  | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 10/01/2018 PreS-Gr 2—One morning, the town of Prickly Valley wakes up to find an elephant named Poe sitting in the middle of the town's only road. Various residents try everything they can think of to get Poe to go. They honk horns, push, pull, make noise, and beg, all to no avail. Pandemonium escalates as they bring in mice, clowns, magicians, firefighters, and even a peanut on roller skates. Poe won't budge. Finally, a little girl suggests that they simply ask Poe why he won't go. She is already fluent in both kitten and hedgehog and says anyone can understand elephant if they just listen hard enough. A short conversation and its surprising resulting revelation later, Poe is on his way, proving that a little kindness and understanding can provide the simplest solution. The acrylic-and-pencil illustrations render Poe larger than life and though gentle, he appears unhappy and befuddled by the townspeople's attempts to relocate him. By the story's end, he is smiling and doffing his absurdly small hat to the kind little girl. VERDICT A fun read-aloud that reinforces the importance of communication. A solid choice for storytime and small group sharing.—Kelly Roth, Bartow County Public Library, Cartersville, GA - Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Booklist - 10/01/2018 *Starred Review* When Poe, a huge elephant sporting a fedora and an unhappy expression, plops himself down in the middle of the road, the citizens of Prickly Valley—an outstandingly diverse lot in Ohora’s cartoon illustrations—unite to find a way to get him to move. Unfortunately, all their horn honking, music blasting, tugging, and tickling come to naught. Not mice nor motivational speakers, copters, cranes, or “clowns with horn squeakers” can get Poe to budge. When at last a hijab-wearing child named Marigold suggests asking him why, the derisive townsfolk admit that they don’t speak elephant. “Well, anyone can speak elephant if they just listen hard enough,” she responds, and, sure enough, it turns out he’s waiting for a tardy friend . . . or, more precisely, on a friend, as he discovers when he stands up (at a news reporter’s suggestion) to reveal his cheery buddy, Moe the monkey. DiPucchio’s rhythmic narrative, which breaks into rhyme partway through, makes for a swinging, sometimes silly read-aloud. The pictures are likewise playful, with an immense pink pachyderm at their visual centers, and will be easily discernible to small or large audiences. Best of all, by offering an example of the value of listening better to other voices (and, for that matter, to public media), the episode makes a timely point. - Copyright 2018 Booklist. Loading...
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