A simple tale that will have readers cheering.
A look into a bygone era of the circus through the life of an elephant.
Told mostly through the art, this tale follows a young elephant who is unceremoniously taken from their home and sold to the circus. They forge an unlikely friendship with a magician, who finds a way to put things right. Each page has one word that begins with ele—“ELEPHANT”: the young animal with their parent. “ELEPH-ATE”: The elephant is lured into a trap by bananas. “ELE-FATE”: the elephant is ensnared. The story does not shy away from the harsher aspects, such as the terror of the kidnapping, but readers also see the elephant’s joy as they befriend the magician and love and trust grow. The words are written in a beautiful script that evokes circus signs, and the text flows well when read aloud, though at times some of the invented words feel a bit clunky. The images are the stars of the show; rendered in gouache, they fill the pages, depicting both the drama of the circus acts and quieter moments as the elephant longs to return to their past life. The magician is light-skinned; circus performers and attendees are diverse. In an author’s note, Yolen describes the true story that inspired this book—in 1982, Broadway producer David Balding bought an orphaned baby elephant from Zimbabwe and created a circus for her. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A simple tale that will have readers cheering. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: May 17, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-4521-7681-9
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: April 26, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2022
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift.
A paean to teachers and their surrogates everywhere.
This gentle ode to a teacher’s skill at inspiring, encouraging, and being a role model is spoken, presumably, from a child’s viewpoint. However, the voice could equally be that of an adult, because who can’t look back upon teachers or other early mentors who gave of themselves and offered their pupils so much? Indeed, some of the self-aware, self-assured expressions herein seem perhaps more realistic as uttered from one who’s already grown. Alternatively, readers won’t fail to note that this small book, illustrated with gentle soy-ink drawings and featuring an adult-child bear duo engaged in various sedentary and lively pursuits, could just as easily be about human parent- (or grandparent-) child pairs: some of the softly colored illustrations depict scenarios that are more likely to occur within a home and/or other family-oriented setting. Makes sense: aren’t parents and other close family members children’s first teachers? This duality suggests that the book might be best shared one-on-one between a nostalgic adult and a child who’s developed some self-confidence, having learned a thing or two from a parent, grandparent, older relative, or classroom instructor.
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943200-08-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Compendium
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.
In this latest in the series, Little Blue Truck, driven by pal Toad, is challenged to a countryside race by Racer Red, a sleek, low-slung vehicle.
Blue agrees, and the race is on. Although the two start off “hood to hood / and wheel to wheel,” they switch positions often as they speed their way over dusty country roads. Blue’s farm friends follow along to share in the excitement and shout out encouragement; adult readers will have fun voicing the various animal sounds. Short rhyming verses on each page and several strategic page turns add drama to the narrative, but soft, mottled effects in the otherwise colorful illustrations keep the competition from becoming too intense. Racer Red crosses the finish line first, but Blue is a gracious loser, happy to have worked hard. That’s a new concept for Racer Red, who’s laser-focused on victory but takes Blue’s words (“win or lose, it’s fun to try!”) to heart—a revelation that may lead to worthwhile storytime discussions. When Blue’s farm animal friends hop into the truck for the ride home, Racer Red tags along and learns a second lesson, one about speed. “Fast is fun, / and slow is too, / as long as you’re / with friends.”
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780063387843
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
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