Chengdu Can Do

by Barney Saltzberg, Barney Saltzberg (Illustrator)

Overview

Chengdu can do many things all by himself. He can get down from his branch, and he can look for breakfast. Chengdu can jump, he can push, and he can pull. He can climb, he can stretch, and he can swing. But sometimes even the most capable young panda could use a little help. Independent-minded toddlers will love following along as the determined Chengdu reaches for his goal of some tasty leaves. The gentle text is a delight to hear read aloud, and a variety of fold-out pages add to the fun.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781484758472
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	07/11/2017
Series:	Chengdu , #1
Pages:	48
Sales rank:	414,512
Product dimensions:	9.30(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.30(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Barney Saltzberg (barneysaltzberg.com) is an author/illustrator/singer/songwriter who has published close to 30 children's books, including BEAUTIFUL OOPS! and CHENGDU COULD NOT, WOULD NOT, FALL ASLEEP, a companion to this book. He studied art at Sonoma State College in Northern California and later took a class at Otis/Parsons in children's book writing and illustrating, where he created his first book, It Must Have Been the Wind. He lives in Los Angeles, California.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Chengdu Can Do:
NYC Reads 365

From the Publisher

08/01/2017
K-Gr 2—Little Chengdu, a baby panda, is at the stage where he can do many things alone. He is growing up and becoming so independent that he probably does not even want to be called little. This story, with its calming background shades of pastel blues, calls to mind preschoolers who politely say "no" or "I can do it all by myself." This is, in fact, only partly true, as Chengdu realizes by the end of the story. Even though he can't do everything, each day is a new adventure because he is discovering more things that he is able to do alone. For example, he can find his breakfast. Chengdu feels proud. He is adventurous and curious about the world—but he still needs help. The book teaches readers how to be humble, interdependent, compassionate, and empathetic. VERDICT This well-written story with simple text and illustrations has the tone and appeal of The Little Red Hen and the Grain of Wheat.—Gwen Collier, Buffalo and Erie County Public Library, NY

School Library Journal

2017-05-24
The roly-poly panda of Chengdu Could Not, Would Not, Fall Asleep (2014) wakes up hungry. Just like a toddler, Chengdu can do a lot of things "all by himself." He can get down from his branch, jump, push and pull, climb, swing back and forth, even fly—almost. So he demonstrates in the soft-focus illustrations, though his efforts to get to the bamboo fronds that hang tantalizingly just out of reach are frustrated again and again. As in Chengdu's first outing, Saltzberg uses artful page turns, gatefolds, and half pages to endow his grave-looking panda's patient quest for breakfast with action and humor. Yes, Chengdu does a lot all by himself, but for some tasks, such as bending down a bamboo stalk, "there are times when Chengdu can… / use a little help." Enter a pair of pandas, one of parental size, to lend a paw. With a narrative text that extends to just nine sentences, the book depends on the design to pace readers. Manipulating the various gatefolds slows them down to panda speed, resulting in a satisfying read-aloud. A cozy declaration of independence—with a caveat that's not just for toddlers. (Picture book. 2-5)

Kirkus Reviews