckett, who bounces and flies until he lands in a field full of his favorite snack. Succinct phrases accelerate the determined mission, maintaining high energy throughout. "Little Beckett-with five pandas/-marched through forests, too./He didn't see four pandas there/in a game of leap-the-bear./But all that leaping gets a panda/thinking of bamboo!" Unfortunately, there are no distinguishing characteristics to separate one cub from the next. Soft colors predominately featured through lush green hues capture each cheery outdoor scene. The absence of nuanced characters prevents emotional depth, though the springy text suits the breezy trek. All in all, a light and airy romp.—Meg Smith, Cumberland County Public Library, Fayetteville, NC