A mixed bag of story and information books that take a younger child's point of view is reviewed by Alison Boyle Elmer and Rose
A mixed bag of story and information books that take a younger child's point of view is reviewed by Alison Boyle
Elmer and Rose
by David McKee
(Anderson, 9.99)
The usual dry, understated humour is here in this new story about the patchwork elephant Elmer. Because all her herd is pink, an elephant called Rose thinks it strange when she encounters Elmer and his family, who are all coloured and patterned uniquely. And she finds it stranger still when together they encounter a plain grey elephant on the way back to her herd.
The denouement is cleverly portrayed through pictures: on the final spread of the book we see what it would be like if there was a herd of elephants all patterned like Elmer - it's a mesmerising treat for the eyes. Children will probably want to pick Elmer out from the patchwork extravaganza that bursts from the page.
