(Author, Lynne McKenzie, of Stittsville has published her first children’s book – It’s Me, Panda! Exploring what life is like through the eyes of Panda will have you discovering new adventures everyday!)
Local children’s book author Lynne McKenzie invites readers to explore Stittsville with Panda the dog in her book of stories, It’s Me, Panda! Geared towards young readers, It’s Me, Panda! contains a multitude of stories from Panda’s perspective – whether it’s about ducks, exploring the neighbourhood, fishing with Dad, Mom’s St. Patrick’s Day party, encounters with her rival Sneaky Paws, time spent with her friend Soda, and so much more.
Lynne can’t pinpoint the exact inspiration for her book, which is her first: “I just sat down one day and started writing stories from my dog’s point of view.” A quirky, talented, and happy dog, Panda is the perfect character for Lynne’s stories, and it’s easy to see how loved she is: “Panda is a cute, merry little dog. She often stands with one paw raised off the floor and head cocked, and I say, ‘Panda, what are you thinking about?’ Every morning she waits for Dad (my husband Allan) to get up. From our bedroom she can see down the hall to Dad’s big chair in the living room. Once she sees him sit in his chair with a cup of coffee, she jumps off the bed and trots down the hall to sit with him. This is usually at 6:00 a.m. About 8:00 a.m. she jumps off the chair and stares at Dad. He says, ‘Panda, do you want your breakfast?’ Then she makes a sound that sounds a lot like ‘Yes.’”
Having been abandoned previously, Panda has lived with Lynne and her husband Allan for 11 years, and she is estimated to be about 14 years old. She is part Bichon and part Poodle, with very white fur and large black eyes. Lynne thinks of Panda as being a happy, curious young child – hence her decision to write Panda’s stories for young readers.
Stittsville features in the book in a few different ways. “Poole Creek is across the street from our house. Panda sometimes talks about kids fishing in the creek. Other times we go to the duck pond, where Panda chases a duck or two.” Overall, the book explores a variety of places, events, or people, and all from Panda’s perspective.
Lynne has received praise for her stories from elementary school teachers, as well as friends and family, who all agree that the stories are very cute and enjoyable. The book contains approximately 45 pages, with each story spanning a page or two.
Visit the Burnstown Publishing House website, or email Lynne directly, to purchase a copy of It’s Me, Panda! and read about the world through Panda’s eyes.