ME & LAVENDER

A child and a toy elephant enjoy a blissful day, fueled by imagination.

A bouncy pachyderm leaps into curly-haired Ella’s bed one morning. Ella dubs the newcomer Lavender, and they proceed to eat pancakes, clean up, and set out for the day. Though they’re both eager to play, Ella laments, “I need to stay tidy, as clean as can be. Mommy is hosting an afternoon tea.” So Lavender proposes “a leisurely stroll.” Despite the best of intentions, they both end up playing hide-and-seek among the trees, having a garden hose water battle, and making mud pies—which leaves them both a soggy mess. Mommy ultimately spots and gently chides them. After baths for both (Lavender, back to his toy form, is placed in the washing machine), it’s time for tea and, eventually, bed. Relying predominantly on shades of pink and purple and depicting her characters with cherubic features, Farb effectively evokes an idyllic suburban setting, from the well-ordered garden to the prim and proper tea party. Lavender changes shape regularly, emphasizing the creative power of make-believe; readers who don’t pay close attention to the title page (which depicts the elephant as a toy sitting on Ella’s windowsill) may be briefly confused by his transformations. Treading familiar territory, Peugh makes use of upbeat rhyming text that pairs well with the artwork. Ella is tan-skinned and rosy-cheeked; Mommy is slightly lighter-skinned.

A sweet tribute to youthful creativity.