Mrs. Panda has a warm and affectionate relationship with her little cub friends. The cubs are concerned and rush to help when they see Mrs. Panda lose her balance and tumble down. Mrs. Panda has an important role of explaining she has ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease) in simple terms so the cubs can understand the loss of the body's nerves and power to the muscles. As the cubs express their fears, Mrs. Panda finds a unique way to offer encouragement through her five senses, which are not affected by ALS. Most importantly, Mrs. Panda reaffirms her loving bond with the cubs who will share a smile forever and ever.
As a gift to the community, the book can be read, in its entirety, here on this web page. You are encouraged to purchase a hard copy or e-book on our Purchase page—all proceeds are donated to the ALS Foundation.
Kathleen Ellen
Kathleen has always found joy in children’s literature. She has an Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Education and was a teacher and assistant director at the United Methodist Children’s Center in San Luis Obispo, California for 15 years. She also had the pleasure of presenting storytelling workshops at the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) state conferences. When her mother, Pat, was diagnosed with ALS, Kathleen devoted her time and talents to writing this engaging book that represents the heartfelt relationships between her mother and the children in her Sunday School class. Kathleen currently lives outside Washington D.C. with her husband, Jerry, and fuzzy canine daughters, Chalupa and Layla.
Erin Ambrose
Erin has had a passion for the arts for as long as she can remember. She achieved her Bachelor’s degree in Art and Graphic Design from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, along with a minor in Graphic Communication. Erin is now a graphic designer and illustrator on the lovely Central Coast. She continues her education at Savannah College of Art and Design, where she is working on her Master’s Degree. She gets her inspiration from her loving and supportive family: her husband, Huc, and daughters, Taya and Kiara. Painting is so important in her life. She loves capturing people’s words and expressing them through pictures.