Skip to main content

Book Review: Big Panda and Tiny Dragon

 

By the end of January, I was feeling really overwhelmed, exhausted, and out of sorts. So, I decided that I wanted a quicker, more lightweight read for my next book and I had hoped to find something a little more philosophical. Of course, I didn't have any such books in mind until one of my favorite vloggers recommended Big Panda and Tiny Dragon by James Norbury. This became my fourth read of 2022*.

Rating: 3.5/5

Buy Big Panda And Tiny Dragon.

Amazon Blurb:

"Big Panda and Tiny Dragon embark on a journey through the seasons of the year together. They get lost, as many of us do. But while lost, they discover many beautiful sights they'd never have found had they gone the right way. Told through a series of beautiful drawings and quiet, sometimes silly, conversations, the panda and the dragon explore the thoughts and emotions, hardships and happiness that connect us all. In nature, they learn how to live in the moment, how to be at peace with uncertainty, and how to find the strength to overcome life's obstacles together.

Inspired by Buddhist philosophy and spirituality, British author and artist James Norbury created the adventures of Big Panda and Tiny Dragon to share ideas that have helped him through difficult times. The book’s series of vignettes can be read cover to cover or dipped into whenever inspiration is needed. James hopes the book’s words and images will inspire others to pause, enjoy the stillness, and look at life in a positive new way."

Review:

Big Panda and Tiny Dragon has been quite difficult for me to review, largely because this is mainly an art-based book with sporadic lines of text. 

This book is a very short read, but I think this works better if you don't consume it quickly. I think it is meant more as a meditation than a story. Certainly, there is sort of a meandering, slice-of-life story occurring between the two characters, but the tiny moments are the point—meant to extend out beyond the time it takes to read them and lay across the landscapes on the pages. 

Whilst I do sort of view it as a separate thing, the artwork in this book is as much a part of the book as the text. And it was lovely. The art style really carries the energy of two characters taking the same journey from two entirely different perspectives; and that was a really helpful dose of perspective for me, personally, as I've felt a bit stuck in my own head, as of late.

This book wasn't groundbreaking. I won't pretend I've never heard anything like it before. But it did cross my path almost exactly when I needed it to and I really relished the breath of peace that it carried with it. The dedication, in particular, really felt right:

This book is dedicated to everyone who gets lost.

It spoke to me, perhaps because I think it's a universal fit. Honestly, who hasn't gotten lost? And, particularly, who hasn't felt that way (at least a bit) in the past couple of years? 

Big Panda and Tiny Dragon probably isn't a book for everyone, but it was nice break from the real world and it felt a bit like an old friend leading you to a path toward somewhere nice. 

---

* Side note, I didn't actually read the e-book version of this, but I did borrow it from the library and I did forget to photograph it before it went back, so I got the e-book copy, later, too. 
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Book Review: Night Sky with Exit Wounds

A few days ago, I picked up a copy of  Night Sky with Exit Wounds  by Ocean Vuong. This time, rather than ordering a physical copy, I got an e-book copy because I was disinclined to wait for shipping and I thought I might get around to it faster. Given I started it the minute I put it on my e-reader and finished it within two days, I'd say that decision paid off. It was my third read of 2022 and arguably my favorite, thus far. (This review revision was completed April 15, 2023.) Rating:    4 /5 Buy Night Sky With Exit Wounds Here . Cover Blurb:  " In his haunting and fearless debut, Ocean Vuong walks a tightrope of historic and personal violences, creating an interrogation of the American body as a borderless space of both failure and triumph. At once vulnerable and redemptive, dreamlike and visceral, compassionate and unforgiving, these poems seek a myriad existence without forgetting the prerequisite of self-preservation in a world bent on extinguishing its othered voices. V
Post a Comment
Read more

Book Review: Seventh Born

  Several years ago, I spent a not-insignificant amount of time on a site called Wattpad . And that site, as you may have surmised, is where I found Seventh Born  by Monica Sanz. I had read only the first few chapters before this book was pulled down for publishing through Entangled Teen . Rather intrigued by what I'd already read, I bought a copy as soon as it became available. And then it sat on my shelf for the next few years, undisturbed and gathering dust as all TBR books are destined to do ... Rating: 2.5/5 Buy Seventh Born here . Blurb from Amazon: "Abomination. Curse. Murderer. All names hurled at eighteen-year-old Seraphina Dovetail. As the seventh-born daughter to a witch, she's the cause of her mother losing her powers and, in turn, her life. Abandoned as a child, Sera dreams of becoming an inspector and finding her family. To do that, she must be referred into the Advanced Studies Program at the Aetherium's Witchling Academy. Her birth order, quick temper,
Post a Comment
Read more

Book Review: Shiver

  Shiver  by Maggie Stiefvater was my attempted fourth read of the year. I've read The Raven Boys  and wanted to read something else from Stiefvater, so  Shiver  it was. This did not wind up being the right book for me.  This review was updated May 15th, 2023. Rating:    DNF Buy Shiver. Blurb from Amazon:  " For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf--her wolf--is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again. Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human--or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever. " Review:  I had really hoped to enjoy this book, but my feelings about it ar
Post a Comment
Read more