The Midnight Panther - (A Poonam Mistry Fable) by Poonam Mistry (Hardcover)

About the Book

In the depths of the rainforest lives a little black panther. He is not like the other cats, with their dazzling spots, bold stripes and golden manes. One night Panther sets off to find where he belongs. Answering the call of the moonlight, he scales the treetops. Perhaps up among the stars he will discover his own strength and beauty.

Book Synopsis

Poonam Mistry weaves a captivating fable with stunning illustrations about courage and finding your place in the world.

Panther loves the rainforest, but sometimes he feels as though he doesn't belong in the same way the other animals do--especially the other big cats. Panther desperately wishes he had the same bold qualities as Tiger, Lion, and Leopard. Thus begins Panther's adventure though the trees to find a way to be just as special and dazzling. With some guidance and a few mishaps, Panther finally discovers his own strength and beauty among the stars in the night sky.

Review Quotes

Mistry's ink and digital art is truly stunning, mixing several different contrasting patterns. Inspired by her Indian heritage, she has created mesmerizing, abstract shapes that come together in a dazzling landscape of swirls and deep colors that evoke the natural elements. Never verging on didactic, the text has a lovely flow to it, with a fablelike structure that finds Panther learning an important lesson about seeing the true beauty in himself. An eye-catching, elegantly illustrated, and tenderly told tale of burgeoning self-confidence.
--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Rich colors and spellbinding patterns add a dreamlike quality to this fable about being true to yourself.
--Foreword Reviews

The steady pace, formal tone, and regal subject lend this folkloric tale a satisfyingly performative flair, but the true drama comes in the stylized, intricate illustrations that have a crisp, stamp-like precision, rife with geometric patterning and movement.
--The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Mesmerizing visuals underline the beauties of nature and of embracing oneself.
--The Horn Book (starred review)

In one of the fall's most delightful picture books, a sad black panther feels unseen and unloved because he is so plain next to his big cat cousins' stripes and spots. But the moon illuminates the secret of his own beauty, and teaches Panther to love himself. Mistry's illustrations provide multiple patterns of light and color for kids to explore. A stunningly beautiful book.
--Los Angeles Times

About the Author

Poonam Mistry graduated with a degree in graphic design and illustration from the University of Hertfordshire in England. Her style incorporates her love of nature and her Indian roots and explores the relationships between pattern, shape, and color. She has been short-listed for the Kate Greenaway Medal three times: in 2019 for her debut picture book, You're Safe with Me; in 2020 for You're Snug with Me; and in 2021 for How the Stars Came to Be. Poonam Mistry lives in Leicester, England.