  | Strictly no elephants Author: Mantchev, Lisa | |
| Price: $22.58 | ||
Summary:
A boy is excluded from joining his friends' pet club because of his unusual pet.
| Illustrator: | Yoo, Taeeun |
| Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: LG Reading Level: 2.00 Points: .5 Quiz: 181005 |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (08/15/15)
School Library Journal (10/01/15)
Booklist (10/01/15)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 10/01/2015 “The trouble with having a tiny elephant for a pet is that you never quite fit in,” says a little boy with a miniscule pet elephant. The Pet Club won’t let him in, and an angry sign—“Strictly No Elephants”—explains why. Forlorn, the boy and little elephant stumble on, the boy’s warm-toned shirt popping against the background of people in dark blues, blacks, and teal. They find another outcast, a little girl with a skunk, and they decide to start their own club. Soon, owners with other unusual pets join them: a girl with a giraffe, a boy with a hedgehog, even a kid with a tiny narwhal in a glass bowl! Eagle-eyed little ones will notice new friends before they make their way to the pet parade. Though the story is slight, the clear message of inclusion is a good one, and the cheerful, lightly mottled block-print illustrations, with bright outlines and in a rich palette, exude lively motion among the children and their pets. Heartening, particularly for kids who often feel left out. - Copyright 2015 Booklist.
School Library Journal - 10/01/2015 K-Gr 2—It's Pet Club Day, and the sign on the door at #17 clearly states, "Strictly NO Elephants." Current members treasure their birds, fish, cats, and dogs, but a young boy taking a walk with his tiny elephant, sharing an umbrella in a cool fall rain, sees no welcome for his friend, so he simply gives his usual support. "That's what friends do—lift each other over the cracks…brave the scary things for you." The boy and his elephant meet a girl with a skunk, who were also excluded from the Pet Club meeting, and decide to start a club of their own, one in which all are welcome. Friends "never leave anyone behind." Illustrations emphasize the warmth of this message with Photoshop, block prints, and pencil in color spreads alternated with smaller vignettes highlighting the expressions of the children and their pets. VERDICT With a gentle message of inclusion and helping others, this title reaches beyond a mere friendship story. A solid general purchase for libraries and classrooms.—Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano ISD, TX - Copyright 2015 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
