Backpack

Written and illustrated by Katie Arthur

Owlkids Books

978-1-77147-725-3

40 pp.

Ages 4–7

August, 2026 

 

Soon school will be starting for many children. As they become part of a large school body, many will want to find a way to define themselves. It could be loudly or quietly, with confidence or with shyness, with a look-at-me attitude or with a I'm-OK-by-myself outlook. And the backpack, that familiar bag of many students, will help define them.

 

Katie Arthur, who illustrated the recently reviewed Whale Man: The Story of Jon Lien (Robert Chafe, 2026), follows Izzy through the year, starting on her first day of Grade 1 to see what her backpack, a blue one with ears and a toothy grin, will mean for her.

Illustration by Katie Arthur from Backpack, written by Katie Arthur

Getting her out the door is hard enough, especially when Izzy wants to take multiple, large, stuffed animals with her, and her preschool sibling wants to wear the backpack. But get to school they do, and with some loving goodbyes, Izzy joins the throng of students. Her backpack now has a place beneath her name, and a place to belong. 

Illustration by Katie Arthur from Backpack, written by Katie Arthur

That backpack carries a lot and does a lot. For Izzy, what her backpack means is very complicated. It holds her treasures, the things she needs, what she wears, and even what she'll eat. There are messages, school work, and odd bits of Lego and stones. "All the bits and bobbles of your life, held together with a squish and a zip." (pg. 13) It will bring her joy, comfort, and even hold onto sadness. It can serve as a pillow, as a toy, and a travel buddy. "You carry it, and it carries you." (pg. 36–37)

 

This is more than a book about Izzy's backpack. It's about all the backpacks and those who carry them. It's about what it does, what it means to you, and how it's a part of your growth. We transition through different sizes, through different styles, and with different contents. Whether we're young or old, our backpacks keep us company and serve us well. Katie Arthur's story may be about Izzy B.—there must be two Izzys in her class if the initial of her last name is being used—but it's also about a younger sibling, and all the children who carry backpacks. I love the colour and style of Katie Arthur's artwork which works so well in a book about backpacks. Like the variety of their shapes and colours, Katie Arthur gives the story that same range of feeling. From nervousness to joy, to confidence and heartache, the child carries it all and so does her backpack. The illustrations are colourful and bold but also overcast as the scene necessitates.

Illustration by Katie Arthur from Backpack, written by Katie Arthur

There is a trend—but one that is actually decades old—of examining the contents of purses. I hope Katie Arthur will consider a sequel to Backpack that might expand on what's inside different backpacks, so as to investigate how and what the contents might reveal of the person carrying them. As with people, what's on the inside is perhaps more important than what's on the outside. And what a backpack can do is so much more than just being a vessel for school stuff, as Izzy and Katie Arthur show us.

Boogy & Tee and Twinkle & Hew

Written by Kathy Stinson

Illustrated by Mark Hoffman

Groundwood Books

978-1-77946-036-3

40 pp.

Ages 3–6

September 2026 

 

 

"Stop saying that we are all in the same boat.

We're all in the same storm.

But we're not all in the same boat."

— Greta Thunberg

 

 

Are we all in the same boat? People often say, "We're all in the same boat" as a way to show shared experience and empathy for a shared difficulty. But how often is this true? Kathy Stinson's latest offering, Boogy & Tee and Twinkle & Hew, challenges the notion of equal experience, as did Greta Thunberg in her quote.

 

In rhyming verse reminiscent of Edward Lear's The Owl and the Pussycat, Kathy Stinson begins her story with two pairs heading out onto the sea in good weather. Boogy and Tee set out on their luxury yacht for a cruise, while siblings Twinkle and Hew leave their shack to fish for food. But when a storm hits, the seagoers experience difference circumstances.

Illustration by Mark Hoffman from Boogy & Tee and Twinkle & Hew, written by Kathy Stinson

Twinkle and Hew's old fishing boat falls apart and the two worry they will never see shore again. Boogy and Tee can see no reason to fret about the storm. Though Twinkle and Hew are still in dire straits after the storm passes, a clear sky of brilliant stars appears, and reactions of all seagoers are very separate.

