Please, Mr. Panda (Mr. Panda)

In this witty picture book primer on manners, Mr. Panda offers a variety of animals a doughnut. All respond rudely, and Mr. Panda goes on his way, until he meets a ring-tailed lemur who's aware of the power of politeness. The book is appealingly spare. The large-font text consists entirely of dialogue between Mr. Panda and the animals. Antony relies upon a mostly muted palette-the textured background is entirely gray, and all the creatures black and white-with the box of doughnuts the only example of bright color. There are no backdrops, and few objects are depicted, resulting in an elegant, pared down look. However, the author injects humor into the mix, from the over-the-top ways in which the animals request doughnuts ("I want them all! Then bring me some more," demands the killer whale) to their reactions when Mr. Panda leaves (the orca sports a crestfallen expression, with a gigantic tear). The smudgy black-and-white illustrations are appealing, and while Mr. Panda, a large, squat creature with a sour expression, isn't as adorable as some picture-book pandas-Neil Gaiman's Chu comes to mind-he's definitely endearing. Though this is a book with a clear message, the humor and attractive design give it a bit of an edge and keep it out of the realm of the heavy-handed, "Let's learn a lesson" titles. A fun storytime selection and a solid option for parents or teachers looking for a creative way to emphasize the importance of saying, "Please" and "Thank you."

Mr. Panda, though he's a picture of tubby fuzziness, defies the friendly panda stereotype (for one, he has a permanent glower). He offers a box of iced doughnuts to a small penguin, who says, "Give me the pink one." "No, you cannot have a doughnut," growls the panda, turning his back on the shocked penguin and lumbering away. "I have changed my mind." He offends a series of animals in similar fashion until a lemur pokes its head in. "May I have a doughnut... PLEASE, Mr. Panda?" While Mr. Panda doesn't warm up, the "please" nets the lemur the entire box of doughnuts. Smart design decisions by Antony (Betty Goes Bananas) distinguish his visual storytelling. The warm gray backdrop and parade of black and white animals (a skunk, an ostrich, an orca) make the candy-colored doughnuts look all the more tantalizing. Novel perspectives, including an upside-down scene when the lemur makes its appearance, provide freshness, too. Children who remember to say "Please" will know right away what's up, and those who don't will not mind the reminder. Ages 3-5. (Jan.)