The Panda, the Cat and the Dreadful Teddy: A Parody Hardcover – October 12, 2021

If you live in a house where you have stuffed animals with very distinct and vocal personalities, ranging the gamut from sarcastic to profane to inebriated, then this is the book you've been waiting all your life for. And hopefully the stuffed animals will be fans as well. Though I know my Dad's monkey Salbert would probably downgrade the book for having no mention of Kim Novak. Thankfully the book doesn't mention Joey Bishop or we'd have real problems. And yes, wherever Sal is he knows what time it is in Vegas. While everyone might not have someone in their life at this moment giving constant commentary, we've all had a stuffed friend like this at some point in our life. Paul has Panda. Some of us know him as Art Critic Panda, but I am sure he has a plethora of aliases. If you read this book without any context, even though I do love that Paul added a picture of the trio at the back of the book, you are in for an entertaining time. Panda is saying what we are often thinking about but at too decorous to say. Though I would occasionally like to let loose with a stream of profanity Panda-style. The art varies in quality, but sometimes just the simplest of lines captures Panda and his posture so perfectly with so little that I wish I could draw like that. In particular I'm thinking of him exercising and looking lovingly at a bottle of gin. Yes, Panda does love his gin. There were also times when I wished that the drawings had been organized thematically or had some overarching story, but then I remembered this is a parody. I realized I couldn't properly critique this book without first reading The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy. I remember when this book came out and it was everywhere. There were large drifts of it in Barnes and Noble because if I recall correctly they made it their book of the year. Well, that book does have some amazing drawings, in a wide range of styles, and occasionally there is something profound said, but for me it was too saccharine. My teeth hurt after reading it. It was too goody goody trying to be something more and occasionally ending up sounding like your friends in college when they got high and thought they'd discovered the answers to life. But reading that book made me appreciate Paul's book so much more. He got the artistic shifts, the lack of structure, everything down pat, but with a wonderfully cynical edge, which is totally my wheelhouse. So yes, you can read this book in a vacuum, but I'd say read the book after doing your homework, you will enjoy it so much more!

THE PANDA, THE CAT AND THE DREADFUL TEDDY: A PARODY, written and illustrated by Paul Magrs, is a laugh-out-loud takedown of phony polite behavior. Pands tells it like it is — pinpricking every balloon of obsequious niceties with “F” bombs and worse! Rude language has never been so refreshing and cathartic! Bravo, muthaph**kah!

What a funny book. An extraordinary story that is so sarcastic and brilliantly written. I would absolutely recommend this book.

I laught but I did not enjoyed it. It was too negative which is contrary to the intent of the book.

This book was sent to an old friend not realising it was a total rip off of the boy the mole and the horse. I am not a prude I am a 20 year combat marine.This collection of trash IS good for winter,starting fires.

After purchasing and gifting so many of The Boy, The Mole… I thought the parody might be funny and I would use as gifts. Language not appropriate for the people I wanted to gift to. Returned.

WOW!! WHAT A BOOK!!!Charlie really has it going on!!!When I look at my cat now I have to laugh!!Read this book and you'll know what I mean!!!

Not for kids for sure. The concept of book is good but please do not get deceived by the panda and his friends.... they use explicit language

Het boek was op de cover zwaar beschadigd en ziet er voor de rest ook matig uit. Zie foto.

Are you tired of cheerfully oblivious aspirational books? Do you feel a bit grumpy when someone won't let up on the positivity? Is the worst problem in your life a bleedin' optimist who just won't let you have time to process the general awfulness?This book is for you.I'm sure you are aware of a certain aspirational cartoon book which sold billions of copies, during the horror that was 2020. It made a lot of people feel a tiny bit better.This is amongst other things a parody of that book and it is funny. If you have ever had a moment of irritation at some one else being tiresomely upbeat please give this book a read and Paul Magrs some money.Panda is the hero for those of us who already have our coping mechanisms in place and don't want a smug positive-thinker spoiling our misery.Honestly tho, I've been a fan of Paul Magrs for years. His cynical, gin-sodden, stuffed-toy Panda character is one of my favourite creations and truly he shines in this format.I laughed out loud at the inappropriate humour.Thoroughly recommended.I do hope that there will be an audiobook version. I can hear David Benson and Katy Manning in my head when I read this.

Language is patheticPlease take it back

This book is the perfect antidote to all those inspirational meme with lovely scenic backgrounds that are meant to warm our hearts, but actually come across as saccharine and insincere. Paul Magrs' potty-mouthed Panda tells it like it really is and hilariously expresses the thoughts many of us have been struggling to keep to ourselves. In years to come, these nuggets of truth deserve to be as ubiquitous as pictures of Winnie-the-Pooh with quotes that have never been anywhere near Milne. Read it once and laugh your doings off, but then read it more slowly and appreciate the fact that Paul is not just a talented wordsmith (check his other books out next) but also an excellent artist. Not many people could make a stuffed Panda quite so expressive and some of the backgrounds are beautiful. An extraordinary book and I actually mean that!