 

But, when the yacht hits a rock, Boogy laments the loss of his things. On the other hand, Tee notices Twinkle and Hew and aims to help them. By helping them, Tee finds a way to save the two siblings and herself and Boogy.

Illustration by Mark Hoffman from Boogy & Tee and Twinkle & Hew, written by Kathy Stinson

While Kathy Stinson's story may be taken as one of cooperation and compassion—important virtues to convey—it is an allegory of how our world is operating. Too often there is a separation of the haves and the have-nots. How they perceive the world, both its marvels and its menaces, can be embedded in the inequality. Boogy and Tee are wealthy, travel the sea by luxury yacht, and barely notice the storm. Even when the storm passes and they witness the glory of a star-filled sky, Boogy imagines owning all of the stars. On the other hand, Twinkle and Hew have to go out on their not-so-fine fine boat to fish for  food. Even when clinging to their wrecked boat, the siblings think about what they mean to each other.

Hew's boat fell apart, breaking more than one heart.

     The two wept like never before.

They held each other, said, "Love you, my brother."

     Would they every get back to shore,

          To shore?

Would they every get back to shore? (pg. 16) 

How Kathy Stinson ends her story is one of positive expectation. She shows us that the inequality that drives so much of our contemporary world can be eclipsed with kindness and cooperation. We've seen it with challenges like the COVID pandemic and major power outages, but whether it lasts only as long as the metaphorical storm will only become evident in real time. 

Illustration by Mark Hoffman from Boogy & Tee and Twinkle & Hew, written by Kathy Stinson

New Hampshire illustrator Mark Hoffman uses collaged painted paper and coloured pencil to create both metaphorical and literal clashes, both between people and of the sea waves. The angularity of cut paper creates a tension that is part of both the sea and the seagoers. And with colour, Mark Hoffman gives us atmosphere, both strained and coordinated.

 

Here's hoping that we can all work towards a world in which we all weather the inevitable storms on safe and strong boats and in partnership with others.

Whale Man: The Story of Jon Lien

Written by Robert Chafe

Illustrated by Katie Arthur

Running the Goat, Books & Broadsides

978-1-998802357

44 pp.

Ages 4–8

August 2026 

 

Jon Lien (1939–2010) was an extraordinary man. His accomplishments, both academic and charitable, earned him the Order of Canada and the respect of many. This is the story of how Jon Lien became the admired scientist whose benevolence saved countless marine mammals and the livelihoods of local fishers.  

Illustration by Katie Arthur from Whale Man: The Story of Jon Lien, written by Robert Chafe

Jon Lien may have grown up in South Dakota, but it was there that he learned to connect with animals, something that ultimately would help him become known as the Whale Man. Curious, Jon watched and learned how animals behaved. After his university studies, he and his wife moved to Newfoundland where he taught at Memorial University. Jon's curiosity with his new home and its many creatures made him a bit of a novelty among the fishers of his community, but when he was called upon to help, he resolved to do so.

Illustration by Katie Arthur from Whale Man: The Story of Jon Lien, written by Robert Chafe

When a fisherman got a humpback whale caught in his net, he called upon Jon. Knowing the disaster this could be both for the whale, who might not survive, and for the fisherman whose livelihood was dependent on his nets being undamaged, Jon saw that both were fearful of the possible outcomes. Looking into the eye of the great animal, Jon recognized fear. Wearing a diving mask, Jon repeatedly stuck his head beneath the water to untangle the net, knot after knot.

Illustration by Katie Arthur from Whale Man: The Story of Jon Lien, written by Robert Chafe

His success with this whale rescue led to more rescues and the founding of the Whale Research Group at Memorial University, as well as helping others to rescue these creatures when the whales became trapped in nets.

 

The story of Jon Lien, the Whale Man, is an extraordinary one. It is especially poignant as Jon Lien became the Whale Man because of his compassion for animals and his curiosity about living things. His understanding of how the whale might be feeling as well as the fisherman helped him find a solution, albeit it one that was perilous to him. His courage to make things right and to help others do the same is the story that author Robert Chafe of Newfoundland tells. It is not one of audacious bravery or imprudence. It is one of curiosity and grace. It tells of a man whose actions were governed by his heart and his inquisitiveness. Robert Chafe tells Jon Lien's story as that of a man of decency, a man who did the right thing. He looked into the eye of a whale and saw the need for mercy, not enmity.

 

The illustrations by Katie Arthur of Nova Scotia impress upon the reader the magnitude of Jon Lien's connection with animals, whether it's a donkey or a whale. Katie Arthur's ability to focus on the man and his efforts while still conveying the vastness of the sea and its inhabitants is a fine balance of her artwork. Most important is the folk-art nature of her art, which blends several media to convey the nature of a Newfoundland landscape and culture. Katie Arthur makes us see the people, the sea, the animals, and the spirit of the Maritimes.

 

I was delighted to make the acquaintance of Jon Lien via Robert Chafe and Katie Arthur's story Whale Man. He was an exceptional man who learned compassion from connecting with animals, from farm animals to birds and finally to whales and other marine creatures, to the betterment of them and of us. 

The Sea We Call Home

Written by Dominique Demers

Illustrated by Gabrielle Grimard 

Pajama Press

978-1-772783674

36 pp.

Ages 4-8

April 2026 

 

Little Gnouf and Mirabelle are two Gnoufs—I don't know what they are but they're adorable—who are excited about going to the sea for the first time. But when they arrive, they spot a baby whale caught in a fishing net and stranded on the shore. 

Illustration by Gabrielle Grimard in The Sea We Call Home, written by Dominique Demers

Fortunately, Little Gnouf has been reading "The Big Book of the Sea," and the two friends know they need to return him to the water. And with his mother waiting off shore, they have a big job. With the help from a sand crab that cuts the ropes binding the baby whale, and some seagulls that help lift it to the sea, it is finally reunited with its mother. 

Illustration by Gabrielle Grimard in The Sea We Call Home, written by Dominique Demers

To add to their extraordinary day at sea, Little Gnouf and Mirabelle enjoy underwater sights that remind them that the sea is home to many amazing creatures.

 

While The Sea We Call Home is a picture book, Dominique Demers has used a story to share information about sperm whales, thereby installing it as a STEM resource too. Dominique Demers, whose books always include whimsical characters, first introduced her gnome-like Gnoufs in her French-language series Le petit Gnouf that includes titles Le Noël du petit Gnouf (2011) and La magie de l'hiver (2013). Now, with this English edition, new readers can learn about empathy, helping others, and kindness along with information about sperm whales from these charming characters.

Illustration by Gabrielle Grimard in The Sea We Call Home, written by Dominique Demers

Just as the French-language series is illustrated by award-winning artist Gabrielle Grimard—see my reviews of Melanie Florence's Stolen Words (2017) and Bahram Rahman's The Library Bus (2020)—so too is The Sea We Call Home. And Gabrielle Grimard brings the whimsy of Dominique Demers's Gnoufs and the colour and wonder of the sea with her artwork. Typically using watercolour, gouache, oil, and pencil, Gabrielle Grimard integrates subtlety with boldness to amalgamate the two story components: an environmental tragedy of a stranded baby sperm whale, and the marvel that is the sea. Her art, through colour and shape, makes us feel sadness and joy, concern and relief.

 

For learning about the sperm whale, you can head to the non-fiction section of a library. But for discovering more about the sea and its elements, including the sperm whale, while appreciating how kindness and empathy can help support the natural world, then The Sea We Call Home should be your choice.

