Mr. Panda is kind of a grump, but who can blame him? In Please, Mr. Panda (2015), he taught everyone a lesson about politeness. Now he's baking a surprise, but others get huffy when they are simply told to "wait and see." An alpaca prances off with its nose in the air; an anteater, a group of rabbits, and a bird all have a similar reaction. With each exit, a small penguin declares, "I'll wait, Mr. Panda," and is eventually rewarded with a huge sprinkled doughnut. Not only are the others impatient, they aren't very observant, as the surprise is clearly pictured on Mr. Panda's colorful apron. The minimal text, which consists of the very brief utterances of the characters, is well matched with the spare illustrations, showing only the characters and few other details in a limited color palette. Despite this approach, the figures are well characterized through facial expressions and body language. The result is a delightfully subtle reminder that good things come to those who wait.

As Mr. Panda (Please, Mr. Panda) whips up something special to eat, a parade of other black-and-white animals marches through the plain light-blue background asking him what he's making. Only Penguin is willing to wait for the (surprise) answer. Mr. Panda's repeated obliviousness to Penguin's presence is frustrating, but in the end, Penguin's patience is rewarded with a giant, tasty doughnut.

PreS-K The protagonist of Please, Mr. Panda is back with another manners lessonthis time on the value of patience. Large, block-shaped Mr. Panda, attired in a small apron covered with images of doughnuts and a toque that looks amusingly tiny on his large head, looks out at readers with a deadpan expression. He holds a bowl and wooden spoon. "What are you making, Mr. Panda?" asks an alpaca as the story begins. "Wait and see. It's a surprise," he responds. But Alpaca refuses to wait. Penguin, though, says, "I'll wait, Mr. Panda." An aardvark, a warren of rabbits, and a bird each in turn want to know what Mr. Panda is making, and his reply remains the same. They must wait. One by one, they, too, leave. Finally, a page turn depicts the penguin, who has previously been accorded a small space at the bottom or in the corner of a page, full size, beak wide open as he speaks the words written in large font on the opposite page: "I'll wait, Mr. Panda!" Even the background color changes from dull blue gray to stark white for this loud announcement. Two pages later, with Penguin still patiently waiting, Mr. Panda carries in a sprinkle-covered doughnut so big that it covers the page. Penguin declares it "worth the wait," and readers will, too. VERDICT This lighthearted treatment of the rewards of patience is perfect for group sharing and may help youngsters remember to exercise a little more of it when next the need arises. Marianne Saccardi, Children's Literature Consultant, Cambridge, MA