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The Panda Problem

Illustrated by Hannah Marks
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Hardcover
$17.99 US
11.38"W x 9.25"H x 0.43"D   | 18 oz | 24 per carton
On sale Apr 02, 2019 | 48 Pages | 978-0-7352-2850-4
Age 3-7 years | Preschool - 2
Reading Level: Lexile 510L
The critically adored, New York Times bestselling Deborah Underwood delights with a hilariously meta celebration of storytelling out of control.

Every story needs a problem.
But Panda doesn't have a problem.
Unless . . . Panda is the problem.

The New York Times bestselling author of Here Comes the Easter Cat and The Quiet Book loses control of the narrative in the funniest, most exuberant, most kid-delighting way in this adventurous ode to what makes a story--and what makes a story great.

"Highly entertaining and laugh-out-loud funny."--Kirkus
"Supremely silly."--Publishers Weekly
"Excellent...Cute, cute book."--School Library Connection
"Entertaining...humorous." --BCCB
"Kid-friendly...visually appealing...cheeky...adorable."--The Horn Book
"Hilarious, inventive...A joyful read aloud." --SLJ, The Classroom Bookshelf
  • NOMINEE
    Indiana Young Hoosier Book Award
  • NOMINEE
    Nevada Young Readers Award
  • NOMINEE
    Washington Children's Choice Picture Book Award
  • NOMINEE
    Wisconsin Golden Archer Book Award
  • SELECTION
    Wyoming Buckaroo Award
An Indie Next List Selection

"Master of meta Underwood's witty narrative and Marks' cute, colored-pencil illustrations come together to create a comical struggle for control between a narrator and their rebellious creation. Highly entertaining and laugh-out-loud funny." —Kirkus

"Being a narrator should be straightforward . . . But what happens when the protagonist refuses to play along? . . . Readers will gleefully embrace the anarchy that Underwood’s supremely silly repartee has unleashed." —Publishers Weekly

“Excellent . . . [a] cute, cute book.” —School Library Connection

"Kid-friendly . . . visually appealing . . . cheeky . . . adorable . . . Underwood’s latest meta tale creatively explains storytelling fundamentals, slyly defining plot, setting, and characters as the panda upends the norms. Now, thanks to the panda’s shenanigans, readers will be 'story experts,' too." —The Horn Book

“This read-aloud thrives on its quirky self-awareness, and it’s an entertaining introduction to humorous meta-textuality for young kids. . . . Listeners who take to this may want to check out Underwood’s series starring Cat, starting with Here Comes the Easter Cat. —BCCB

"A hilarious, inventive, laughter-inducing meta tale. . . . A joyful read aloud." —School Library Journal, The Classroom Bookshelf blog
© Lisa V. Leach
Deborah Underwood is the author of more than twenty picture books, including Every Little Letter, The Panda Problem, Interstellar Cinderella, and New York Times bestsellers The Quiet Book, The Loud Book, and Here Comes the Easter Cat. She lives in Northern California. View titles by Deborah Underwood

About

The critically adored, New York Times bestselling Deborah Underwood delights with a hilariously meta celebration of storytelling out of control.

Every story needs a problem.
But Panda doesn't have a problem.
Unless . . . Panda is the problem.

The New York Times bestselling author of Here Comes the Easter Cat and The Quiet Book loses control of the narrative in the funniest, most exuberant, most kid-delighting way in this adventurous ode to what makes a story--and what makes a story great.

"Highly entertaining and laugh-out-loud funny."--Kirkus
"Supremely silly."--Publishers Weekly
"Excellent...Cute, cute book."--School Library Connection
"Entertaining...humorous." --BCCB
"Kid-friendly...visually appealing...cheeky...adorable."--The Horn Book
"Hilarious, inventive...A joyful read aloud." --SLJ, The Classroom Bookshelf

Awards

  • NOMINEE
    Indiana Young Hoosier Book Award
  • NOMINEE
    Nevada Young Readers Award
  • NOMINEE
    Washington Children's Choice Picture Book Award
  • NOMINEE
    Wisconsin Golden Archer Book Award
  • SELECTION
    Wyoming Buckaroo Award

Praise

An Indie Next List Selection

"Master of meta Underwood's witty narrative and Marks' cute, colored-pencil illustrations come together to create a comical struggle for control between a narrator and their rebellious creation. Highly entertaining and laugh-out-loud funny." —Kirkus

"Being a narrator should be straightforward . . . But what happens when the protagonist refuses to play along? . . . Readers will gleefully embrace the anarchy that Underwood’s supremely silly repartee has unleashed." —Publishers Weekly

“Excellent . . . [a] cute, cute book.” —School Library Connection

"Kid-friendly . . . visually appealing . . . cheeky . . . adorable . . . Underwood’s latest meta tale creatively explains storytelling fundamentals, slyly defining plot, setting, and characters as the panda upends the norms. Now, thanks to the panda’s shenanigans, readers will be 'story experts,' too." —The Horn Book

“This read-aloud thrives on its quirky self-awareness, and it’s an entertaining introduction to humorous meta-textuality for young kids. . . . Listeners who take to this may want to check out Underwood’s series starring Cat, starting with Here Comes the Easter Cat. —BCCB

"A hilarious, inventive, laughter-inducing meta tale. . . . A joyful read aloud." —School Library Journal, The Classroom Bookshelf blog

Author

© Lisa V. Leach
Deborah Underwood is the author of more than twenty picture books, including Every Little Letter, The Panda Problem, Interstellar Cinderella, and New York Times bestsellers The Quiet Book, The Loud Book, and Here Comes the Easter Cat. She lives in Northern California. View titles by Deborah Underwood