Strictly No Elephants

Having a tiny elephant for a pet sounds idyllic, but a boy discovers that the local Pet Club doesn't allow them; a stern girl points at a "Strictly No Elephants" sign. Heading home in the rain, the boy and his elephant spot a girl with her skunk. "They don't want us to play with them either," she says. Joined by other owners of unexpected pets--giraffes, armadillos, even a small narwhal in a bowl--they make their own club with its own sign: "All Are Welcome." In her first picture book, Mantchev (Ticker) examines true friendship, sprinkling observations about the behavior of boy and elephant throughout ("He doesn't like the cracks in the sidewalk much. I always go back and help him over") and punctuating them with the refrain, "Because that's what friends do." Yoo's (Hands Say Love) linoleum block prints of brick buildings and quiet sidewalks have the softness and warmth of a favorite blanket. It's a message book about exclusion with an oh-so-gentle lead-in for discussion. Ages 4-8. Author's agent: Laura Rennert, Andrea Brown Literary Agency. Illustrator's agent: Holly McGhee, Pippin Properties. (Oct.)

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