"A timeless tale about a beloved animal One of the world's most beloved and reclusive animals, the panda is almost as mysterious today as it was thousands of years ago. The original Chinese folk tale of how the panda came to have its distinctive black-and-white coat is a story of love, bravery and the sacrifice of a young shepherdess. Illustrator Song Nan Zhang has drawn upon his experiences touring the silk road region of Tibet to create the gloriously colourful illustrations that depict the ancient Wolong Valley in Sichuan province. As retold by master historian Linda Granfield, "The Legend of the Panda is augmented with fascinating information about panda bears and the efforts to save them. A book as beautiful as it is informative.

An ancient Tibetan legend tells how the snowy white panda came to have its distinctive black-and-white coat.

The story is based on an old Chinese legend of how the Panda got its black markings. In this oversized picture book with distinctive borders, brave pandas fight a great Fire-dragon to save the Bamboo Forest. Lyrical prose matches superb saturated-color illustrations and emphasizes the need for us to conserve the planet to make room for all other creatures.

The book contains an original short story, illustrated by photos taken of pandas at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Sichuan, China. The book also includes a map of China, interesting facts and characteristics of the panda (such as their habitat, daily schedule, symbolism, and what it would cost to keep a panda as a pet), a number of easy and inexpensive activities suitable for a

Describes giant pandas, including what they eat, where they live, how they grow, the threats they face, and a legend about how they got their black markings.