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Mrs. Harkness and the Panda by Alicia Potter

Look Inside | Teacher’s Guide

Mrs. Harkness and the Panda

By Alicia Potter
Illustrated by Melissa Sweet

By Alicia Potter
Illustrated by Melissa Sweet

By Alicia Potter
Illustrated by Melissa Sweet

By Alicia Potter
Illustrated by Melissa Sweet

Best Seller
Hardcover $17.99

Mar 13, 2012 | 40 Pages | 5-8 years

Ebook $5.99

Mar 13, 2012 | 40 Pages | 5-8 years

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    Mrs. Harkness and the Panda by Alicia Potter
    Hardcover
    Mar 13, 2012 | 40 Pages
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    • Hardcover $17.99

      Mar 13, 2012 | 40 Pages | 5-8 years

    Ebook
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    • Ebook $5.99

      Mar 13, 2012 | 40 Pages | 5-8 years

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    About Mrs. Harkness and the Panda

    In 1934, Ruth Harkness had never seen a panda bear.  Not many people in the world had.

    But soon the young Mrs. Harkness would inherit an expedition from her explorer husband: the hunt for a panda.  She knew that bringing back a panda would be hard. Impossible, even.  But she intended to try.

    So she went to China, where she found a guide, built traps, gathered supplies, and had explorers’ clothes made—unheard of for a woman in those days.  Then she set out up the Yangtze River and into the wilderness.  What she discovered would awe America: an adorable baby panda she named Su Lin, which means “a little bit of something very cute.”

    With breathtaking illustrations from Caldecott Honor artist Melissa Sweet, this little-known true story shares the tale of an adventurous woman who was bold and brave—and the unforgettable journey that helped shape American attitudes toward wildlife.

    About Mrs. Harkness and the Panda

    In 1934, Ruth Harkness had never seen a panda bear.  Not many people in the world had.

    But soon the young Mrs. Harkness would inherit an expedition from her explorer husband: the hunt for a panda.  She knew that bringing back a panda would be hard. Impossible, even.  But she intended to try.

    So she went to China, where she found a guide, built traps, gathered supplies, and had explorers’ clothes made—unheard of for a woman in those days.  Then she set out up the Yangtze River and into the wilderness.  What she discovered would awe America: an adorable baby panda she named Su Lin, which means “a little bit of something very cute.”

    With breathtaking illustrations from Caldecott Honor artist Melissa Sweet, this little-known true story shares the tale of an adventurous woman who was bold and brave—and the unforgettable journey that helped shape American attitudes toward wildlife.

    Teacher’s Guide

    Teacher’s Guide

    Also by Alicia Potter

    Miss Hazeltine's Home for Shy and Fearful Cats
    See all books by Alicia Potter

    Also by Alicia Potter

    Miss Hazeltine's Home for Shy and Fearful Cats
    See all books by Alicia Potter

    Product Details

    Category: Children’s Picture Books

    Hardcover | $17.99
    Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers
    Mar 13, 2012 | 40 Pages | 8-1/2 x 11 | 5-8 years | ISBN 9780375844485

    Category: Children’s Picture Books

    Ebook | $5.99
    Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers
    Mar 13, 2012 | 40 Pages | 5-8 years | ISBN 9780375984686

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    Inspired by Your Browsing History

    Praise

    Starred Review, Booklist, February 15, 2012:
    “An engaging, graceful narrative…. Sweet’s Asian style watercolor landscapes are breathtakingly beautiful.”

    Starred Review, School Library Journal, February 1, 2012:
    “This little gem will be perfect for one-on-one sharing and for those second-grade biography assignments. It’s simply stunning.”

    Awards

    ALA Notable Children’s Book NOMINEE

    Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Award NOMINEE 2013

    NCSS/CBC Notable Children’s Trade Books in the Field of Social Studies NOMINEE

    Missouri Show Me Reader Award SELECTION 2015

    Cybils FINALIST

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