The Panda Problem

by Deborah Underwood, Hannah Marks (Illustrator)

Overview

The critically adored, New York Times bestselling Deborah Underwood delights with a hilariously meta celebration of storytelling out of control.

Every story needs a problem.
But Panda doesn't have a problem.
Unless . . . Panda is the problem.

The New York Times bestselling author of Here Comes the Easter Cat and The Quiet Book loses control of the narrative in the funniest, most exuberant, most kid-delighting way in this adventurous ode to what makes a story—and what makes a story great.

"Highly entertaining and laugh-out-loud funny."—Kirkus
"Supremely silly."—Publishers Weekly
"Excellent...Cute, cute book."—School Library Connection
"Entertaining...humorous." —BCCB
"Kid-friendly...visually appealing...cheeky...adorable."—The Horn Book
"Hilarious, inventive...A joyful read aloud." —SLJ, The Classroom Bookshelf

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780735228504
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	04/02/2019
Pages:	48
Sales rank:	79,072
Product dimensions:	11.20(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	510L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Deborah Underwood has worked as a street musician and at an accounting firm but for years has been a full-time writer who occasionally plays the ukulele. She is the author of several picture books, including New York Times bestsellers
The Quiet Book and Here Comes the Easter Cat, as well as Monster & Mouse Go Camping, Interstellar Cinderella, and Bad Bye Good Bye.

Hannah Marks is a self-taught illustrator and designer, who often gets her best ideas after eating cake. She lives in England with her husband, three children, a bonkers cat, two gerbils, and a teeny-tiny Roborovski hamster.​​​​​​​ The Panda Problem is her U.S. picture book debut. Find her on Twitter @Hannah_Marks, on Instagram at hannahmarks_, and on Pinterest at hannahemarks.

Editorial Reviews

02/20/4

Being a narrator should be straightforward: introduce and situate the main character (“Once upon a time there was a panda who lived in a beautiful bamboo grove”), set the dramatic tension in motion (“But the panda had a BIG problem”), and solve the problem—end of story. But what happens when the protagonist refuses to play along? “Looks like you’re the one with the problem, buddy,” says Panda, who won’t offer up so much as a sore paw to drive the narrative forward. The bear soon wrests control of the meta-comedy (“Maybe YOU are the main character and I am YOUR problem!”) and introduces a jelly bean rain, purple puffball aliens, a second panda, and a trip to Antarctica (“This is fiction. Anything can happen!” a penguin observes). The embattled narrator may start yearning for stories that are about “nice, quiet rocks,” but readers will gleefully embrace the anarchy that Underwood’s (Interstellar Cinderella) supremely silly repartee has unleashed. Marks, making her U.S. picture book debut, is an able accomplice, offering tightly composed and choreographed cartooning that feels appropriately chaotic. Ages 3–7. Author’s agent: Erin Murphy, Erin Murphy Literary Agency. Illustrator’s agency: Astound US Agency. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

An Indie Next List Selection

"Master of meta Underwood's witty narrative and Marks' cute, colored-pencil illustrations come together to create a comical struggle for control between a narrator and their rebellious creation. Highly entertaining and laugh-out-loud funny." —Kirkus

"Being a narrator should be straightforward . . . But what happens when the protagonist refuses to play along? . . . Readers will gleefully embrace the anarchy that Underwood’s supremely silly repartee has unleashed." —Publishers Weekly

“Excellent . . . [a] cute, cute book.” —School Library Connection

"Kid-friendly . . . visually appealing . . . cheeky . . . adorable . . . Underwood’s latest meta tale creatively explains storytelling fundamentals, slyly defining plot, setting, and characters as the panda upends the norms. Now, thanks to the panda’s shenanigans, readers will be 'story experts,' too." —The Horn Book

“This read-aloud thrives on its quirky self-awareness, and it’s an entertaining introduction to humorous meta-textuality for young kids. . . . Listeners who take to this may want to check out Underwood’s series starring Cat, starting with Here Comes the Easter Cat.” —BCCB

"A hilarious, inventive, laughter-inducing meta tale. . . . A joyful read aloud." —School Library Journal, The Classroom Bookshelf blog

From the Publisher

★ 04/01/2019

PreS-Gr 2-An unseen narrator begins recounting a tale about "a panda who lived in a beautiful bamboo grove." When it comes time to introduce a problem, the laid-back panda denies this narrative claim. The disgruntled narrator lays down the rules and volleys a series of conflict-probing questions to no avail. While lounging on a hammock, the untroubled panda has a revelation and turns the storytelling tables. With the editorial reins now firmly in his paw, the bear riles up the narrator with annoying antics like playing the banjo, singing "The Bamboo Burp Song," and sailing to Antarctica. Marks's colored pencil cartoon illustrations humorously capture the mischievous glint in the panda's eyes, and are full of zany details like a jellybean rainstorm and a trio of purple puffball aliens. The clever conflict resolution will surely inspire readers to become "story experts." VERDICT Superb comedic pacing and belly-laugh-inducing dialogue make this a metafictional storytime standout.-Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ont.

School Library Journal

2019-01-15

What if the main character took over the storytelling from the narrator?

The (presumably adult) narrator begins the story of a panda who has a "BIG problem," but the panda protagonist (represented opposite the narration) loudly disagrees. Panda goes on to explain that they have no problems: Their view from atop the bamboo tree is great, there's plenty to eat, and the day is sunny. When the narrator explains to the panda that they are the main character and that they need to overcome a problem, because "that's how stories work," the panda suggests that they become the problem instead! The panda then begins a series of activities to frustrate the narrator, ranging from the merely obnoxious (playing the banjo really badly) to downright outrageous (introducing a second, equally problematic panda into the story). This metafictive picture book's success lies in the creation of two distinct voices, which makes the exchange of dialogue possible. The voices can be told apart by the difference in type: The narritorial text is set in formal black typeface that denotes a sense of authority, and the panda responds through hand-lettered speech bubbles. Master of meta Underwood's (Here Comes the Easter Cat, 2014, etc.) witty narrative and Marks' cute, colored-pencil illustrations come together to create a comical struggle for control between a narrator and their rebellious creation.

Highly entertaining and laugh-out-loud funny. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews