Xander's Panda Party

Xander Panda wants to throw a party, but a panda party would have only one guest—himself. So, he decides to invite all the bears. But Koala protests. She’s not a bear—she's a marsupial! Does that mean she can’t come? Xander rethinks his decision to invite only bears, and “Calling all bears” evolves into “Calling all creatures.” The Newbery Medal author Linda Sue Park introduces animal taxonomy in a wonderfully engaging way, and the celebrated artist Matt Phelan’s charming ink and watercolor paintings are the icing on the cake.      |

"Phelan takes Park's jaunty story about a panda with a complicated social life and develops it still further. . . . There's food for thought throughout."
—Publishers Weekly, starred review

"The upbeat, mostly rhyming text provides a surprising amount of information about animal families and species without tripping up the pace. . . . Perfect for young animal lovers and a great read-aloud for storytime."
—School Library Journal, starred review

"Liberal use of internal rhyme. . . makes Park's text sing as it relates how Xander tackles each new challenge."
—The Horn Book Magazine, starred review

"Phelan's ink and watercolor compositions offer the perfect counterpoint to the tightly wrought verses, with playfulness inherent in the fluid inky outlines encasing broadly applied brushstrokes."
—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review

"Newbery Medalist Park's playful rhyming text introduces young kids to different species of animals. . . Share this story about the importance of inclusion with birthday kids and those fond of a trip to the zoo."
—Booklist