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In the Company of Pandas: My Life with the World's Favorite Bear
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Expected 10 Nov 26Win a free print copy of this book!
2 days and 10:57:50
25 copies available
U.S. only
Spend time in the company of giant pandas with this delightful collection of stories and first-person insights about their behavior, biology, and conservation from panda expert Dr. Brandie Smith, director of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.
What is it about giant pandas that makes them nearly impossible to resist? Brandie Smith, director of the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, DC, and a true expert in giant pandas, gives readers a front-row seat to these miracles of nature, these bamboo-devouring carnivores, describing what it’s like to feed them, train them, cherish them, and help them survive.
Pandas, like people, have strong individual personalities, quirks, habits, likes, and dislikes. Through Smith’s eyes, we get to meet several generations of pandas who have called the National Zoo home. Smith addresses many misconceptions about giant pandas, revealing surprising truths about their biology, evolution, and the challenges involved with taking care of them. Giant pandas have a unique reproductive style that has worked perfectly for millions of years in the wild but has made it challenging for them to respond to climate change and habitat destruction, and makes propagating them in zoos extremely difficult.
With chapters on raising baby pandas, the diplomacy involved in exchanging pandas with China, and the ongoing quest to keep giant pandas from going extinct, In the Company of Pandas is the ultimate guide to these irresistible creatures and why we love them, written by one of the world’s leading experts.
What is it about giant pandas that makes them nearly impossible to resist? Brandie Smith, director of the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, DC, and a true expert in giant pandas, gives readers a front-row seat to these miracles of nature, these bamboo-devouring carnivores, describing what it’s like to feed them, train them, cherish them, and help them survive.
Pandas, like people, have strong individual personalities, quirks, habits, likes, and dislikes. Through Smith’s eyes, we get to meet several generations of pandas who have called the National Zoo home. Smith addresses many misconceptions about giant pandas, revealing surprising truths about their biology, evolution, and the challenges involved with taking care of them. Giant pandas have a unique reproductive style that has worked perfectly for millions of years in the wild but has made it challenging for them to respond to climate change and habitat destruction, and makes propagating them in zoos extremely difficult.
With chapters on raising baby pandas, the diplomacy involved in exchanging pandas with China, and the ongoing quest to keep giant pandas from going extinct, In the Company of Pandas is the ultimate guide to these irresistible creatures and why we love them, written by one of the world’s leading experts.
- GenresNonfictionAnimals
272 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication November 10, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Well, I just learned way more about panda sex than I expected, how is your day going? In the Company of Pandas by Brandie Smith of course has more than just panda sex. However, you just need to be ready for it. As Smith herself says, it somehow is just less salacious when it's pandas. I digress.
Smith is a panda expert and is the director of the Smithsonian National Zoo. This book is about pandas. How much more do you need in this review? Do you love everything pandas? Get the book. Might want to skip a chapter or two for the younger kids, though. Don't worry, you'll know which ones.
Smith also goes into a little panda history (you will want to fight the Roosevelt sons) and some of her own history. It's very simple. You love pandas? Buy the book, you little rascal.
(This book was provided as a review copy by Atria Books.)
Smith is a panda expert and is the director of the Smithsonian National Zoo. This book is about pandas. How much more do you need in this review? Do you love everything pandas? Get the book. Might want to skip a chapter or two for the younger kids, though. Don't worry, you'll know which ones.
Smith also goes into a little panda history (you will want to fight the Roosevelt sons) and some of her own history. It's very simple. You love pandas? Buy the book, you little rascal.
(This book was provided as a review copy by Atria Books.)
Want to Read
September 13, 2026Who doesn't love a panda? 🐼
This author started her career as an intern at the Pittsburgh Zoo and seems to originally be from this area - I'm always happy to support people from the city I call home!
Click here to hear more about this book and my other anticipated releases of the upcoming quarter over on my Booktube channel, abookolive!
This author started her career as an intern at the Pittsburgh Zoo and seems to originally be from this area - I'm always happy to support people from the city I call home!
Click here to hear more about this book and my other anticipated releases of the upcoming quarter over on my Booktube channel, abookolive!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you, Atria Books, for providing the copy of In the Company of Pandas by Brandie Smith. I adored this book! I don’t read much nonfiction, especially not science/nature books, but I couldn’t resist this one because I am fascinated with pandas. I have fond memories of seeing pandas at the San Francisco zoo in the 80s and proudly showing off my blurry pictures. Fast forward 35 years to when I got my one-and-only tattoo: a minimalistic panda face. This book taught me so much about these adorable bears. It was interesting to learn about the problems with breeding them, and I loved reading about their different personalities. Unfortunately, I also learned that I will never get a job taking care of pandas because I lack the requisite science education! If you love pandas, you have to read this book. You will learn so much about how zoos have figured out how to take care of them and what they have learned by observing them. 5 stars
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you Artia Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review of In the Company of Pandas.
Note: I live in the DC area, so I have been to the National Zoo in Washington DC all of my life, including seeing the pandas, in real life and on the Panda Cam.
I really enjoyed reading In the Company of Pandas and learning about the history of panda diplomacy (Chinese and American relations), the pandas that have lived at the National Zoo, and the experiences with pandas reproduction (spoiler: it's complicated, but modern science has made advances to support panda reproduction & the newborn cubs). It was fascinating to read about the giant pandas that I have seen countless of times to have a deeper dive into their personalities and where they are today.
Highly recommend for any panda and animal lovers.
Note: I live in the DC area, so I have been to the National Zoo in Washington DC all of my life, including seeing the pandas, in real life and on the Panda Cam.
I really enjoyed reading In the Company of Pandas and learning about the history of panda diplomacy (Chinese and American relations), the pandas that have lived at the National Zoo, and the experiences with pandas reproduction (spoiler: it's complicated, but modern science has made advances to support panda reproduction & the newborn cubs). It was fascinating to read about the giant pandas that I have seen countless of times to have a deeper dive into their personalities and where they are today.
Highly recommend for any panda and animal lovers.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Engaging look at the animal who has captured hearts the world over. I love the universal cooperation aimed at keeping them as part of our world. Full review to follow.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews