The Pandas and Their Chopsticks: And Other Animal Stories

Award-winning author-illustrator Demi (The Empty Pot) brings her considerable artistic skill to this collection of 10 animal stories. Themes of generosity, humility, and cooperation are presented through the antics of pandas, hedgehogs, hummingbirds, and turtles. Most of the tales unfold in a single illustrated spread, ending with a moral, set in italics (“Pride often opens our mouths. Humility tells us when to keep them closed,” reads the conclusion to “The Turtle Who Couldn’t Stop Talking”). Not all of the stories are original to Demi—for example, “The Pandas and Their Chopsticks” is a reworking of the traditional parable of the long spoons—but the illustrations set her version apart. Rich in color and pattern, with distinctive, whimsical borders that feature the animals mentioned in the stories, they will certainly draw the eye of young readers; “The Fox Who Was King of the Forest” depicts a small menagerie of animals in addition to the titular fox. The moral associated with each tale could be used as a teaching tool for parents or caregivers who want to discuss, or encourage, these qualities. Ages 6–up. (Aug.)■