Nagda, Ann Whitehead: A Home for Panda.

Nagda, Ann Whitehead A HOME FOR PANDA. Il. by Jim Effler. ISBN 1-59249-045-X. Norwalk, CT: Trudy Corporation, 2003. 27 pp. $15.95. This superbly illustrated book introduces readers to Panda, a 2-year-old cub who must find his own home after leaving his mother. As Panda searches for fresh bamboo shoots, he finds himself competing for food with a bamboo rat, a moon bear, a pack of wild dogs, and a troop of long-haired golden monkeys. He finally finds a home on a snow-covered mountain, where an icy fresh water stream runs by and the bamboo is plentiful. A facts page follows the story and includes a map of the world, pinpointing Panda's home, and short informational text about the giant panda. A fold-out pictorial glossary at the end of the book illustrates animals and plants native to the giant panda's habitat, along with a wonderful panoramic illustration of Panda's mountain home. Ages 4-7.--D. V.