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. 

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* 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.