Nolen Lee

“Panda is Still Fat” is book two from Nolen Lee using the same format with haiku on one side and matching artwork on the other side. Lee has expanded his characters to not just Panda, but nine additional characters. Panda now has a name – Pak P. Panda, a wife – Petunia Panda, and a Baby Jr! The fox from the first book is named Randy; in the punching pandas website, Randy is identified as Panda’s best friend and an enthusiastic overachiever. Topher – a Shiba dog, Chimu – a Calico cat, Nop – a Mallard duck, Summer – a gray squirrel, Buxton – a beaver, and Evil Steve (a furry tail creature) are the other six new characters. The book doesn’t include a description of each character, but his website is updated to provide descriptions of all characters. These descriptions help to understand the relationship with Panda and why Lee chose a particular character in the haiku. With family and friends, Lee’s haikus now extend his stories to cover self, friendship, and family. In real life, Lee is also married and have children. It all makes sense! I find the second book to be slightly richer in context and content.

A few examples from this book:

Self control is good
All things in moderation
Well… almost all things
Artwork: Panda is sitting on a huge pile of bamboo.

There is a wise saying
“Happy wife makes happy life”
Wait, did wife write this?
Artwork: Panda is feeding treats to Petunia. A sign with the saying is on the wall in Chinese. A chisel and mallet are on the ground.

A child’s innocence
Cherish it for it is brief
This child is guilty
Artwork: Panda is angry with Jr, who has a bat behind him. On the ground is a broken vase.

Buying the book from him during an art fair means my book is autographed plus a hand-drawn punching panda.… (mehr)

I first became aware of Nolen Lee because of his art prints that are commonly sold throughout art stores that feature local artists. Instead of cutesy, smiling pandas, his pandas are drawn with facial expressions that look like they are ready for a fight. His most popular pieces feature Space Needle and Pike Place Market with tens, if not over hundred pandas brawling with each of them. All the pandas are wearing red boxing gloves. Chubby fighting pandas. They are adorable.

I was surprised to learn he also write books with haikus that are children appropriate. Each haiku is paired with its own artwork. The haiku by themselves are basic, but when paired with the artwork, they are whimsy and rather funny. I particularly like that many are kid friendly. In this first book, two unnamed characters are featured – the panda and his friend, a red fox.

A couple of examples:

Birds of a feather
Will come and flock together
And poop on your head
Artwork: Birdies on a line above with panda underneath holding an umbrella

Achieving great heights
What does one need to reach this?
An elevator
Artwork: Red fox is climbing to mountaintop via a rope. Panda appears at the top via an elevator.… (mehr)