Monday 15 July 2013

Rainbow Panda and the Firecracker Fiasco by Eileen Wacker

ONCEKids Publishing

Book Review

Rainbow Panda is the 6th book in a cross-cultural series called the Fujimini Adventure Series.  This is the only book I have read in the series so I can’t comment on the others, but this book is a great resource for classroom and home to learn about Chinese New Year and Asian culture in general.
 
The traditions and customs of Chinese New Year are introduced through the character Rainbow Panda. The young panda wants so badly to be a hero. To this end he devises a plan, knowingly ignoring the advice of Black Panda as well as his hamster sidekicks, with predictably disastrous results.  The basic lesson is taught in a straight forward manner with a touch of humour and without being preachy. We learn that isn’t always easy to choose between right and wrong and that we have to take responsibility for our actions.
 
The book is divided into two parts; first the story and then a glossary describing some aspects of Asian culture, tradition and values. This book is a great tool for parents or educators, and more importantly, a relatable fun read for kids.

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