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My Panda Sweater
A quirky kid donates her beloved panda sweater, and through this act of sacrifice gains a new friend. With whimsical, contemporary artwork, this story balances the topic of selflessness with humor and heart, while also offering an opportunity to talk about bullying, sharing and self-confidence.
- GenresPicture BooksChildrens
24 pages, Hardcover
Published March 15, 2020
11 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
April 23, 2020
This one was a 3.5 for me, and I appreciated how understated the message is. Originally published in France, this brief picture book offers the perfect opening for conversations about sharing, bullying, wealth disparity, and maybe even homelessness. The illustrations rely on acrylics and collage to support the book's message quite well. A small child is particularly fond of her panda sweater and finds comfort in hiding inside its hoodie whenever her classmates make fun of her. The author doesn't provide any particular reason for their bullying behavior, which makes the book relatable for many young readers. After all, there are those in the world who pick on others for any reason whatsoever. After it's clear that the sweater no longer fits, the girl's mother gathers up several of her outgrown pieces and donates them to a shelter. The girl starts making up stories about the individuals she sees in her neighborhood and their clothing. But one day, a new classmate arrives in her room, and she is wearing that very sweater that the girl considered to be so lucky. She notices that the new girl is quiet and seems tired and wonders what her story is. She reaches out with a smile and the two begin a new friendship, not caring what the rest of the students think or say about them. It's clear that having one friend or a lucky sweater can make all the difference in the world to someone trying to navigate life's choppy waters. I'd certainly share this with students as a reminder to be kind and generous to those around me, but I would read the book slowly so that they would notice the images and soak in the message.
May 29, 2020
See my full review here: https://www.yabookscentral.com/kidsfi...
MY PANDA SWEATER is a lovely book about the way that clothes can affect us. A young girl loves her panda sweater; it brings her good luck, and she wears it all the time. It makes her feel safe. However, eventually, she grows out of it, and her mother explains to her about how it is time to donate so that it can make someone else feel special. She then starts noticing what others wear and how those items might hold special meaning.
One day, she sees her panda sweater again, worn by a new girl. She reaches out in friendship, and though others may laugh at them, they are happy together as panda bears.
What I loved: This is a beautiful story about friendship, connection, and the ways that clothes can make us feel. The illustrations are gorgeous and stylistic, with plenty of color and interest for young readers and adults alike. Told from the perspective of a young girl, this book ultimately expresses empathy and thoughtfulness. The thoughts about others' clothes and her own happiness at her panda sweater finding a special place is truly wonderful to see.
Children will love the story, its simplicity, and the lovely images. This book easily appeals to a broad age range, from toddlers through elementary school-aged children. There is a perfect amount of text on each page, so they can turn as quickly as young readers' attention spans allow.
Final verdict: Overall, MY PANDA SWEATER is a beautiful book about kindness, empathy, and the way that clothes can make us feel. Highly recommend for sharing with young children.
Please note that I received a review copy. All opinions are my own.
MY PANDA SWEATER is a lovely book about the way that clothes can affect us. A young girl loves her panda sweater; it brings her good luck, and she wears it all the time. It makes her feel safe. However, eventually, she grows out of it, and her mother explains to her about how it is time to donate so that it can make someone else feel special. She then starts noticing what others wear and how those items might hold special meaning.
One day, she sees her panda sweater again, worn by a new girl. She reaches out in friendship, and though others may laugh at them, they are happy together as panda bears.
What I loved: This is a beautiful story about friendship, connection, and the ways that clothes can make us feel. The illustrations are gorgeous and stylistic, with plenty of color and interest for young readers and adults alike. Told from the perspective of a young girl, this book ultimately expresses empathy and thoughtfulness. The thoughts about others' clothes and her own happiness at her panda sweater finding a special place is truly wonderful to see.
Children will love the story, its simplicity, and the lovely images. This book easily appeals to a broad age range, from toddlers through elementary school-aged children. There is a perfect amount of text on each page, so they can turn as quickly as young readers' attention spans allow.
