School Library Journal Review

PreS-K-The protagonist of Please, Mr. Panda is back with another manners lesson-this time on the value of patience. Large, block-shaped Mr. Panda, attired in a small apron covered with images of doughnuts and a toque that looks amusingly tiny on his large head, looks out at readers with a deadpan expression. He holds a bowl and wooden spoon. "What are you making, Mr. Panda?" asks an alpaca as the story begins. "Wait and see. It's a surprise," he responds. But Alpaca refuses to wait. Penguin, though, says, "I'll wait, Mr. Panda." An aardvark, a warren of rabbits, and a bird each in turn want to know what Mr. Panda is making, and his reply remains the same. They must wait. One by one, they, too, leave. Finally, a page turn depicts the penguin, who has previously been accorded a small space at the bottom or in the corner of a page, full size, beak wide open as he speaks the words written in large font on the opposite page: "I'll wait, Mr. Panda!" Even the background color changes from dull blue gray to stark white for this loud announcement. Two pages later, with Penguin still patiently waiting, Mr. Panda carries in a sprinkle-covered doughnut so big that it covers the page. Penguin declares it "worth the wait," and readers will, too. VERDICT This lighthearted treatment of the rewards of patience is perfect for group sharing and may help youngsters remember to exercise a little more of it when next the need arises.-Marianne Saccardi, Children's Literature Consultant, Cambridge, MA © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.