Ling Ling: The Most Beautiful Giant Panda in the World

When someone tells her that the black spots around her eyes make her look sad, Ling Ling, a panda who lives in a zoo, paints them over so they will not spoil her beauty, only to discover that her friends do not recognize her.

K-Gr 1-A fictional story about one of two giant pandas living at the Washington Zoo. Ling Ling happily reminds herself that she is "The Most Beautiful Giant Panda in the World!" For her birthday, her friends Owl, Firefly, Frog, Mouse, and Sloth come to her den for a party. During the celebration, Owl points out that as happy as Ling Ling is, she always looks sad because of the black patches around her eyes. As one might expect, the animal is upset, and when she finds a bucket of white paint, she covers her black patches. Her plan backfires, however, when no one recognizes her. The story comes to a predictably happy conclusion when Ling Ling's tears wash away the paint, and her friends come back and remind her that she is most beautiful as herself. This is a simple, enjoyable story with an endearing heroine. Dionysia's art is unexceptional; the two actual photographs of the animals are far more dynamic than the line drawings that accompany the text. The moral of the story is obvious, reminding children to love themselves for who they are. The tale concludes with a one-page fact sheet about giant pandas. While not a remarkable book, it will no doubt be enjoyed by young listeners.-Dina Sherman, Brooklyn Children's Museum, NY

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