Synopses & Reviews
School is in session! But this is no ordinary kindergarten class. Meet sixteen young giant panda cubs at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda at the Wolong Nature Preserve. The cubs are raised together from infancy in a protected setting, where they grow strong. Under the watchful eyes of the scientists and workers, the cubs learn skills that will help prepare them to be released into the wild.
Follow a day in the life of the cubs with Joanne Ryder's spare and simple text and full-color photographs by Dr. Katherine Feng, Wolong's leading photographer.
These special cubs have captured the attention of people around the globe. Thanks to dedicated staff and unique resources at Wolong, this threatened species now has a second chance. Here is the true story of their incredible journey toward hope and survival.
Synopsis
Follow a day in the life of the panda cubs at China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda at the Wolong Nature Preserve, the largest research facility for giant pandas in China. Cubs are raised together in a protected setting—dubbed panda kindergarten—where they grow strong and learn skills that will help prepare them to be released into the wild when they are older. With spare text by veteran nonfiction writer Joanne Ryder and irresistible full-color photographs by Katherine Feng, whose work has appeared in
National Geographic,
Panda Kindergarten will delight young readers as they learn more about these amazing creatures.
Supports the Common Core State Standards
About the Author
Joanne Ryder has always loved pandas, starting with the very first small panda toy she had as a child. She has continued to be fascinatd by these rare and wonderful animals throughout her career as a writer. She is the award-winning author of numerous picture books, including
A Pair of Polar Bears: Twin Cubs Find a Home at the San Diego Zoo;
Little Panda: The World Welcomes Hua Mei at the San Diego Zoo;
My Mother's Voice;
My Father's Hands;
Big Bear Ball; and
Wild Birds. She lives in Pacific Grove, California, with her husband, Laurence Yep, who is also an author.
Dr. Katherine Feng was a veterinarian before a photo safari to Kenya inspired her to pursue a second career as a photographer and tour escort. When she traveled to China in 1982 for a memorial ceremony in honor of her grandfather, General Feng Yuxiang, she felt an immediate connection with the country. Her passion for wildlife brought her to the Wolong Nature Reserve, where she formed a long-lasting bond with the pandas and researchers. She now escorts guests to the Reserve several times each year. Dr. Feng lives in Durango, Colorado.