top of page
Panda Only Eats Bamboo.
A Children's Book By Alison Howard
Coming Soon!
During my final year of studying BA Illustration at USW, I wrote and created a rough design for a children's book which I hope to publish in future.
The working title is "Panda Only Eats Bamboo", and it tells the story of a young Giant Panda who struggles to try new foods due to sensory issues. She goes on a journey to help herself try new foods in a safe and gentle way, with the help of peers who offer her the support she needs.
This story is closely related to my experience as an Autistic person who struggles with eating a variety of food due to (undiagnosed) Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID). The story does not specifically label any conditions in the hopes that it can be broadly interpreted by those who may find that the story resonates with them. I hope it will also be able to start discussions in classroom environments among children who may interact with peers who experience the same things.
I decided upon using a Giant Panda as the main character as this species are well known to have a limited diet consisting mostly of bamboo. I wanted it to be a way of showing how having a limited palate isn't unusual or uncommon and nothing to be ashamed of.
The last double page spread of the book depicts Panda bravely trying a berry. There is no text alongside this as I wanted it to be left up to interpretation - the idea being that she was being brave, but at her own pace. I did not want the story to have a "cured" conclusion, as that would defeat the objective of neurodivergent representation as it is not always so simple.
bottom of page