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bibliobrandie's review against another edition
2.0
I am glad that the author addressed the issue of taking a panda cub from the mountains of China to bring to America and put into a zoo. Though I always love Melissa Sweet's illustrations.
lannthacker's review against another edition
3.0
A picture book version of the tale of the first captive panda in America, trapped and transported by a woman, no less. I wasn't sure how I felt about the simplified version of this story until I read the author's note at the back, which contextualizes Harkness's work and changing attitudes about wild animal capture and zoos.
kristid's review against another edition
4.0
this one was a little advanced for the girl at age two but I tried to make it interesting for her. however I really enjoyed the story myself and had no idea that this was how pandas first came to the U.S. we might have to get this one again when she's older.
a_manning11's review against another edition
5.0
What a beautiful book on this amazing story. The artist Melissa Sweet used material she collected whilst traveling in China to create the artwork in this book. Mrs. Harkness was an ordinary woman who did something entirely extraordinary in bringing the first panda bear to the United States. Colorful watercolors are combined with maps, postcards, and lined and squared paper - a real scrap book. Illustrations show the 'golden Yangtze river', or are presented in panels. At the end of the book is a chronology of events in Mrs. Harkness' life and an author's note including comments on animal preservation.
hldavids's review against another edition
4.0
http://web.mnstate.edu/cmc/ComstockHonorBooks2013.cfm#MrsHarknessAndThePanda
"In 1934, Ruth Harkness had never seen a panda bear. Not many people in the world had." Thus begins the story of Mrs. Harkness, who had not intended to go looking for the beishung. After all, in 1934 women were considered "too dainty for exploring." But after Mr. Harkness passes away in China during his search for the panda, Mrs. Harkness is determined to take on the expedition. Despite the vocal naysayers, Mrs. Harkness packs, prepares, and heads to China. With the help of Quentin and Lao Tsang, a panda is found. Mrs. Harkness names the baby Su Lin and finds him a home in the Brookfield Zoo. The naysayers are quieted and Mrs. Harkness is recognized as a woman explorer.
The watercolor and mixed media illustrations bring a nostalgic feel to Mrs. Harkness's travels. According to Melissa Sweet's web page, much of the paper and collage materials used were obtained while she was in China.
Students from nine to eleven were drawn in by the phenomenal illustrations and the rich language of this story. A passion for research was ignited in some students sending them to the library to look for more information about both pandas and female explorers. The children loved the determination of Mrs. Harkness and commented on how she continued her quest despite the negative feedback from others. A "Chronology of Events," "Author's Note," and "Selected Bibliography" provide further information for readers wanting to know more about Su Lin and Mrs. Harkness.
From Boston, Alicia Potter is a long-time reviewer of children's books. Melissa Sweet, who currently resides in Rockport, Maine, has received a 2009 Caldecott Honor award and the 2012 Sibert Award.
"In 1934, Ruth Harkness had never seen a panda bear. Not many people in the world had." Thus begins the story of Mrs. Harkness, who had not intended to go looking for the beishung. After all, in 1934 women were considered "too dainty for exploring." But after Mr. Harkness passes away in China during his search for the panda, Mrs. Harkness is determined to take on the expedition. Despite the vocal naysayers, Mrs. Harkness packs, prepares, and heads to China. With the help of Quentin and Lao Tsang, a panda is found. Mrs. Harkness names the baby Su Lin and finds him a home in the Brookfield Zoo. The naysayers are quieted and Mrs. Harkness is recognized as a woman explorer.
The watercolor and mixed media illustrations bring a nostalgic feel to Mrs. Harkness's travels. According to Melissa Sweet's web page, much of the paper and collage materials used were obtained while she was in China.
Students from nine to eleven were drawn in by the phenomenal illustrations and the rich language of this story. A passion for research was ignited in some students sending them to the library to look for more information about both pandas and female explorers. The children loved the determination of Mrs. Harkness and commented on how she continued her quest despite the negative feedback from others. A "Chronology of Events," "Author's Note," and "Selected Bibliography" provide further information for readers wanting to know more about Su Lin and Mrs. Harkness.
From Boston, Alicia Potter is a long-time reviewer of children's books. Melissa Sweet, who currently resides in Rockport, Maine, has received a 2009 Caldecott Honor award and the 2012 Sibert Award.
alysona's review against another edition
5.0
The cute panda on the cover will draw you in, but it is Mrs. Harkness you will remember, a fabulous lady!
abigailbat's review against another edition
5.0
A sweet nonfiction picture book about Ruth Harkness's quest to bring the first panda to the United States in 1936. I am a huge fan of Melissa Sweet's mixed media illustrations. Here, she uses Chinese characters, vintage postcards, and maps to great effect. Back matter includes a timeline and an author's note that points out that today we might question whether it was right to take a panda from China, but that before the advent of videos and the internet, the only way many people could learn about animals was to study them or visit them in zoos.
panda_incognito's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book when I originally read it in 2014, and now I have read it for a library storytime! Living my best life. My audience was riveted, and I'm so glad I had the opportunity to share this.
