Caldecott Honor winner Cindy Derby delivers an endearing picture book about an adorable (and ingenious!) panda bear who must find the grit within to climb--and overcome--a snowy, slippery mountain.
Look! A butterfly! Up, up, and away it flutters, flying high above a large snowy mountain.
But Panda wants to play, and that mountain is clearly in their way. To reach their new friend, Panda will just have to climb it! Unfortunately, it's very slippery...and very steep...and little Panda keeps tumbling to the bottom. Oh, Panda. Just how will they reach the peak?!
With spare text and dazzling watercolor illustrations, Panda’s journey reminds us that with a bit of moxie—and a lot of perseverance—we, too, can reach the top of our mountain.
About the Author
Cindy Derby is an author and illustrator of many critically acclaimed books for children, including Outside In, written by Deborah Underwood, which received a 2021 Caldecott Honor as well as five starred reviews.NPR has called her illustrations “mesmerizing,” and the New York Times regards her work as “profound…alive…and wonderfully out of control.” Cindy's books have been translated all over the world and have also been awarded a Golden Kite Honor for Picture Book Illustration, a Crystal Kite Award, and international awards such as France’s 2022 Philosophia Jeunesse prize and the Alpaca Award (bronze medal) in Japan’s Kembuchi Picture Book Awards. She lives in San Francisco.
Praise For…
★ "Tackling persistence and much more, this wryly empathic story from Derby thoughtfully models an instance of learning to respect autonomy and offer meaningful support." —Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Melding lovely art with toddlerlike determination, this amalgamation of ice castles and vibrant butterflies soars." —Kirkus Reviews
"Derby.... crafts a relatable tale of ingenuity and perseverance. Her soft-edged, wobbly-lined artwork, rendered in watercolors and gouache, gives the story a warmth despite the snowy landscape, and kids will enjoy seeing the little protagonist come out on top (of the world)." —Booklist
"Reminiscent of a human toddler struggling against the odds, the headstrong cub uses his energy and strong will to accomplish what he set out to do in this charming, effective picture book adventure." —School Library Journal
