Mine. Yours.

February 15, 2019
A lesson of possession in only three words.A small panda wanders into a larger panda's comfortably appointed den, looks around, and timidly asks, "Ours?" The large panda, having been awoken from a deep sleep, crossly replies, "Mine," and plops the tiny tot outside to declare, "Yours." The tiny panda then tries to share the larger panda's bamboo breakfast but is quickly reminded what belongs to whom. In an attempt to get some peace, the larger panda grabs a kite from the shelf and gives it to the smaller one: "Yours." The tiny creature happily runs off, trying to get the kite up in the air. Unfortunately, the kite strings keep tangling with other animals' belongings, each instance bringing about a stern reminder of the ownership lesson. The comedy of errors unfolds against a pen-and-watercolor forest with washes of greens and browns, highlighted with the warmth of yellow. Specific Asian animals are featured, carefully identified in the back. In keeping with the limited vocabulary of previous title Lost. Found., illustrated by Matthew Cordell (2015), Arnold employs scarcity to her advantage, but the communal resolution is off-kilter. Little patience or kindness is presented (snatching and angry looks control most of the narrative), making the pat ending an abrupt transition.Others have done this before--better. (Picture book. 3-6)

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May 31, 2019

PreS-K-Three simple words shape the narrative of this quiet picture book with a loud message about community. A lone little panda clad in blue and red with a small pack stumbles upon another panda's cave. When the little panda asks, "Ours?" the big panda declares, "Mine" and places the cub on a rock outside stating, "Yours." The big panda gives the little one a kite so that the young panda will leave. The kite takes the little panda all through the forest, where a pangolin, a raccoon dog, a red panda, and other animals are disrupted and frustrated by the kite's tail tangling and catching all of the animals' things. All the while, the little panda is teaching the forest a new word, "OURS!" Rendered in watercolor and pen-and-ink, Leng's detailed, expressive, soft-hued illustrations drive the story. VERDICT A delicate, whimsical tale of community, friendship, and belonging. Recommended for one-on-one or small group sharing.-Brianne Colombo, Fairfield Free Public Library, NJ

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