This picture book tells a fascinating true story about a woman explorer, and about how pandas first became known to the wider world. In the note at the end, the author addresses the ethical issues with Ruth Harkness removing the baby panda from its environment, but she acknowledges the different standards of that time and shows how this led to many good things. Of course, given my love for pandas, I feel a special connection with this book. I can thank Mrs. Harkness for popularizing pandas fifty-one years before my beloved stuffed panda came to exist.
The colorful, collage-style illustrations from Melissa Sweet are amazing, and the book shares rich details related to Mrs. Harkness's journey, the people that she met along the way, and the different challenges that she faced. The book also includes some photographic reproductions at the end and on the back cover. The panda is madly adorable in both the illustrations and the photos!
When I requested this for my animal-themed storytime, I didn't remember how long and wordy it was, and I also didn't remember the tragic details related to Mr. Harkness's death. However, since this was still my favorite option, I asked one of the librarians if I could read aloud a simplified, adapted version of this, and she said that would be fine.
It went so well! It was great practice for me to approach this from a storytelling perspective instead of just reading the text directly as it was written, and I'm pleased that I was able to pull it off without any mistakes, except for one panicked moment when I got to a Chinese name I had forgotten how to pronounce. I made my best guess, and everything else went smoothly.
Even though I explained up front that I was going to simplify parts of this book, I ended up reading much more of the text than I had anticipated, since my audience was so engaged. The adults, preschoolers, and toddlers were all riveted. At the especially suspenseful moments, you could have heard a pin drop. It was delightful, and I enjoyed getting to share so many fascinating details instead of simplifying things to the degree that I had planned. This was a terrific final storytime for 2022, and I am so pleased that I got to share this special book with my audience.
This picture book tells a fascinating true story about a woman explorer, and about how pandas first became known to the wider world. In the note at the end, the author addresses the ethical issues with Ruth Harkness removing the baby panda from its environment, but she acknowledges the different standards of that time and shows how this led to many good things. Of course, given my love for pandas, I feel a special connection with this book. I can thank Mrs. Harkness for popularizing pandas fifty-one years before my beloved stuffed panda came to exist.
The colorful, collage-style illustrations from Melissa Sweet are amazing, and the book shares rich details related to Mrs. Harkness's journey, the people that she met along the way, and the different challenges that she faced. The book also includes some photographic reproductions at the end and on the back cover. The panda is madly adorable in both the illustrations and the photos!
When I requested this for my animal-themed storytime, I didn't remember how long and wordy it was, and I also didn't remember the tragic details related to Mr. Harkness's death. However, since this was still my favorite option, I asked one of the librarians if I could read aloud a simplified, adapted version of this, and she said that would be fine.
It went so well! It was great practice for me to approach this from a storytelling perspective instead of just reading the text directly as it was written, and I'm pleased that I was able to pull it off without any mistakes, except for one panicked moment when I got to a Chinese name I had forgotten how to pronounce. I made my best guess, and everything else went smoothly.
Even though I explained up front that I was going to simplify parts of this book, I ended up reading much more of the text than I had anticipated, since my audience was so engaged. The adults, preschoolers, and toddlers were all riveted. At the especially suspenseful moments, you could have heard a pin drop. It was delightful, and I enjoyed getting to share so many fascinating details instead of simplifying things to the degree that I had planned. This was a terrific final storytime for 2022, and I am so pleased that I got to share this special book with my audience.
asey's review against another edition
5.0
Very good book about the true story of a woman who brought back the first panda from China to the US. Recommend for ages 5-10.
nerfherder86's review against another edition
3.0
The story of Mrs. Ruth Harkness, who after the death of her husband while on an expedition to the wilds of China, took up his mission herself and became the first person to bring back a live panda to the West. "Su Lin" ("a little bit of something cute") was the first panda on display in a zoo. Before then (1934) no one had seen a live panda, and some people thought they were mythological creatures like unicorns! Mrs. Harkness was not an explorer, but she was gutsy enough to take on the challenge, especially in an era when women weren't thought of as brave and adventurous. (Although she did hire 16 men to carry the expedition's 22 pieces of luggage!) Interesting story, with pencil and watercolor cartoony drawings interspersed with postcards and photos of China and Mrs. H with the panda.