Most of the books that work their way into this column cross my desk via their publishers. This one, however, came to my attention by way of a bookseller who showed it to me along with half-a-dozen ...

Mr. Panda, though he’s a picture of tubby fuzziness, defies the friendly panda stereotype (for one, he has a permanent glower). He offers a box of iced doughnuts to a small penguin, who says, “Give me ...