The Panda's Child

Two wholly exceptional talents come together to create a story with the resonance of a legend and a passion for the wild world.

In a faraway forest a baby is lost and found, protected by a she-panda. Nine years later another baby, the panda's child, is in great danger, and only a boy and the spirit of the forest can save him.

This magical, powerful story by Jackie Morris, co-creator of The Lost Words, and award-winning illustrator Cathy Fisher, is a book for all ages to treasure, exploring our most vital connection with wild nature.

Winner of UKLA Awards, 2024: Fiction 7-11 Prize 2024 (UK) Long-listed for The Wainwright Prize for Children 2024 Nominated for Carnegie Medal for Illustration 2025

A panda protects a baby who has been separated from his mother, and several years later that same child rescues the panda’s baby, who has been stolen by a band of men who want to present it to Emperor Alexander. Morris’ powerful reminder to respect the wild is brought to life by Fisher’s gorgeous artwork, which makes the beauty of the natural world leap off the page. Simply stunning. The Bookseller
This is a book to be read and relished slowly.. The shape of the story intersperses gorgeous illustrations with minimal text with two pages of poetic prose. I like this rhythm which I noticed because I read it aloud to my eight-year-old granddaughter and we agreed that it contributes to the restful atmosphere and builds slow suspense. Every illustrated page then allows the artist space for big emotions and natural features... I strongly recommend this outstanding book by Otter Barry. The Letterpress Project
This is an astonishingly beautiful collaboration between writer Jackie Morris and illustrator Cathy Fisher. .. Together the words and images depict a vital connection between people and wild nature. Juno Magazine
Author Jackie Morris’ lyrical prose leaves room for breathing and understanding. Illustrator Cathy Fisher’s artwork is gorgeous. Her use of color and space draw you in. And her focus on eyes, in particular, provides extra emotion. Cracking the Cover

Jackie Morris is a bestselling writer and artist. Her almost uncanny ability to draw and paint living landscapes and wildlife began around the age of six when she watched her father draw a lapwing and wanted to learn the same magic. Born in Birmingham, she grew up in Evesham, but has lived for a long time in Wales, in “a small cottage held together by spiders’ webs”. As a writer and illustrator she has many books to her name; of which The Lost Words, in collaboration with Robert Macfarlane, is the best known. For Otter-Barry Books she has written, among others, the three much-loved Mrs Noah books, The Jackie Morris Book of Classic Nursery Rhymes and Something About a Bear.

Cathy Fisher was born in Australia and grew up in Bath, England. Her art combines a deep connection with the natural world with a tender, insightful rendering of human emotion and behaviour. She has collaborated with Nicola Davies on eight books, including Perfect and The Pond, both longlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal. Cathy has lived and worked in the UK, the Seychelles and Australia, and now lives in Pembrokeshire, Wales.

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