The Adventures of Penguin and Panda: Fun and Games!

Gr 1-3–Penguin and Panda put their friendship to the test in this entry in the “Adventures of Penguin and Panda” series. Each of the four chapters is a distinct story focusing on the interactions of Panda, who uses he/him pronouns and is the shyer and more laid back one, and Penguin, who uses she/her pronouns and is more outgoing and expressive. Together, they navigate the travails of friendship, including the worry over a lack of shared interests, figuring out the best way to share a day at a local carnival, and unusual pet adoptions. The book also features fun facts about real-life pandas and penguins and a page of jokes. Mézes’s illustrations have a pleasant, hand-drawn quality with lovely, somewhat muted colors and the characters feel like they are bursting from the panels—and in some cases, they are.