Xander's Panda Party

When I heard Linda Sue Park talk about her process in creating this book, she said that the phrase Xander's Panda Party was with her for years. The problem for Xander is there's only one panda at the zoo, so he clearly needs a new plan for his party. Then it's a bear party -- but when he invites the koala, who worries that she won't be welcome since she's really not a bear, the book takes a quiet subtle turn of teaching animal kingdoms.Then again, it goes much deeper than that because the rhino won't come without his bird, so you're suddenly looking at the concepts of symbiosis and mutualism, where each animal benefits the other. On the theme of social justice, you're also looking at issues of inclusion and exclusion and how that feels show more for various parties. You can go as deep as you want with this book: Enjoy its sweet simple story about a panda's birthday or explore the deeper meanings and larger concepts. show less

I loved this book! It was so cute! I loved that the entire book rhymed even though there were more complicated words such as invitation and jubilation. The illustrations in this book were big and bold. They were even part of the text of the book on a few pages. This book was about including everyone, no matter what species and type of animal they were. I believe that was the main idea: inclusion. Even though the main character was a panda, I felt as though I could relate to him because he just wanted to be able to include everyone at his party so he kept reissuing invitations to hopefully include everyone. Finally he said that everyone was invited! Even humans. I think this book portrays a wonderful message to children about including show more others. Because of the rhyming, the language of the book really flowed and was a very easy read. I also found it fascinating that the author included a note of two pages at the end of the book describing why she wrote it. It is definitely one I will stock my classroom library with one day! show less

Right away I'm loving the artist's talent to show us that the eyes of the panda are small, that those big splotches that make it look all anime or whatever are just dark fur. And I'm loving that the animals don't wear clothing, too.
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Oh, it gets better. Good science all through, including the climax, in which we're reminded that humans are animals, and a good author's note.

And yes, the pictures are adorable.

I like Xander’s Panda Party for its rhyming, upbeat poetry, well-paced writing, adorable characters, engaging and accurate information, and light, colorful illustrations. Xander’s Panda Party is a story about a young panda who lives in a zoo. He’s preparing to throw a big party. He begins to invite his friends, the bears, but soon realizes that he needs to expand his invitations to include all of his other friends at the zoo. The book includes lots of animal information about various types of animals, such as marsupials and mammals. The language and writing are patterned and flowing. For example, “Xander fetched some more bamboo. He wasn’t sure what he should do. He chewed a slew of new bamboo; he nibbled, gnawed and thought show more things through.” The book is full of dialogue between the animals that makes them more relatable to the reader. The upbeat rhymes match perfectly with the characters and plot. The characters are adorable and lovable in their personalities and illustrations. The illustrations are watercolor and have a dreamy, youthful appearance. Additionally, the author, Linda Sue Park includes a note at the back of the book that is full of information about pandas, China, and other animals. The big idea of the story is to encourage readers to include and accept others, despite their differences. Also, the book introduces the reader to various types of animals. Xander’s Panda Party is a good read for anyone who is looking for an endearing and informational book about a young bear planning a “dandy panda party.” show less

There is a lot going on in this book. The illustrations, rhyming and vocabulary are great. A few big words that go right over little kids but that's ok. The message is about inclusion and kids might come away learning a little something about different classifications of creatures... What is a marsupial?

Xander is a panda excited to invite some friends to his party. Since he is the only panda in the zoo, he decides to open his invitation to the other bears in the zoo. However, Xander soon learns that not all of his friends are bears. In fact, while planning his party, Xander soon discovers that friends come in all shapes and sizes. By opening his mind and his heart, Xander throws the best party the zoo has ever seen.

This book was adorable and I really liked it. The language was patterned and carried a beat, grabbing the readers attention. For example " Yes, a dandy whoop-de-do! But Xander was the only panda. Just one panda at the zoo." The illustrations, were really what drew me in. The details and expressions of each animal really connected to the story. The message of the book was to include everyone. By Xander the panda inviting everyone to his party, no one at the zoo felt left out. "What a ball! Lots of new friends, tall and small!" this shows that Xander is having a great time with everyone at the party whether they are a mammal, bird, or reptile.