book cover

The Midnight Panther

by Poonam Mistry

Interest age: 6 to 8
Reading age: 6+

Published by Templar Books, 2022

  • Picture books

About this book

Panther is not like the other cats. He’s not golden like Lion, or dazzling like Leopard with her spots, or fearless like Tiger’s stripes. He hasn’t even been brave enough to climb to the tops of the trees. So off little Panther creeps into the rainforest and covers himself with feathers of all colours. Now he blazes bright as the sun, like Lion. But Wind says he doesn’t need them, and blows them off. Next Panther paints pollen stripes onto his dark fur. Now he’s bold like Tiger. But Rain washes the stripes away. Will Panther ever find his own beauty and strength?

A stunning book, full of magnificent, decorative artwork, with a powerful message: we are all glorious in our own way. Young children who look or feel different to their peers can take heart from this. We all need to find our personal strength.

Stylish and beautiful, this would be a wonderful gift book, and something to inspire primary school art classes.

About the author

Poonam Mistry is a freelance illustrator living in Leicester who graduated in 2010 with a degree in graphic design and illustration from the University of Hertfordshire. Her style incorporates her love of nature and her Indian roots and explores the relationships between pattern, shapes and colour. Poonam’s upbringing and childhood have heavily influenced her work, in particular being surrounded by Indian fabrics, Kalamkari textiles, Madhubani paintings and hand-painted ornaments. These patterns and intricate details are featured in her style of work.

She loves folklore tales and stories of Hindu gods and goddesses and these have been a rich source of inspiration in a number of her illustrations. Poonam’s work is drawn by hand with black ink before she uses computer software to add colour and adjust the composition of her illustrations.

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