School Library Journal Review
Toddler-PreS-This story about a quiet elephant in a busy city transitions to a board book format flawlessly. The gentle pencil drawings and muted palette make this an appealing choice for one-on-one reading. Older toddlers will enjoy having this story in a format they can browse independently. © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
First in a series, Curato's debut introduces a tiny polka-dotted elephant who lives in a Hopperesque 1940s Manhattan. Elliot is so small that he cowers on the subway platform so as not to be stepped on, and while he's literally the elephant in the room (or on the sidewalk), his fellow seen-it-all New Yorkers give him nary a notice wherever he goes. Despite the annoyances and hazards of the city, Elliot soldiers on like so many others in the Big Apple, savoring "small treasures." His life opens up unexpectedly and dramatically when he meets a white mouse, "someone even littler than himself." Together, they make a great team, especially when it comes to facilitating the purchase of Elliot's favorite treasure, cupcakes. Curato's writing is a tad literal and makes Elliot seem a bit more pathetic than his images convey. But he's a terrific emerging talent, with gorgeously rendered images that bring to mind the moodiness of Chris Van Allsburg and the sweetness of William Joyce. Ages 4-8. Agent: Brenda Bowen, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
