Book Readings with Mr Panda

School Visits with Lorraine and Mr Panda

Lorraine and Mr Panda Inspire young readers through Storytelling, music and conservation.

Bring the magic of storytelling, music and learning to your school.

Designed for children aged 5 to 9 years (Key Stage 1 and lower Key Stage 2), this engaging 50-minute interactive session encourages children to develop a lifelong love of reading while discovering the fascinating world of giant pandas and the importance of caring for our planet.

Combining storytelling, music, audience participation and environmental education, every visit is both educational and entertaining.

What the Children Will Experience

During the visit, children will:

• ⁠Meet Lorraine and the lovable puppet-sized Mr Panda.
• Join in with fun original Panda songs and music.
• Learn fascinating facts about giant pandas, including their habitat, diet, behaviour and why bamboo forests are so important.
• Discover the challenges pandas face in the wild, including habitat loss through deforestation, expanding human development and the threat of poaching.
• Listen to selected chapters from Mr Panda and His Magical Bamboo.
• Meet the colourful characters from the story, including:
• Space Lion – whose special duty is to protect the stars and watch over the universe.
• The Mean Green Witch – who is trying to steal the smiles from children. Together we explore why she is unhappy, how sadness and loneliness can sometimes lead people to make poor choices, and how kindness, understanding and friendship can help change someone’s life.
• Mr Panda – the Ambassador for Children and Animals around the world. He leads with courage, kindness and compassion, while learning on his own journey that even heroes continue to grow, learn and become better every day.

The session finishes with an interactive 15-minute Question and Answer session, where children are encouraged to ask questions about becoming an author, writing books, creating characters, pandas, wildlife conservation and the inspiration behind the stories.

Curriculum Links

The visit supports learning across several curriculum areas, including:

• ⁠⁠English – Reading for pleasure, storytelling, creative writing, character development and listening skills.
• ⁠Science – Animals, habitats, food chains, adaptation and conservation.
• Geography – China, bamboo forests, environments and protecting natural habitats.
• PSHE – Kindness, empathy, resilience, making positive choices, understanding emotions and caring for others.
• Music – Singing together, rhythm, participation and confidence.

The session encourages imagination, curiosity, compassion and a love of books while inspiring children to think about how small acts of kindness can make a big difference to both people and the natural world.

Activity Pack

Each class receives a colourful follow-up activity worksheet to continue the learning after the visit, including:

• ⁠Crosswords
• ⁠Word searches
• ⁠Fun puzzles
• ⁠Panda facts

Book Sales

Schools and parents have the opportunity to purchase signed copies of Mr Panda and His Magical Bamboo.

Books can be ordered before the author visit through the Panda Office, allowing copies to be available on the day for signing and personal messages if required. Copies can also be purchased after the visit, subject to availability.

Visit Information

Suitable for: Children aged 5 to 9 years (Key Stage 1 and lower Key Stage 2)

Session length: Approximately 50 minutes, including a 15-minute Question and Answer session.

Requirements:

• ⁠One electrical socket
• ⁠One table
• ⁠One chair

A Visit to Remember

Lorraine has been entertaining and inspiring children for many years through books, theatre and live performances. Every author visit is filled with warmth, laughter, music and meaningful messages that encourage children to read, dream big, care for wildlife and believe that kindness, courage and imagination can help make the world a brighter place.

The children won’t just meet an author—they’ll meet Mr Panda, make wonderful memories, discover the magic of books and leave believing that every smile can help change the world.