Makade Asin / Black Stone

Written by Darcy Whitecrow and Cail Judy

Illustrated by Maya McKibbin

Translated by Waskonegabowiik / Pamela Johnson 

Groundwood Books

978-1-77946-015-8

32 pp.

Ages 3–8

August 2026

 

There is never one way to deal with fears. But Makade Asin / Black Stone is based on an Ojibwe story of dealing with fears through a vision quest. The text of the book is minimal, even when presented in two languages (Anishnaabemowin and English), with much told through the digital art of Maya McKibbin.

Illustration by Maya McKibbin from Makade Asin / Black Stone, 

written by Darcy Whitecrow and Cail Judy

When a child awakens from a nightmare, he goes to his grandfather, Mishoomis. Mishoomis comforts him and advises him to search for the black stone if he wants to stop being afraid.

...  when you do, your fears

will lose their power,

Ninoozhis. (pg. 8)

 

Illustration by Maya McKibbin from Makade Asin / Black Stone, 

written by Darcy Whitecrow and Cail Judy

His fears are many, including everything from being chased by a leopard, stepping into quicksand, having eyes watching him, falling from a boat, being attacked by a whale and a snake, and surviving the desert. But through the practice of a vision quest, always guided by the words of his Mishoomis, the boy faces all these fears and more. 

Illustration by Maya McKibbin from Makade Asin / Black Stone, 

written by Darcy Whitecrow and Cail Judy

In an appended note, translator Waskonegabowiik / Pamela Johnson, a member of Mitaanjigamiing First Nation, describes the vision quest as a cultural practice whereby the vision seeker goes out without food, water or warm clothing, and, in isolation, experiences dreams that take them back to the elders. And, although authors Darcy Whitecrow, a member of the Seine River First Nation,  and Cail Judy, tell of a boy facing his fears through a vision quest, this story could be for any person, child or adult, with fears. Just as the boy faces his fears and ends up being guided by them, we must all face them or be ruled by them. Whether there is a black stone to be found or just peace of mind will be determined by the nature of the person seeking solace.

 

As mentioned, even with the story in both Anishinaabemowin and English, the text of Makade Asin / Black Stone is sparse. As such, Maya McKibbin's digital illustrations have to convey much of the story. And she shows us the breadth of the boy's fears in the swirling masses of dark threats, toothed creatures, and alarmingly powerful waters. Her main illustrations speak to the formidable power of the boy's fears, using double-spreads and larger-than-life depictions to reveal their magnitude. Maya McKibbin also uses spotlight illustrations, bordered in a tight zigzag stitch similar to those used to keep fabric from fraying, to focus on the boy's personal experiences. From those borders to the colours of a dry desert or a raging storm on the water, Maya McKibbin gives a visceral experience to the boy's vision quest through her art.

 

Makade Asin / Black Stone has a deeply Indigenous perspective on tackling one's fears, but it's message of facing them and letting them guide us, along with some help from others, is one that transcends the Ojibwe culture and will speak to all.

 

All the Water on Earth (CitizenKid)

Written by Rochelle Strauss

Illustrated by Madelyn Goodnight

Kids Can Press

978-1-525310881 

40 pp.

Ages 5–8

June 2026

 

Kids Can Press's CitizenKid series has brought world issues to the attention of young readers for over twenty years. The series is all about making children global citizens who are aware of how children live in other countries, of environmental issues, and of their own roles in making the world a better place. Because of scarcity, pollution, and waste, water is an important global issue, and All the Water on Earth focuses on its importance to life and in our lives.

Illustration by Madelyn Goodnight in All the Water on Earth, written by Rochelle Strauss

Using a picture book format, Rochelle Strauss tells the story of water: where it is, what it does and how it's used, why we need it, how it connects us, and what we can do to ensure that there is enough clean water for all. Her text is comprehensive and yet uncomplicated. Instead of loading her book with facts and maps, infographics and tables, Rochelle Strauss makes it into a story. It's the story of water: past, present and future.

