The open-ended finish is ingenious and satisfies without being too neat; young listeners may respond to the cue to come up...
Elephants have a storied history in children's literature, from beloved Babar all the way up to Mo Willems' current kid-favorite Gerald. Here, a new elephant family enters the pantheon.
Reminiscent of the books about both precursors, with an uncluttered design characterized by pale illustrations outlined in black on a clean, white background, this features Ollie, an elephant child, and his best friend Benjamin, a young dog. Ollie has been (over?)praised by his doting mother, who calls him a "beautiful gift." When Ollie tries to get Benjamin to guess what he is, expecting Benjamin to say just what Mama Elephant did, Ollie's disappointed with Benjamin's heartfelt and kind answer: "That's easy...You're my best friend." Ollie tries and tries to get Benjamin to give the "right" answer, disregarding each of Benjamin's well-meaning attempts, resulting in sadness and frustration on both friends' parts. This rings true for many young children, who are apt to see the world in only one way at first. It takes time—and, often, trial and error—to develop empathy.
The open-ended finish is ingenious and satisfies without being too neat; young listeners may respond to the cue to come up with Ollie's dearly-wished-for response, or they may come up with creative ones of their own. (Picture book. 2-6)Pub Date: May 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-4197-0167-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Abrams
Review Posted Online: March 13, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
The book is available in just about every format--but this is the perfect one.
It's hard to believe that a pop-up wasn't the creators' original intention, so seamlessly do moveable parts dovetail into this modern classic's storyline.
In contrast to the tale's 1998 pop -up version, the figures here move on every page, and with an unusually graceful naturalism to boot. From pulling down Big Nutbrown Hare's ears on the opening spread to make sure he's listening to drowsily turning his head to accept a final good-night kiss in a multi-leveled pull-down tableau at the close, all of Little Nutbrown Hare's hops, stretches and small gestures serve the poetically spare text—as do Big Nutbrown's wider, higher responses to his charge's challenges. As readers turn a flap to read Big Nutbrown's "But I love you this much," his arms extend to demonstrate. The emotional connection between the two hares is clearer than ever in Jeram's peaceful, restrained outdoor scenes, which are slightly larger than those in the trade edition, and the closing scene is made even more intimate by hiding the closing line ("I love you right up to the moon—and back") until an inconspicuous flap is opened up.
The book is available in just about every format--but this is the perfect one. (Pop-up picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-7636-5378-1
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Sept. 21, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
IN THE NEWS
Still, this young boy’s imagination is a powerful force for helping him deal with life, something that should be true for...
Oliver, of first-day-of-school alligator fame, is back, imagining adventures and still struggling to find balance between introversion and extroversion.
“When Oliver found his egg…” on the playground, mint-green backgrounds signifying Oliver’s flight into fancy slowly grow larger until they take up entire spreads; Oliver’s creature, white and dinosaurlike with orange polka dots, grows larger with them. Their adventures include sharing treats, sailing the seas and going into outer space. A classmate’s yell brings him back to reality, where readers see him sitting on top of a rock. Even considering Schmid’s scribbly style, readers can almost see the wheels turning in his head as he ponders the girl and whether or not to give up his solitary play. “But when Oliver found his rock… // Oliver imagined many adventures // with all his friends!” This last is on a double gatefold that opens to show the children enjoying the creature’s slippery curves. A final wordless spread depicts all the children sitting on rocks, expressions gleeful, wondering, waiting, hopeful. The illustrations, done in pastel pencil and digital color, again make masterful use of white space and page turns, although this tale is not nearly as funny or tongue-in-cheek as Oliver and His Alligator (2013), nor is its message as clear and immediately accessible to children.
Still, this young boy’s imagination is a powerful force for helping him deal with life, something that should be true for all children but sadly isn’t. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: July 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4231-7573-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: May 18, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2014
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