Author(s): Ed Franck, David Colmer (Translator)

Junior Fiction | Gecko Press | Social Issues & Relationships

Philosophical, wise, funny, true-to-child and wonderfully illustrated stories about an unbreakable friendship between a panda and a squirrel, from two world greats of children's literature.

Panda and Squirrel can't live without each other and do everything together: lie on the rocks to look at the moon, take walks, play games. One of their journeys lasts for only two steps, another day they discover a newly hatched duckling. Sometimes they argue but they always make up again. This a friendship for any day: roaring, quiet, grumbling, snoring . . . always.

These down-to-earth, warmhearted friendship stories reach straight from the soul of one six-year-old to another.

Written by Ed Franck, one of Belgium's most important and innovative children's writers, and illustrated by The Tjong-Khing, a world-leading illustrator for children, whose many accolades include nomination for the Hans Christian Andersen Award.

"Enjoyable." -- Kirkus Reviews, US

"Families who love short, illustrated fiction featuring animals, such as The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Graham or Ulf Nilsson's Detective Gordon series." -- Youth Services Book Review, US

Author Biography:

Ed Franck is one of Belgium's most important and innovative children's writers. He writes for all ages and in all genres: from songs for toddlers to YA novels, detective stories and poetry. He has twice won the prestigious Cultuurprijs of the Flemish Community for Youth Literature.

The Tjong-Khing is a children's book illustrator based in the Netherlands. He was born in Indonesia, attended the Seni Rupa Arts Institute in Bandung, and moved to the Netherlands in 1956. The has won the Golden Pencil Award (a major Dutch children's book award) three times and the Woutertje Pieterse Prize for Best Dutch Children's Book and was nominated for the German Youth Literature Prize.