Illustration by Madelyn Goodnight in All the Water on Earth, written by Rochelle Strauss

I love this format for bringing information through storytelling. Rochelle Strauss is an accomplished writer of non-fiction for the CitizenKid series (e.g., Tree of Life: The Incredible Biodiversity of Life on Earth, 2004; One Well: The Story of Water on Earth, 2007; The Global Ocean, 2022) and can tell a story in a multitude of ways. This picture book format is perfect for younger readers and will be a great introduction to water. (Additional references, including discussion questions, will help teachers direct science lessons on the topic.)

From All the Water on Earth, written by Rochelle Strauss, illustrated by Madelyn Goodnight

Because All the Water on Earth is told as a picture book, the illustrations are key. Oklahoma's Madelyn Goodnight, a member of the Chickasaw Nation, created the artwork with graphite, coloured pencils, watercolour paper, and digital painting software. She gives an innocence to the scenes of children playing by the water, in puddles, and on the ice. She also takes us to a well in Kenya, to farmlands and gardens, and to cities where water is used in industry, energy production, and more. The naturalness of her illustrations matches water's commonplace essence while still demonstrating the complexity of its nature.

Introduce young children to water in all its greatness with All the Water on Earth. They will learn and become aware of water's many capacities and forms, beyond what may come out of a tap or a water bottle. Perhaps with a new appreciation for water and our connections to it, young readers will become truer citizens concerning all the water on Earth.

I Will Not Walk to School

Written by Naseem Hrab
Illustrated by Kelly Collier

Kids Can Press

978-1-5253-1439-1
40 pages
Ages 3–7

May, 2026

 

School will be starting again soon and undoubtedly there are parents and guardians wondering how challenging it will be to get little ones to school. (Maybe not so little ones too.) Perhaps children are nervous about starting a new school or a new class, or maybe school has always been a challenge for them, whether academically or socially. But what if they like school?

Monster does not want to get out of bed in this illustration by Kelly Collier from I Will Not Walk to School, written by Naseem Hrab

We’ve seen collaborations between Governor General Award-winning writer Naseem Hrab and illustrator Kelly Collier (e.g., Otis & Peanut series, Snail and Stump series), but now we’ve got Monster, a little one, who doesn’t like going to school. It’s not school he hates—he actually loves school— but it’s the getting there that is the problem. But today is Pancake Breakfast Day and, with pepperoni pineapple pizza pancakes on offer, it may be enough to get him going. But Monster is a pro at delaying. Even prodded by Bird, it is unclear whether he will get to school to enjoy those tasty treats.

Monster tries delaying his walk to school in this illustration by Kelly Collier from I Will Not Walk to School, written by Naseem Hrab

With characters unlike any Naseem Hrab and Kelly Collier have created, I Will Not Walk to School understands every parent who has to get a child ready to go to school, to go to bed, or to do anything they don’t want to do. It’s about perseverance, patience, and prodding. Young readers will laugh at Monster’s antics, from not wanting to leave his stuffie Captain Donutface behind to the need for repeated potty breaks. Perhaps they’ll even be familiar with his strategies for avoidance or for delay. I Will Not Walk to School may not change their own behaviours, but they’ll get a chuckle, as will their parents, about how exasperating they can be, and how creative too, when attempts are made to coax a child, or monster, to do which they are reluctant to undertake. 

Mother Boo: Poems from Spookytown

Written by Vikki VanSickle

Illustrated by Jennica Lounsbury

Tundra Books

 978-1774886182

48 pp.

Ages 4–8

July, 2026 

 

Mother Boo may sound a little scary but she's really a friendly old ghost and the titular character in one of Vikki VanSickle's poems from October County and Spookytown. After a welcoming poem, "Welcome to October County," Vikki VanSickle shares 13 more poems about the fall season and the happenings that come with Halloween. 

The residents of Spookytown

are just like you or I.

