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THE MONKEY AND THE PANDA: A fable about a monkey jealous of a panda beloved by all the children.
Lean, lively Monkey causes havoc in the village. Fat, friendly Panda spends her days quietly munching bamboo. Who is more lovable? The Chinese villagers cannot decide, and call in a wise old monk to help them choose. Antonia Barber's "The Ghosts" was runner-up for the Carnegie Medal.
- GenresPicture BooksChildrens
Hardcover
First published April 1, 1995
About the author
Antonia Barber
47 books27 followersAntonia Barber really knows about ballet - her daughter studied ballet from the age of three and attended the Royal Ballet School junior associate classes at Sadler's Wells. Antonia is well-known for such best-selling picture books as The Mousehole Cat (with Nicola Bailey) and Catkin (with J P Lynch). Her novel, The Amazing Mr Blunden, was runner-up for the Carnegie Medal. Antonia lived in Kent.
FAVOURITE BOOK:
Middlemarch by George Eliot
FAVOURITE SONG:
'Every Time You Say Goodbye' by Ella Fitzgerald
MOST TREASURED POSSESSION:
Family Photographs
FAVOURITE FILM:
The African Queen with Katherine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart
--------------------------------------------------------
When did you start writing?
I wrote my first children's novel in 1966. My second, The Ghosts, written two years later, was a best-seller and was filmed as The Amazing Mr Blunden in 1972. Now a new film version is planned, as well as a stage musical version. My picture books for younger children include The Mousehole Cat about a fisherman and a cat who live in my Cornish cottage (see Favourite Place). Most recently I wrote Tales from the Ballet and then, for Puffin, the Dancing Shoes series about Lucy Lambert who wants to be a ballerina.
Where do you get your ideas?
Often from my own life or other peoples'. The Ghosts was inspired by a visit to an old house; The Ring in the Rough Stuff by going sailing with friends on an old Thames Barge; and The Mousehole Cat by a song I found in Cornwall. For the Dancing Shoes series I had help from my daughter Gemma, who did ballet lessons from the age of three until she was fifteen.
Can you give your top three tips to becoming a successful author?
1. You must be interested in people and all ages. To create good characters, you have to be able to imagine yourself in someone else's shoes and know how they would feel.
2. Read lots of books by good writers and try to see what it is that makes you enjoy them.
3. Write your story, then put it aside and do something different. Then go back to your story and try to read it as if someone else had written it. This makes it easier to see mistakes and to put them right.
Favourite memory?
A sailing holiday in the Greek Islands with my children and my husband, the summer before he was killed in a road accident.
Favourite place in the world and why?
My cottage in the little Cornish fishing village of Mousehole. We don't know how old it is, but it had to have a new roof after some marauding Spaniards set fire to it in 1590. It is small and snug and I can watch the blue-green sea and the little harbour from my window. I go there to rest and unwind and sometimes to work in peace because there is no telephone. It is full of happy memories of holidays with my children.
What are your hobbies?
Walking, especially along the cliffs in Cornwall. Gardening in my poison-free, wild-life garden in Kent. Going to the theatre, ballet, opera and cinema. Watching television, especially BBC classic serials. Best of all, reading books.
If you hadn't been a writer, what do you think you would have been?
I like the idea of myself as an actor or dancer... a painter would have been good too. Unfortunately I don't think I would have had enough talent for any of these. But really I love books, so if I couldn't write them, I think I would have a little bookshop in a small country town.
(courtesy Penguin website)
FAVOURITE BOOK:
Middlemarch by George Eliot
FAVOURITE SONG:
'Every Time You Say Goodbye' by Ella Fitzgerald
MOST TREASURED POSSESSION:
Family Photographs
FAVOURITE FILM:
The African Queen with Katherine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart
--------------------------------------------------------
When did you start writing?
