About This Book
Reach for this book when your child is feeling the weight of expectations or struggling to fit into a mold that does not quite suit them. It is especially helpful if your child feels pressured by a friend or mentor to change their appearance or personality to achieve success. In this story, Penny Ling the panda is thrust into a pageant by her well-meaning friend Blythe, who insists on a rigorous makeover involving false eyelashes and intense workouts. While the tone is lighthearted and funny, it speaks directly to the discomfort of losing oneself to please others. Parents will appreciate the way it models how to reclaim your identity and find confidence in your natural self. It is a gentle, age-appropriate exploration of boundaries and self-worth for children in early elementary school.
What Parents Should Know
Sensitive Topics
The book deals with body image and identity in a metaphorical sense through the lens of a pet pageant. It is secular and resolves in a hopeful, empowering way that validates the child's internal sense of comfort over external performance.
