August 24, 2015
Pom Pom Panda is a squarish fellow whose blocky head and stubby legs somehow suit his grumpy day, which starts on the wrong side of the bed and gets worse: “Pom Pom’s mom sang silly, soppy songs all through breakfast. His cereal was soggy and there were bits of pulp in his juice.” When Pom Pom’s adorable animal schoolmates swarm around him, offering fun activities, his reaction is predictable: “Go away!” he yells, in a spread backed with angry red. A page turn reveals Pom Pom small and alone against a field of blue: “And they did.” Instead of dwelling on Pom Pom’s loneliness, Henn (Where Bear?) dispenses quickly with his anguish. He repents instantly—“Oops,” he says. “Sorry, everyone”—and is soon back on track (well, almost). Henn is a polished visual storyteller with a firm grasp of pacing and a disciplined approach to text. She supplies enough props to give distinct character to the spreads (and clearly enjoys decorating Pom Pom’s midcentury modern house), yet keeps the pages tidy and legible. Good fun. Ages 3–5. Agent: Paul Moreton, Bell Lomax Moreton Literary Agency.
August 1, 2015
Pom Pom Panda is having a bad day, so his friends attempt to cheer him up. Following Where Bear? (2014), Henn crosses the pond once again with her second picture book. As soon as he wakes up, young Pom Pom's day goes wrong. His favorite blanket is missing. His breakfast is soggy. His hair will not behave! At the school playground, different friends invite Pom Pom to join their games. He refuses them, one by one, until he explodes in anger and scares his friends away. Pom Pom soon realizes the error of his ways. He quickly apologizes and is forgiven just as quickly. Henn effortlessly portrays Pom Pom's grumpiness and frustration in her illustrations. Young readers will gleefully follow his expressions, his black-and-white face popping boldly against the pastel hues of his friends and his surroundings. Preschoolers will empathize with Pom Pom's bad day and his inability to articulate his feelings. While the book doesn't approach how young children can handle these complex emotions, it offers a starting point for adults to discuss how to manage them. Grumpy yet lovable Pom Pom Panda will help readers understand that bad days can happen for no reason at all. (Picture book. 3-5)
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September 1, 2015
PreS-Gr 1-In this British import, a young panda wakes up on the wrong side of the bed and is in a grouchy mood all morning. When his friends at the preschool playground invite him to play, he shouts, "NO!" and tells them to go away. So they do. Pom Pom suddenly has a change of heart and apologizes to everyone. All is forgiven and they begin to play. This slight story has a predictable plot and no character development. The retro artwork has some nice touches of color, but the pictures are static and every page is dominated by Pom Pom's scowling face. The illustrations follow the simple text but do not add to the story. British spelling and terminology ("flannel" instead of "towel," "chase" instead of "tag") may confuse American readers. Jeremy Tankard's Grumpy Bird (Scholastic, 2007) tells a similar story but offers a more convincing cure for the grumps. VERDICT An unnecessary addition.-Martha Simpson, Stratford Library Association, CT
Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
September 15, 2015
Preschool-K Pom Pom Panda wakes up on the wrong side of the bed one day, and every annoying thing just makes his case of the grumps worse. Cereal too soggy? Harrumph! Toothbrush too scratchy? Harrumph! Birds too noisy on the way to preschool? Harrumph! The scowling panda's foul mood continues all the way to his class, where his friends try to cheer him up, but Pom Pom will not be swayed. GO AWAY, he yells, and his friends dutifully obey. But now Pom Pom has another problem: he is lonely! Luckily, he has the good sense to apologize, which also, happily, lifts the storm cloud from his head. Henn's bright, blocky illustrations have a childlike look, and Pom Pom's black-ringed eyes are perfect for showcasing recognizable emotions. The cheerful palette is in comical contrast to Pom Pom's mood, and little ones will likely chuckle at the panda's over-the-top surliness and find comfort in the fact that Pom Pom's friends forgive him for his grouchy outburst. Hand to kiddos who liked Samantha Berger's Crankenstein (2013).(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)