Xander wants to have a Panda Party at the zoo where he lives. But he's the only panda there so he invites all the bears to a "bear affair" instead. Then Koala informs him that she's actually a marsupial. "Marsupials-we're rather rare. Will I not be welcome there?" Xander tries again, this time promising a "hearty party" for all the mammals at the zoo. But Rhinoceros refuses to come without his oxpecker bird. So Xander invites mammals and birds. Crocodile chimes in: "Birds and reptiles-long ago, we were related, don't you know? If you didn't, now you do. Can't the reptiles join in too?" Finally, Xander's friend Amanda Salamander comes up with the perfect solution in this playful picture book that cleverly integrates a little bit of science into its masterful rhyming text. Whimsical illustrations are the perfect accompaniment to the narrative, while the author's note provides additional information about the various animals in the story. (Ages 3-8)