School Library Journal Review

K-Gr 2-Kate is a precocious preschooler whose family consists of a warm and reassuring Mama and Papa, wise Grandma, and teasing older brother, George. (That they are elephants is entirely incidental.) In each of the four short stories, good comes from bad, and lessons are learned. Kate's actions and temperament are realistic for her age, from her taunt to her brother at the beach to "Swim away.-And never come back" to her initial disappointment in a gift of a locket from her grandmother (she really wanted "fat beads in bright colors"). Though the target audience is older than the protagonist, readers will still be amused by her and by her antics, and may even feel smugly superior. (They may also wonder why there are no consequences when Kate breaks a ceramic pot she knows she is not supposed to touch; instead, her parents offer excuses-"That old pot was cracked" and "It leaked.-We got a new one.") With their bright colors and fluid detail, Chorao's spirited illustrations perfectly match the playfulness of her stories. Kate may well become a popular and enduring presence in easy-reader collections.-Mary Ann Carcich, Mattituck-Laurel Public Library, Mattituck, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.