They love a thrilling story —

or better yet, a rhyme. (pg. 5)

Illustration by Jennica Lounsbury from Mother Boo: Poems from Spookytown, written by Vikki VanSickle

In "Mother Boo," the ghostly grandmother-like spirit always seems to be around to help out, whether it's shutting a window from howling winds, blowing the clouds away on Halloween, or comforting a child. She's actually quite sweet and motherly.

Illustration by Jennica Lounsbury from Mother Boo: Poems from Spookytown, written by Vikki VanSickle

The other poems include, "The Secret to Flying," "Countdown to Halloween,""The Year in Moons," "Ugga Bugga Baby," and "Ghosts Go A-Spooking." None are frightening but all are entertaining, leaving readers and future Halloweeners smiling and wishing the holiday of trick-or-treating wasn't so far away in time.

Illustration by Jennica Lounsbury from Mother Boo: Poems from Spookytown, written by Vikki VanSickle

Vikki VanSickle could have emphasized the scarier aspects of this seasonal holiday, but she knows her audience. (Her earlier picture books, like How to Decorate a Christmas Tree [2023] and Teddy Bear of the Year [2020], can attest to this.) She gives them rhymes that carry them from parties and pumpkins, to ghosts and werewolves but without terror. Instead, young readers will imagine ghostly goings-on and things that might go bump in the night just like them. Vikki VanSickle even throws in a few poems that emphasize concepts like the alphabet and numbers, and varies her poetry to include limericks, an acrostic, and quatrains. I know Mother Boo: Poems from Spookytown will become a favourite read in October, but it will be incredibly useful for lessons for poetry units too. 

Illustration by Jennica Lounsbury from Mother Boo: Poems from Spookytown, written by Vikki VanSickle

With illustrations created by Hamilton's Jennica Lounsbury, Mother Boo: Poems from Spookytown keeps the holiday theme in content and colour, with only a smidgen of the creepy. Her characters are recognizable as ghosts or children in costumes, and she always gives them expressions that are placid or gleeful. Nothing to fear from these characters. Even Mother Boo is more grandmotherly than ghostly. And by using a limited palette of black and white with gray, and oranges, Jennica Lounsbury ensures that children will recognize Mother Boo: Poems from Spookytown as a book dedicated to Halloween.

Whether you wait until October—don't—or get Mother Boo: Poems from Spookytown now for some upbeat rhyming fun, this picture book will usher in some pumpkiny poetry and some spirited schooling that children will appreciate.

Pipa:m̓: The Touch of the Frog

 

 

 

Written by Joseph Dandurand

Illustrated by Elinor Atkins

Nightwood Editions

978-0-889715004

32 pp.

Ages 6–8

June 2026 

 

As part of his series Kwantlen Stories Then and Now, author Joseph Dandurand, himself a member of the Kwantlen First Nation, tells the story of a clever young girl who helps her community through her relationship with a frog.

Illustration by Elinor Atkins from Pipa:m̓: The Touch of the Frog, written by Joseph Dandurand

The community is preparing for the first fish of the season. Fires are made and nets are mended. Tsa'kwi'ah is a small girl who tries to help but she is too small. After the men go out, Tsa'kwi'ah walks along the river and sees a green frog. She smiles at it and it at her. When she touches it, she becomes strong and tall. Now she can outrun the other children and she can carry heavy fish.

Illustration by Elinor Atkins from Pipa:m̓: The Touch of the Frog, written by Joseph Dandurand

Months later, when many of the villagers, including Tsa'kwi'ah's mother, are sick with red spots and high fevers, Tsa'kwi'ah recalls how the green frog helped her. Taking the frog to her mother and everyone in the village who was sick, Tsa'kwi'ah has them touch the frog and become healed. 

Illustration by Elinor Atkins from Pipa:m̓: The Touch of the Frog, written by Joseph Dandurand

It is known that there are naturally occurring antibiotics secreted from the skin of some frogs so the notion of the touch of a frog being therapeutic is not far-fetched. But, as in all storytelling, it's the germ of an idea that becomes a fuller story. As Pipa:m̓: The Touch of the Frog is told by a member of Kwantlen First Nation, I presume that this is traditional story that has been told many times and through many generations. Whether or not the details are exact—did Tsa'kwi'ah really become stronger and taller or just healthier and older?—is irrelevant. Joseph Dandurand tells the story about community, about healing from unusual sources, and about a connection with the natural world. It's about helping where and when you can, and finding your opportunities to be useful.  

