Big Panda and Tiny Dragon

James Norbury is the writer and illustrator of some of my new favorite books, with simple and beautiful art and even more beautiful wisdoms that have stayed with me since I’ve read them. With a blend of the spiritual and inspirational, Norbury weaves stories of friendship, life lessons, and even loss through characters you can’t help but love, inside overarching themes of loneliness and solitude in a vast world that can still prove to be very beautiful at its darkest when you have hope, purpose, and meaningful relationships.

In Norburys first book, Big Panda and Tiny Dragon, two friends go on a journey through the seasons, which reflect different seasons of life. From the characters’ first meeting in Spring to their continued journey the following year, Big Panda and Tiny Dragon wander in wonder together as Big Panda teaches Tiny Dragon how to savor the journey with all its ebbs and flows, and to stop and enjoy the little things when you can. I love the overall themes of friendship and adventure in this book, and the reminder that “[t]his moment is all there is” (Norbury, 45). I also love Tiny Dragon’s illustrated uses for a leaf throughout the book (a boat, an umbrella, etc.). Accompanying the beautifully simple words are the amazing illustrations throughout the book. I love the art style and all the colors - and even the lack thereof - to capture certain emotions and themes as you go on a journey with the main characters.   

In Summer, Big Panda reminds Tiny Dragon that even when you feel like a storm is raging inside you, you can still find peace in the chaos if you just listen, which resonated with me deeply. Big Panda’s wisdom over tea about life’s imperfections and stumbling upon unexpected beauty never ceases to warm my heart.

 Autumn is all about letting go in the midst of life’s hardships. Even in a season of loss, Big Panda still finds beauty in the rain, a cozy cup of tea, and being there for his friend in hard times. Something I’ll always strive to remember that Big Panda says is: 

“...We are depthless oceans and summer lightning—there is nothing more magnificent” (Norbury 121). 

In Winter, the season of darkness yields its own beauty in the star lit nights and the promise of tomorrow’s sunrise. Big Panda reminds his tiny friend that it’s okay to rest and prepare for the Spring, just as nature does, when we’re feeling like giving up. And in the face of a new Spring, there is the promise of starting anew, and continuing on the journey with a new outlook with pleasant company.

I always tend to find inspiration like this at the perfect time in my life, and that’s why Big Panda and Tiny Dragon stuck with me after I read it. Sometimes words escape us, and sometimes all it takes is a simple wisdom to change your whole outlook on the world and your place in it. I suppose I was going through a difficult season when I found James Norbury’s books, and with gratitude I will always return to them for the inspiration and encouragement I need to continue through my own life journey.    

Reference
Norbury, James. Big Panda and Tiny Dragon. Mandala, 2021.