Mao Mao’s Perfectly Imperfect Day

The arrival of a new student challenges panda Mao Mao’s narrow quest for perfection in this expressive picture book. When human classmate Olivia, portrayed with brown skin, is seated next to the meticulous panda and promptly dumps out her backpack’s contents, then spills paint water across the table, Mao Mao’s concern is evident. Then an idea forms: “To help Olivia ease into her new environment, he will show her the art of how to be... PERFECT!” When the plan to keep things pristine goes almost immediately awry, a shared work of art ends up torn in half. In the aftermath, the bear grapples with a range of feelings that lead to an artistic outburst. “That was amazing!” the mixed animal-human class exclaims in response, prompting Mao Mao to rethink his definition of perfection. Thick white outlining gives Cham’s comics-style digital artwork a 3D cut paper effect, and pastel coloring conveys an emotional arc about frustration, release, and individual natures. Ages 4–8. (July)