Panda Kindergarten [Hardcover]

Joanne Ryder (Author), Katherine Feng (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 23, 2009 | Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

School is in session! But this is no ordinary kindergarten class. Meet sixteen young giant panda cubs at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda at the Wolong Nature Preserve. The cubs are raised together from infancy in a protected setting, where they grow strong. Under the watchful eyes of the scientists and workers, the cubs learn skills that will help prepare them to be released into the wild.

Follow a day in the life of the cubs with Joanne Ryder's spare and simple text and full-color photographs by Dr. Katherine Feng, Wolong's leading photographer.

These special cubs have captured the attention of people around the globe. Thanks to dedicated staff and unique resources at Wolong, this threatened species now has a second chance. Here is the true story of their incredible journey toward hope and survival.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1—This inviting book introduces 16 cubs at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda at Wolong Nature Reserve. Ryder describes the organization's purpose and procedures to save the animals from extinction, focusing on the reserve's efforts to keep the pandas healthy and safe and placing less emphasis on their primary role as a breeding center, which works well for the intended audience. The author explains that as the pandas grow older, they may be released into the wild or they may stay in the safety of the compound to "have cubs of their own." She also describes how staff members help to care for twins, whereas in the wild, only one baby can survive. Feng's clear and detailed photographs are visual treats, giving readers a glimpse into the feeding and care of the pandas. There's a high cuteness factor as the cubs play, sleep, and interact with caregivers. Additional facts about giant pandas are appended, but are almost hidden on the CIP page. The colorful photography and smooth text pair well for a quick, instructive read-a-loud.—Nancy Call, Santa Cruz Public Libraries, Aptos, CA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Joanne Ryder has always loved pandas, starting with the very first small panda toy she had as a child. She has continued to be fascinatd by these rare and wonderful animals throughout her career as a writer. She is the award-winning author of numerous picture books, including A Pair of Polar Bears: Twin Cubs Find a Home at the San Diego Zoo; Little Panda: The World Welcomes Hua Mei at the San Diego Zoo; My Mother's Voice; My Father's Hands; Big Bear Ball; and Wild Birds. She lives in Pacific Grove, California, with her husband, Laurence Yep, who is also an author.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Collins (June 23, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060578505
• ISBN-13: 978-0060578503
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 10.2 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #79,051 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #84 in Books > Children's Books > Animals > Mammals

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful Read and Visual Treat for Your Children, October 23, 2009

By 

Rudi Franke - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Panda Kindergarten (Hardcover)

I have 2 grand daughters: one is 3 years old and the other is 7 years old and after receiving it, I knew it was the perfect gift for both of them. The pictures are superb and will enthrall both the girls and the text can be read by the 7 year old with a bit of effort. And that's what I want; I want her to become an avid reader and also be motivated to try harder to improve her reading skills. Above the run-of-the-mill children's books, this book deserves the good review it got from the New York Times. Get your couch potatoes sitting upright and read along with them if you need to do so, they won't run across too many Pandas in their everyday life; and they (the Pandas) ALL belong to China, no matter what zoo you may see them in.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a delight!, September 21, 2009

By 

Susan Meyers - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Panda Kindergarten (Hardcover)

This is without a doubt the cutest panda book I've ever seen! I've always thought of the birth of a baby panda as a rare and wonderful event. Something eagerly awaited and then reported in the newspaper. But in this book, photographed at the Wolong Nature Reserve in China, you can see 16 baby pandas together! Wonderful photographs show the little pandas playing, eating, napping, and being cuddled by their panda mothers and their human caretakers. It's a great story and Joanne Ryder tells it perfectly. Her words convey the spirit of the place plus necessary information in a way young children can understand and relate to. Her love for these little bears come through in every word. I can't begin to describe how wonderful the photographs are. You'll have to see them for yourself. You're in for a treat!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Informative, June 21, 2010

By 

Isabella Gentilin (Melbourne, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Panda Kindergarten (Hardcover)

'Panda Kindergarten' is lots of fun and informative for young readers! Beautiful photographs! The story shows the pandas as loving, friendly and playful. Loved reading it to my children!
Isabella Gentilin. Author of 'Whispers of an Angel'