Whoa Panda!

When readers first meet round, squat Little Panda, the character all but rushes the book’s fourth wall, getting “way too close.” (Digitally enhanced colored pencil images from Jennings zoom in for a close-up of an eager, black-ringed eye.) Panda stands back after the narrator requests space, but the arrival of a tiny puppy reignites the bear’s enthusiasm. The narrator’s gentle attempts to curb “Whoa Panda!” moments by setting boundaries (“I don’t think Puppy wants to be squeezed”) at first overwhelm the excitable protagonist. Yet with encouragement and praise, Panda seems to grasp that a smile serves as a mighty fine icebreaker, and that “Friends will let you know it’s okay to be touched.” Through Panda’s highly relatable missteps, this reassuring book offers validation while demonstrating that friendship isn’t about perfection—sometimes it’s just about asking whether someone might prefer a hug or a high five. Ages 3–7. (Aug.)