An elephant is as good as a teddy bear, maybe even better—especially if he wears Superman pajamas. The problem is that this elephant gets lonely when the girl leaves for school. Then, he “goes out and brings home an elephant friend.” The elephant’s sociable behavior continues over time as the seasons pass and the girl takes part in various activities. Elephants join her as she goes shopping, takes a swim, has a ballet lesson, goes to the movies, plays dress up, hosts a tea party, goes sledding and takes a bath. By the time there are nine of them hanging around, the girl has had enough! The elephants are bussed off to the zoo. But when she goes to visit them and give them some snacks—perhaps a questionable choice as popcorn and pizza are not necessarily appropriate food for zoo animals—she gets lonely and makes a new friend. A sequel with monkeys may be on the way. Crisp, rhyming text and warm, appealing illustrations will make this counting book a favorite with the very young. (Picture book. 2-4)