I wrote my first children's novel in 1966. My second, The Ghosts, written two years later, was a best-seller and was filmed as The Amazing Mr Blunden in 1972. Now a new film version is planned, as well as a stage musical version. My picture books for younger children include The Mousehole Cat about a fisherman and a cat who live in my Cornish cottage (see Favourite Place). Most recently I wrote Tales from the Ballet and then, for Puffin, the Dancing Shoes series about Lucy Lambert who wants to be a ballerina.
Where do you get your ideas?
Often from my own life or other peoples'. The Ghosts was inspired by a visit to an old house; The Ring in the Rough Stuff by going sailing with friends on an old Thames Barge; and The Mousehole Cat by a song I found in Cornwall. For the Dancing Shoes series I had help from my daughter Gemma, who did ballet lessons from the age of three until she was fifteen.
Can you give your top three tips to becoming a successful author?
1. You must be interested in people and all ages. To create good characters, you have to be able to imagine yourself in someone else's shoes and know how they would feel.
2. Read lots of books by good writers and try to see what it is that makes you enjoy them.
3. Write your story, then put it aside and do something different. Then go back to your story and try to read it as if someone else had written it. This makes it easier to see mistakes and to put them right.
Favourite memory?
A sailing holiday in the Greek Islands with my children and my husband, the summer before he was killed in a road accident.
Favourite place in the world and why?
My cottage in the little Cornish fishing village of Mousehole. We don't know how old it is, but it had to have a new roof after some marauding Spaniards set fire to it in 1590. It is small and snug and I can watch the blue-green sea and the little harbour from my window. I go there to rest and unwind and sometimes to work in peace because there is no telephone. It is full of happy memories of holidays with my children.
What are your hobbies?
Walking, especially along the cliffs in Cornwall. Gardening in my poison-free, wild-life garden in Kent. Going to the theatre, ballet, opera and cinema. Watching television, especially BBC classic serials. Best of all, reading books.
If you hadn't been a writer, what do you think you would have been?
I like the idea of myself as an actor or dancer... a painter would have been good too. Unfortunately I don't think I would have had enough talent for any of these. But really I love books, so if I couldn't write them, I think I would have a little bookshop in a small country town.
(courtesy Penguin website)
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 13, 2022
Monkey and the Panda by Antonia Barber, Meilo So- Hindi Language translation by Arvind Gupta- Children’s Illustrated Colour Picture Book- The book narrates a Chinese Folk tale about a Monkey and Panda who resided near a village. Monkey showed his antics to children so children liked him. Panda lived in a bamboo garden. He quietly munched bamboo leaves. He was calm and gentle. Children could touch his soft skin. Monkey is jealous of the Panda. He boasted about himself. He wished to prove that he is much better than the Panda. The question was placed before the residents of the village. Village elders decided to get his question solved by the wise old monk. The old wise monk asked the villagers to bring the monkey before him. Monk questioned the monkey about what is the issue. Monkey praised himself and described his antics, how children enjoyed spending their time with him. Wise man and the monkey walked to the bamboo garden and found the Panda chewing sweet bamboo leaves. Wise man asked the Panda to narrate his importance. Panda remained silent. Monkey again got involved in self-praise. Wise man asked the Panda to reply. Panda replied that we must observe nature and feel astonished with its beauty. Old Monk decides that both the monkey and Panda are important for them. While the monkey is a story teller, the Panda is a poet. Coloured illustrations help the reader to relate to the story. I have read the Hindi language translation of this book.
May 19, 2017
The Monkey and the Panda is an excellent book to encourage children to think critically. It helps students to go beyond the text and consider more than the moral of the story. Despite this, the book is very well written and has beautiful illustrations that children will thoroughly enjoy. The Monkey is a very jealous and boastful soul who grows jealous of the kind-natured Panda when he starts to believe that the children love her more. I used this book as a basis for several literacy lessons on the kindergarten level or first grade.
