A Book About Pandas

by Ruth Belov Gross

Describes the characteristics and behavior, especially in captivity, of China's "white bear."

Paperback

First published October 28, 1973

About the author

Born in Philadelphia and raised in Florida, Ruth Belov Gross has lived in New York City ever since graduating from the University of Miami in 1950. Although her first job out of college was as an editorial assistant for a children's publishing house, Gross never planned to write for children herself. Instead she went on to a successful career as a medical writer, where she became adept at thorough and meticulous research and translating complex medical information into nontechnical language.

Such skills served her well when she wrote her first children's book, What Do Animals Eat?, in 1970, and though she initially assumed she would return to medical writing, she never did. “I was finally doing what I had always wanted to do — without knowing that it was what I had always wanted to do.”

Since then, Gross has written numerous books for children, specializing in nonfiction and re-tellings of traditional tales. She welcomes questions and comments from children, and often uses their input to make her work more thorough. When they are not working, Gross and her husband enjoy cooking, gardening, and vacationing in Vermont, where they have a tiny A-frame house in the woods.

Reviews

[Jenna Harris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summary:
This is an informational text about giant pandas. It teaches readers about where they are found, what they eat, characteristics, and more.

Characteristics: This informational text is supported by black and white photos of pandas so that readers can view the animal they are learning about. The text provides detailed information so that the reader can finish the book and understand more about pandas.

Mentor Writing Trait:
Presentation: The physical appearance of this book makes it stand out. The author uses only black, white, and turquoise to make the pages "pop". There are blocks and designs of turquoise throughout the book next to short informational paragraphs. The book is clear and inviting.

Classroom integration: I would include this book in my classroom library so students that are interested in animals or learning about another continent could read this text. It would also be a great option for learning about pandas for a research project.

Reading level: O

[Marcia Van Camp]

Written in the 1970s, a few things were funny since they weren't really PC.