Two children living in a New York City apartment embark on a series of adventures with two giant pandas named Pandemonium and Don't Panda to Public Tastes. Ages 6-12.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Grade 1-4?Sophisticated adults' visions of precocious children's adventures tend to be more appealing to sophisticated adults than to real youngsters. That's just the case in Lebowitz's first children's book, in which Mr. Chas, a seven-year-old Manhattanite, narrates what happens when he and his friend Lisa Sue discover two pandas behind a hidden door in her pantry. The pandas, "Pandemonium" and "Don't Panda to Public Taste," long to live urban lives and eat city food, but fear being put in the zoo. Disguising themselves as dogs won't help, since animals are not allowed in museums or restaurants. Their dream, therefore, is to move to Paris, where "dogs can go anywhere," and Mr. Chas and Lisa Sue set out to raise money for their trip. Unfortunately, they're unable to come up with the necessary funds. But luckily, Lisa Sue's father happens to be going to France and agrees to take the pandas. Lebowitz's style is artfully rambling as Mr. Chas airs his impressive vocabulary and his interpretations of why things are as they are. The fantasy is no more convincing than the children. With her deliberately arch style, the author has created an odd look at unsupervised bright youngsters. While Graves's pen-and-charcoal illustrations of the locale, the children, and the pandas in disguise are charming, the overall effect of the book is cloying.?Anne Connor, Los Angeles Public Library
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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