Little Panda: The World Welcomes Hua Mei at the San Diego Zoo

by Joanne Ryder, World-Famous San Diego Zoo (Photographer)

Overview

She's the first giant panda cub ever to survive in captivity in the Western Hemisphere. There are fewer than one thousand giant pandas left in the world, making Hua Mei's birth at the World-Famous San Diego Zoo in August 1999 a cause for celebration.
In Little Panda, filled with exclusive photographs from the zoo, Hua Mei's first year is chronicled as she grows quickly from a tiny infant into a curious cub. Ever ready to play a game of tag with Mama or bravely explore new territory, Hua Mei will charm readers of all ages.
Acclaimed author Joanne Ryder perfectly captures the spirit and playfulness of this endangered animal while teaching readers about the life and plight of the giant panda.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780689843105
Publisher:	Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
Publication date:	03/01/2001
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	11.00(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.60(d)
Lexile:	900L (what's this?)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

Joanne Ryder is the award-winning author of numerous children's books about the natural world, including Little Panda: The World Welcomes Hua Mei at the San Diego Zoo. Some of her other books include Bears Out There, Chipmunk Song, The Snail's Spell, and White Bear, Ice Bear. Before becoming a full-time writer, Joanne worked as a children's book editor in New York City. She lives in California.

The World-Famous San Diego Zoo is recognized as one of the world's premier animal parks and has more than four thousand rare and endangered birds, mammals, and reptiles, situated in one hundred acres of award-winning tropical gardens. This famous destination attracts more than three million visitors a year. You can learn more about the zoo and polar bears at www.SanDiegoZoo.org.

Editorial Reviews

The first giant panda cub ever to survive in captivity in the Western Hemisphere takes center stage in Little Panda by Joanne Ryder, with photographs that follow her from a "pink and pale" cub to the thriving black-and-white Hua Mei (her name means "China-USA") who lives in the San Diego Zoo. With abundant accessible details included in factoids ("Her fur feels much like a German shepherd's), a minimum of text and a maximum of photos, this volume will win Hua Mei many fans. ( Mar.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

K-Gr 4-Ryder introduces readers to Hua Mei via photographs taken inside the panda den, and then shows how her days unfold during her first year of life at the San Diego Zoo. The large sans-serif text is infused with adjectives and exclamations, giving a storylike quality to the primary narrative: "Look at her! She is sitting and standing now, eager to take her first steps." Smaller, italicized text gives a factual account of her biological development such as, "Pandas are born blind.-It can take up to four months before a panda will take its first steps." Full-color photographs capture the adorable youngster and her mother engaging in typical panda antics. Readers can see the zoo doctors weighing and measuring Hua Mei in her infancy to becoming a 20-pound youth and playing alongside 200-pound Bai Yun. This engaging book will complement any curriculum about animal extinction and environmental responsibility. It is also an appealing choice for general reading.-Tina Hudak, St. Bernard's School, Riverdale, MD Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

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