How This Book Got Red by Margaret Chiu Greanias and Melissa Iwai - ESSENTIAL

How This Book Got Red by Margaret Chiu Greanias, illustrated by Melissa Iwai. PICTURE BOOK. Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2023. $19. 9781728265650

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

When Panda and Red Panda sit down to read about pandas, Red is hurt because nowhere in the book does it talk about her - a red panda!  She decides to write her own book but throws it away when she feels inadequate. Some other pandas - red and others - find the book and encourage Red to keep writing so that they can see themselves in a book and so that others unlike them can learn something new.

I see what you did there, Greanias! Bravo! Red Panda does deserve to see herself in a panda book. All of the pandas are adorable and the message is super simple and meaningful.

Cindy Mitchell, Library Teacher, MLS