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September 12, 2022This is a lovely book with beautiful illustrations. On one side monkey is boastful and on the other hand Panda is friendly and caring. It shows the competition between the two. It also represents how jealousy can impact on different creatures. How it is good to be soft tongue and sweet to everyone,
April 22, 2019
A neurodivergency fable! I liked it a lot!
January 24, 2020
Ks2 used for extended writing character descriptions. Nice story good illustrations and message that each have our own great qualities
October 10, 2020
There's some lovely vocabulary in this book that children could look up in a dictionary and create a word wall. It could also be a starting point for some chinese-inspired poetry.
July 5, 2016
Title: The Monkey and the Panda
Author: Antonia Barber
Illustrator: Meilo So
Genre: Fable
Theme(s): Value, Justice, Wisdom
Opening line/sentence: Long, long ago, to the east of the sunrise, there once lived a Monkey and a Panda. Monkey was lean and lithe and lively. Panda was fat and furry and friendly.
Brief Book Summary: There are two animals that are loved throughout a Chinese village. Although both are loveable, the plot thickens when the village cannot decide who is the most lovable.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1: The Monkey and the Panda is an excellent book to encourage children to think philosophically. It encourages children to go beyond the text and consider more the moral of the story. Despite this, the book is very well written and has beautiful illustrations that children will thoroughly enjoy. The Monkey is a very jealous and boastful soul who grows jealous of the kind-natured Panda when he starts to believe the children love her more. As the story progresses, we discover the appreciative nature of Panda and her outlook on life. I used this book as a basis for several literacy lessons for a year 2 (KS1) class. Children were able to focus on several features such as appearance and personality of the characters, as well as writing from the perspective of them. Overall, this is a brilliant book I would highly recommend
Professional Recommendation/Review #2: The dust jacket describes this as a "beautifully written fable that cleverly addresses a common issue: jealousy." I agree. Children of the village love both Monkey and Panda. The former is noisy and naughty and makes the children laugh. Panda is quiet and comfortable and soft to sleep upon. Monkey becomes jealous, and his tricks get wilder. The villagers long to get rid of him. They come to a wise old man at a ruined temple for advice. He asks Monkey why he has grown so troublesome. Monkey claims that it is all Panda's fault, since Monkey is "better in every way." The monk asks if Monkey wants a judgment. Must one be better and the other worse? He brings Monkey to Panda. "Each shall speak in turn." Monkey speaks up. "There is nowhere that is not mine. I can climb, swing, leap. Panda just sits all day long." Panda says nothing. Monkey then claims to be more cunning than Panda. Panda says nothing. Monkey features his tricks. "Compared to me, Panda is boring." Panda says nothing. In fact, she has fallen asleep! Monkey starts making outrageous claims of having fought with dragons and rescued princesses. The children gather round him and Monkey tells an enthralling tale of "brave deeds and bold rescues." These are really Monkey's dreams, and they prod the children to remember their dreams. He "gave their dreams back to them." Challenged to speak, Panda comes out with some poetry about the bamboo grove. The children look up and see the grove truly for the first time. The wise old man judges "How rich our lives have become! Monkey has taken us the ends of the world and Panda has shown us into the heart of it. Who am I to judge between them? Cherish Monkey the storyteller and honor Panda the poet!" The art fits perfectly with the story's tone.
Response to Two Professional Reviews: Both reviews explain the main plot of the story, explaining the differences between Monkey and Panda. They agree that this book helps children focus on the different personalities of the characters. The reviews also note how the illustrations perfectly match the story and it’s tone.
Evaluation of Literary Elements: The literary elements throughout this picture book combine together to create the perfect blend in children’s literature. The vibrant illustrations match the bold and readable words. The illustrations allow the reader to dive deep into the Chinese culture.
Consideration of Instructional Application: This story could be integrated into a lesson on animals. Here you could teach about monkeys and pandas, as well as their diet and way of living. This would be helpful to see how animals should be treated in today’s society.
