Chengdu the panda is back in his second book by Barney Saltzberg, Chengdu Can Do. Kids fell in love with the adorable black and white bear in his first book, Chengdu Could Not, Would Not, Fall Asleep. This time around, Chengdu is playing during daytime.
Chengdu Can Do is about kids trying to be independent, perhaps a little too soon. This cub can wake up, eat, climb, jump, push, pull and swing. However, he can also fall and sometimes he’s too short to reach for branches he needs. In the end, he discovers that he still needs his mommy to help him with some things.
There are a variety of reasons why kids love pandas, but perhaps the biggest one is that black and white are the easiest colors for infant’s to process. Barney Saltzberg serves double duty as both author and illustrator and his color schemes of black, white, soft greens and light blues make these pages instantly appealing to toddlers.
I had forgotten how amazing pandas were until last Earth Day when I saw Disneynature Born in China. The film portrays a mother and her cub and how these solitary creatures raise their kids from a distance. Chengdu’s stories would be a perfect companion to that film if your kids love watching animals.
Chengdu Can Do is an adorable bedtime story for parents to share with their little cubs. They will feel just like Chengdu every time they ask you for help, but will also be so proud of the things they can do all by themselves.