K-Gr 4 Ryder introduces readers to Hua Mei via photographs taken inside the panda den, and then shows how her days unfold during her first year of life at the San Diego Zoo. The large sans-serif text is infused with adjectives and exclamations, giving a storylike quality to the primary narrative: "Look at her! She is sitting and standing now, eager to take her first steps." Smaller, italicized text gives a factual account of her biological development such as, "Pandas are born blind.It can take up to four months before a panda will take its first steps." Full-color photographs capture the adorable youngster and her mother engaging in typical panda antics. Readers can see the zoo doctors weighing and measuring Hua Mei in her infancy to becoming a 20-pound youth and playing alongside 200-pound Bai Yun. This engaging book will complement any curriculum about animal extinction and environmental responsibility. It is also an appealing choice for general reading. Tina Hudak, St. Bernard's School, Riverdale, MD

With only 1,000 pandas left in the world, it's an event when one is born in captivity. Ryder's photo-essay chronicles the life of Hua Mei, born at the World Famous San Diego Zoo in 1999. The initial text and photos are a bit confusing. The text reads A baby panda curls within, while the accompanying grainy, close-up black-and-white photograph, shot in the cage, looks almost like a sonogram. But the cub, resembling a newborn mouse, is actually nestled against its mother. After a few spreads, the photos become color, and the cub begins to look like a panda. There are shots of it being examined and measured, taking its first steps, and acclimating itself to an outdoor environment. Ryder's brief, almost haiku-like text is bolstered by informative paragraphs set in smaller type. The crisp, engaging photos were provided by the zoo. It's easy to love pandas, and kids will enjoy browsing through this and getting the behind-the-scenes story. (Apparently world famous is now part of the zoo's official name, but the use of it throughout the book is annoying).

Hua Mei is the first panda born in captivity in the Western Hemisphere to survive more than four days. Ryder uses simple words and short sentences in a text geared toward a very young audience while providing additional scientific information in smaller print. Large portraits of the cub are plentiful, and sequences of smaller photos showing her in action provide a rare "you are there" quality.