Mrs. Harkness and the Panda

"The background of how the first panda bear was brought to the U.S. is told with kid-friendly language and visual storytelling that brings history to life. The author does a wonderful job of telling this story in an understanding, historically accurate, and compelling way." - Seira Wilson, Amazon Editor

In 1934, Ruth Harkness had never seen a panda bear. Not many people in the world had.

But soon the young Mrs. Harkness would inherit an expedition from her explorer husband: the hunt for a panda. She knew that bringing back a panda would be hard. Impossible, even. But she intended to try.

So she went to China, where she found a guide, built traps, gathered supplies, and had explorers' clothes made—unheard of for a woman in those days. Then she set out up the Yangtze River and into the wilderness. What she discovered would awe America: an adorable baby panda she named Su Lin, which means "a little bit of something very cute."

With breathtaking illustrations from Caldecott Honor artist Melissa Sweet, this little-known true story shares the tale of an adventurous woman who was bold and brave—and the unforgettable journey that helped shape American attitudes toward wildlife.