The Midnight Panther
by Poonam Mistry; illus. by the author
Primary    Candlewick Studio    48 pp.
10/24    9781536238716    $18.99

A gentle panther loves the forest, but he’s afraid to scale the tall trees and feels different from the other majestic cats. He admires Tiger’s bold stripes, Lion’s bright mane, and Leopard’s dazzling spots. The panther collects feathers to mimic Lion’s mane, but Wind blows them away, telling Panther he doesn’t need them. He uses sticky pollen to give himself stripes like Tiger’s, but Rain washes them away. When he attaches leaves to his fur to resemble Leopard’s spots, Sun dries them out and they fall off. Disheartened, the panther turns to Moon. Enchanted by the moonlight, the panther forgets his fear and climbs high above the trees. Moon points out that Panther has a special gift “to be the color of the night,” and, awestruck by the beauty of the night sky, the protagonist embraces his true self as a midnight panther. Mistry’s intricate patterns, reminiscent of indigenous South Asian art forms, teem with life and serve as the perfect backdrop for the panther’s dark coat. The fable-like story unfolds to show how the panther’s timid nature and self-doubt slowly grow into self-confidence. Mesmerizing visuals underline the beauties of nature and of embracing oneself.

From the ">January/February 2025 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.