Final verdict: Overall, MY PANDA SWEATER is a beautiful book about kindness, empathy, and the way that clothes can make us feel. Highly recommend for sharing with young children.
Please note that I received a review copy. All opinions are my own.
April 18, 2020
A little girl wears her lucky panda sweater everywhere all the time, but when it gets too small, she donates it to a charity shop. She thinks carefully about the stories behind our clothing and why we might love a particular clothing item. Maybe a friend gave us that scarf, or maybe a famous relative wore that jersey. One day she sees another girl wearing her old lucky panda sweater, and the two become friends.
I loved this book! It's so poignant and sweet. The writing style is really smooth and polished, but with a simplicity that requires only a few words to express a meaningful point. I love how this book explores the stories behind our clothing and why we attach so many feelings to our apparel.
The illustrations are adorable! I love the ink art style, and how some items are colored and others are left in black and white. It places emphasis on certain items like clothing, and draws the reader into the story. The happiness and thoughtfulness of the story really comes through in the artwork.
This book has a wonderful message about letting go of our possessions, so that someone else can benefit from them. This would be a great book to introduce to a child to teach them about decluttering, and let them choose some items to donate.
I love the positive messages and thoughtful mood of this book!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
I loved this book! It's so poignant and sweet. The writing style is really smooth and polished, but with a simplicity that requires only a few words to express a meaningful point. I love how this book explores the stories behind our clothing and why we attach so many feelings to our apparel.
The illustrations are adorable! I love the ink art style, and how some items are colored and others are left in black and white. It places emphasis on certain items like clothing, and draws the reader into the story. The happiness and thoughtfulness of the story really comes through in the artwork.
This book has a wonderful message about letting go of our possessions, so that someone else can benefit from them. This would be a great book to introduce to a child to teach them about decluttering, and let them choose some items to donate.
I love the positive messages and thoughtful mood of this book!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
October 13, 2021
A little girl has a panda sweater that she wears everywhere. With a hood like a panda, she feels safe, and when she's in that sweater she doesn't care what other people think. But then, when the sweater is too small, her mother has her donate the sweater. Soon, a new girl comes to class wearing the Panda Sweater!
What a sweet story about giving new life to loved clothes. The illustrations are so cute - makes me want to knit a Panda Sweater for my granddaughter. Includes an authors note about the advantages of donating rather than throwing away.
cross posted to http://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com
What a sweet story about giving new life to loved clothes. The illustrations are so cute - makes me want to knit a Panda Sweater for my granddaughter. Includes an authors note about the advantages of donating rather than throwing away.
cross posted to http://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com
November 8, 2019
My Panda Sweater is so sweet and perfect. My kids loved the book and wanted to know if I had any clothes with stories afterward. They also related intensely to the main character since they both have comfort items they are quite attached to. The ending was touching and the art wrapped everything up in a beautiful package.
January 24, 2022
Little girl outgrows her sweater and donates it. She begins to realize that other people wear the same clothes all the time and that might be because someone nice gave it to them. A note at the end of the story discusses reusing items by giving them to others and how this also helps reduce waste. Good for kindness or Earth Day.
March 2, 2023
We really enjoyed this story- and we chatted a lot about donating clothes (environmental/kindness), being ourselves, and showing kindness to others.
The students really loved the unique illustrations- and we looked up more about this French artist and his works.
Lovely picture book for K-3- great lessons to be found in this short & sweet story.
The students really loved the unique illustrations- and we looked up more about this French artist and his works.
Lovely picture book for K-3- great lessons to be found in this short & sweet story.
April 13, 2020
A young girl donates her beloved panda sweater and gains a new friend for this act of sacrifice. Originally published in France.
September 10, 2021
I like the idea behind everyone having a story. Was NOT a fan of the illustrations though. The adult heads are terrifying.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews