PANDA PANTS

A little panda has decided that he wants pants, and he’s going to tell his father exactly why.

Pants have pockets, pants are warm, pants are soft, pants would impress—but father panda is not convinced that this little panda will be the first panda to wear pants. While they walk and talk, a gray-and-black–spotted tail is always near; is someone following them? Passing a garden, the little panda notices a scarecrow wearing—pants!—which find their way onto the little panda, who runs to catch up with his father. Suddenly, a snow leopard jumps out! With some quick thinking, a watermelon, and teamwork with little animals nearby, the little panda’s pants turn out to be very useful—and impressive—in foiling the snow leopard with a melon to the noggin. Excitement over, the little panda gives his pants to a rabbit. When his father asks why, he explains that he doesn’t want pants. He wants shoes. Davies’ story will be amusingly familiar to anyone who’s gone head-to-head with determined little ones who are convinced they have the best idea ever right now. Hanson’s illustrations are impressive, double-page spreads of lush watercolor bamboo alternating with white-backgrounded vignettes for faster-paced dialogue. Hanson has a knack for drawing ridiculously cute, expressive animals, and she does so here, with the facial expressions reflecting the dialogue wonderfully.

There’s nothing too scary, no message to navigate—just a sweet story, well done.