Author: Antonia Barber
Illustrator: Meilo So
Genre: Fable
Theme(s): Value, Justice, Wisdom
Opening line/sentence: Long, long ago, to the east of the sunrise, there once lived a Monkey and a Panda. Monkey was lean and lithe and lively. Panda was fat and furry and friendly.
Brief Book Summary: There are two animals that are loved throughout a Chinese village. Although both are loveable, the plot thickens when the village cannot decide who is the most lovable.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1: The Monkey and the Panda is an excellent book to encourage children to think philosophically. It encourages children to go beyond the text and consider more the moral of the story. Despite this, the book is very well written and has beautiful illustrations that children will thoroughly enjoy. The Monkey is a very jealous and boastful soul who grows jealous of the kind-natured Panda when he starts to believe the children love her more. As the story progresses, we discover the appreciative nature of Panda and her outlook on life. I used this book as a basis for several literacy lessons for a year 2 (KS1) class. Children were able to focus on several features such as appearance and personality of the characters, as well as writing from the perspective of them. Overall, this is a brilliant book I would highly recommend
Professional Recommendation/Review #2: The dust jacket describes this as a "beautifully written fable that cleverly addresses a common issue: jealousy." I agree. Children of the village love both Monkey and Panda. The former is noisy and naughty and makes the children laugh. Panda is quiet and comfortable and soft to sleep upon. Monkey becomes jealous, and his tricks get wilder. The villagers long to get rid of him. They come to a wise old man at a ruined temple for advice. He asks Monkey why he has grown so troublesome. Monkey claims that it is all Panda's fault, since Monkey is "better in every way." The monk asks if Monkey wants a judgment. Must one be better and the other worse? He brings Monkey to Panda. "Each shall speak in turn." Monkey speaks up. "There is nowhere that is not mine. I can climb, swing, leap. Panda just sits all day long." Panda says nothing. Monkey then claims to be more cunning than Panda. Panda says nothing. Monkey features his tricks. "Compared to me, Panda is boring." Panda says nothing. In fact, she has fallen asleep! Monkey starts making outrageous claims of having fought with dragons and rescued princesses. The children gather round him and Monkey tells an enthralling tale of "brave deeds and bold rescues." These are really Monkey's dreams, and they prod the children to remember their dreams. He "gave their dreams back to them." Challenged to speak, Panda comes out with some poetry about the bamboo grove. The children look up and see the grove truly for the first time. The wise old man judges "How rich our lives have become! Monkey has taken us the ends of the world and Panda has shown us into the heart of it. Who am I to judge between them? Cherish Monkey the storyteller and honor Panda the poet!" The art fits perfectly with the story's tone.
Response to Two Professional Reviews: Both reviews explain the main plot of the story, explaining the differences between Monkey and Panda. They agree that this book helps children focus on the different personalities of the characters. The reviews also note how the illustrations perfectly match the story and it’s tone.
Evaluation of Literary Elements: The literary elements throughout this picture book combine together to create the perfect blend in children’s literature. The vibrant illustrations match the bold and readable words. The illustrations allow the reader to dive deep into the Chinese culture.
Consideration of Instructional Application: This story could be integrated into a lesson on animals. Here you could teach about monkeys and pandas, as well as their diet and way of living. This would be helpful to see how animals should be treated in today’s society.
May 24, 2016
The Monkey and the Panda is an excellent book to encourage children to think philosophically. It encourages children to go beyond the text and consider more the moral of the story. Despite this, the book is very well written and has beautiful illustrations that children will thoroughly enjoy. The Monkey is a very jealous and boastful soul who grows jealous of the kind-natured Panda when he starts to believe the children love her more. As the story progresses, we discover the appreciative nature of Panda and her outlook on life. I used this book as a basis for several literacy lessons for a year 2 (KS1) class. Children were able to focus on several features such as appearance and personality of the characters, as well as writing from the perspective of them. Overall, this is a brilliant book I would highly recommend.
September 24, 2008
This was a charming story - thoughtful and well written.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews