Pandas' Earthquake Escape

May 10, 2010
Two giant pandas, Liling and Tengfei, fall from a tree when an earthquake strikes their home on a reserve in Northern China, in this fictionalized story based on an actual incident. Although Detwiler (One Wolf Howls) depicts the bears naturalistically, their faces convey their fear as mother and cub run through the rainforest, which is rendered in muted greens and violets. Perry (The Field Guide to Ocean Animals) vividly describes Tengfei's emotions: "Tengfei was frantic as he looked around. He stared deep into the woods. Suddenly he spotted the familiar black and white markings of his mother's fur." When men, whose kind faces suggest they aren't a threat, spot the pair, they capture them and carry them back to their reserve: "The hungry pandas were really happy to be home." Appended educational materials include activities, giant panda facts, and information about earthquakes and the Richter Scale, which could be developed into a broader lesson. Readers, though, may be left wanting more substance from Liling and Tengfei's story, which, despite its initial momentum, ends with a wispy resolution. Ages 4–8.

June 1, 2010
PreS-Gr 2-This suspenseful, fictionalized picture book is based on a 2008 earthquake in Northern China. When the wall of a nature reserve enclosure tumbles during a quake, a frightened giant panda and her cub, Tengfei, run away. Liling seeks safety, and the two spend the night in a shallow cave. The next day mother and cub explore their surroundings, searching for a way home. The pandas are suddenly shot with medicated darts, and humans return the pair to the reserve. Perry quickly draws readers into this well-told story. It is an interesting and rare look at how animals are affected by natural disasters. Detwiler's painterly spreads, rich in deep greens and browns, show a lifelike Liling and Tengfei. Like a panda's fur, two colors, white and black, are used for the type. A "Creative Minds" section supplements the tale with material on earthquakes, the Richter scale, and pandas. Perry's story can stand alone without the extras, but teachers needing lesson-plan material will find the back matter helpful. For a look at a panda cub's first year of life, pair this book with Caroline Arnold's "A Panda's World" (Picture Window, 2006). A worthy, informative picture book."Lynn K. Vanca, Akron-Summit County Public Library, Richfield, OH"

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