Caldecott Medalist Ed Young Highlights Endangered Moon Bears In New Picture Book

CHAPPAQUA, N.Y., May 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Children have a natural affinity for animals, and cuddly bears have long been a staple of children's literature.  Now, Caldecott Medalist Ed Young introduces kids to the rare Asiatic Black Bear in a new picture book, Moon Bear, written by Brenda Z. Guiberson.  These shy animals sport white blazes across their chests reminiscent of a crescent moon, but their striking appearance and appealing nickname haven't protected them from being hunted down or kept in captivity in small cages under appalling conditions.  

Renowned anthropologist and conservationist Jane Goodall says, "All who read this delightful book will be enchanted by Ed Young's evocative illustrations and Brenda Guiberson's catchy prose. It will give children everywhere a chance to peek into the little-known world of the moon bear."

The picture book focuses on moon bears in the wild, taking readers through the seasons in the Himalayan forest.  Young's stunning collage art shows a female bear from every possible angle as she shuffles through the forest searching for bamboo shoots, gobbling raspberries, and climbing trees.

Praised for its "dramatic art" in an early review from Booklist, the book is produced in partnership with Animals Asia, www.AnimalsAsia.org, whose Moon Bear Rescue project operates sanctuaries in China and Vietnam.  

Ed Young, www.edyoungart.com, has written and/or illustrated more than eighty books.  He won the Caldecott Medal for Lon Po Po: A Red-Riding Hood Story from China.  He is also the author and/or illustrator of two Caldecott Honor Books, The Emperor and the Kite and Seven Blind Mice.  Young has twice been the U.S. nominee for the Hans Christian Andersen Award, the "Nobel Prize" of children's literature, and has received six other international awards and honors and three body of work awards.  Young's books have three times won both the Boston Globe Horn Book Award and the New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books of the Year.  Other honors include five School Library Journal Best Books of the Year, five Booklist Editors' choices, nine ALA Notable Books, thirteen state and regional honors, a Parenting Magazine Reading Magic Award, two Reading Rainbow Choices, and four Parents' Choice awards.  Young's books have been translated into 12 languages, including Xhosa, Thai, Norwegian, and Afrikaans.

SOURCE Ed Young