Flo by Kyo Maclear (review)

Flo is the littlest panda, and she always keeps everyone waiting. When it's time for unicycle club, she's still enjoying a leisurely breakfast. When everyone else is performing in the tap-dancing competition, she's greeting the birds, flowers, and clouds. When it's time for their boat outing, the other pandas decide to leave without her. Flo doesn't mind, though; it's a beautiful day to "get floppy," Flo's favorite activity. It turns out to be a good thing Flo stayed behind at the beach; she's there to save the day when the boat breaks down. A giant rubber duck float from the parade makes a perfect life raft, and everyone comes ashore and gets floppy on the beach. This is a gentle and pleasing narrative complement to Portis' Wait (BCCB 10/15), championing the kid who moves at her own speed. In the illustrations, Flo pirouettes through retro-colored scenes that have the feel of silkscreen art or paper cutouts with ever-so-slightly ragged edges, while the rest of the pandas hilariously try to exercise patience waiting for her to join them. Dreamy Flo will be a sympathetic figure to many children, and her example will encourage adults and kids to "get floppy," at least on a lazy Sunday.