Paper Boat for Panda
By Karin Celestine
Verdict:
Felted pandas, paper boats, and real-world photography come together to create a book that feels both real and magical at the same time.
What is it about?
A small, felted Panda loves the sea. But his toy wooden boat is not sea-worthy, so he makes do with sailing on the kitchen rug instead. That is, until his friends work together to make him an origami paper boat. In it, Panda achieves his dream of sailing on the sea. The book ends with full instructions for making your own paper boat.
Our take:
This short, simple book by textile artist Karin Celestine is unusual in several ways. Instead of traditional ink or painted illustration, Celestine makes felted creatures by hand and photographs them in real settings. The result has an element of do-it-yourself about it, but also a combination of achievability, realism, and imagination: someone has made this story come alive in a real and feasible way, and a child looking at the pages is looking at things that actually exist, and that the book encourages them to make themselves. The opening pages introduce the characters, who recur across the series.
Perfect for:
Very small children, perhaps ages 3-5, will love these adventures of small toys. The book is short enough for a brief reading time, and long enough for lingering, if one wants to talk about the characters, the setting, and wishes, and even more if you make a paper boat together. Good for re-reading aloud but also to have on hand for independent young readers to pore over.
Conversation Starters
Do you have a wish of something you would like to do?
Do you need something to do it?
Has a friend made you something special?
Have you made something special for a friend?
Do you like to go on the water? What are you favorite ways?
Shall we make a paper boat to sail on some water?
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Sarah Y.'s illustrated, printable play-set turns a few sheets of paper into a castle, a river, a dragon, and a story. Use it in class for crafting time, storytime, and world-building.