Illustration by Elinor Atkins from Pipa:m̓: The Touch of the Frog, written by Joseph Dandurand

Pipa:m̓: The Touch of the Frog is a deeply traditional story, so Elinor Atkins's artwork complements it with her brightly coloured illustrations that blend the traditional with the organic. Elinor Atkins, also a member of the Kwantlen First Nation, tells more about the story and the community, using line, shapes and colour to take readers to Tsa'kwi'ah's home.

Though Pipa:m̓: The Touch of the Frog  is the first of the Kwantlen Stories Then and Now that I have reviewed, there are four earlier books with more stories to tell. I encourage young readers and those who teach them to look at the whole series. As traditional stories, they keep the stories of a people alive and put to paper that which is usually shared through oral storytelling. 

 

 • • • • • • •

 

Kwantlen Stories Then and Now

The Sasquatch, the Fire and the Cedar Baskets (2020)

A Magical Sturgeon (2022)

The Girl Who Loved the Birds (2023)

The Bears and the Magic Masks (2024)

Pipa:m̓: The Touch of the Frog (2026)

Love, Panda

Written by Elaine Su

Illustrated by Charlene Chua

Orchard Books (An imprint of Scholastic)

978-1-5461-7958-0

32 pp.

Ages 4–8

July 2026 

 

Who wouldn't love to cuddle a super-squishy stuffie of a panda? Apparently Baby Lou does, but Panda, who has always been Benny's, is having none of it.

 

After Panda gets left in the baby's room, Baby Lou is smitten. But Panda, distressed by the unfamiliar, from diapers aplenty and the baby sucking on its ear, begins a letter campaign to get his original boy, Benny, to retrieve him. 

Illustration by Charlene Chua from Love, Panda, written by Elaine Su

In letter after letter, delivered by Dump Truck, Panda describes what he has had to endure—the elephant mobile, a lift-the-flap book, annoying parents who are thrilled with the baby's simplest efforts—and begs Benny to come and get him. But, with each new letter, Panda begins to appreciate Baby Lou and even recognize things familiar to his time with Benny. By learning Baby Lou's routines and finding the familiar, Panda finds it's not so bad after all.

Illustration by Charlene Chua from Love, Panda, written by Elaine Su

Elaine Su's bio speaks of her own favourite stuffie which has since been passed down to her own children. There's always one toy, especially a stuffed one, that is fondly remembered as bringing comfort. (Mine was a pink and green stuffed snake named Horace.) But, what happens when a child outgrows it, and another child covets it? In Love, Panda, the stuffie has something to say about that. Without realizing it, Panda's perspective changes. He learns to recognize that different isn't bad and that perseverance can help one transition from the scary and unknown to something unexpected good.

Illustration by Charlene Chua from Love, Panda, written by Elaine Su

Without Charlene Chua's digital art, Panda would never be so adorable and heartwarming. She gives him the textures and expressions of the sweetest of stuffies. His shape and cushiony appearance will remind young readers of Squishmallows toys, but his facial expressions, from his eyes and brows to his mouth, give us the full range of feelings. He's distressed, he's surprised, he's resigned, and he's joyous.

 

I know Panda is a stuffie and his dilemma—being unceremoniously adopted by a new child—will not be a familiar one to most children, but Love, Panda is a lesson in persevering through that which might seem unimaginably challenging. Perhaps, for children, it will attending a new school, accepting a new baby, or welcoming a new teacher when one goes on maternity. For children, different can be overwhelming. But with time and with the clarity that can come with getting thoughts down on paper, they can triumph. Panda did, and he's not even mobile.