A Mammoth in the Fridge

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

A hilarious story with a surprise twist at the end. Noah discovers a mammoth in the fridge. At first, his father doesn't believe him - but the evidence is too strong. It's sitting in the fridge! They call the fire department, but the mammoth slips past their net and hides in a tree. But where did the mammoth come from? Only Noah's little sister knows the true answer...

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Publishers Weekly Review

French writer Escoffier imagines what happens when a family discovers an Ice Age mammal hunched in their refrigerator. Maudet's illustrations, done in the style of flat, four-color illustrations from 1960s-era picture books, show the mammoth as it bolts from the fridge, escapes a squad of firefighters, and leaps nimbly to the top of a nearby tree. "We could be here till fall," a firefighter says, disgruntled, and leaves with his crew. "It's not our problem," the father pronounces, leading the family home. The story's conclusion answers some questions ("Whose mammoth is it?"), but is coquettish about others ("How did it get there?"). Spoiler alert: the mammoth belongs to Elsa, the family's small daughter, who sneaks out to rescue it after dark. Four delightful spreads show tiny Elsa holding out a bunch of carrots to lure the huge, shame-faced mammoth up the stairs and back into her room. Another nice touch: she calls it "Kitty." A third: rereading reveals that Elsa's expressions, which register as fear of the mammoth the first time around, are actually consternation about the fate of her pet. Ages 3-up. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

School Library Journal Review

K-Gr 1-"Dad! Dad! There's a mammoth in the fridge!" "Don't be silly, Noah. Come and eat your fries." So begins this fast-paced tale, and indeed there is a mammoth in the refrigerator. What to do? Mom calls the fire department, which arrives intent on snaring the creature, but it bolts from the apartment, dashes through the streets, and ends up atop a tree. After waiting and waiting for it to come down, firemen and family leave, and night descends. Simply illustrated in bold blues, reds, and mustard, and faintly evocative of Mo Willems's work, this picture book will please young readers simply by the absurdity of its premise, and the surprise ending will delight.-Carol Connor, Cincinnati Public Schools, OH (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Horn Book Review

A family discovers a mammoth in their fridge; they call the fire department and a chaotic chase ensues. In a satisfying twist, the escaped beast turns out to be (just one) of little Elsa's secret pets ("I'm warning you...you'll get us all in trouble"). The humorous, spare sketches are washed in a refined palette of teal, goldenrod, and pops of red. (c) Copyright 2014. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Kirkus Book Review

How did that mammoth get in there? And how to get rid of it? Young Noah opens the refrigerator, and..."There's a mammoth in the fridge!" he cries. The family, sitting calmly at the dinner table, is understandably skeptical. "Come and eat your fries," Dad calls back. But when he sees the mammoth jammed in tightly, he slams the door and tells Mom to call the fire department. A sturdy red truck speeds through the streets: "Wheee-ooo! Wheee-ooo!" One fireman carries a butterfly net, and the other two hold a big square net, grimly. When the first fireman opens the door, the mammoth escapes, leaving them all tangled in the big net. The mammoth hits the street and, pursued by a small crowd, climbs a tall leafy tree, remaining there long enough for everyone to get tired and leave. "Come on. It's not our problem," says Noah's father. Night falls; the mammoth hears "Here, kitty, kitty" and is enticed to come down by a cute little girl named Elsa brandishing a bunch of carrots. She lures him home to her room, where he goes to sleep on the rug...right next to the unicorn, sea monster and dinosaur. With minimal lines, abundant white space and a retro palette, each of Maudet's illustrations suggests a stand-alone cartoon, nicely in tune with Escoffier's deadpan drollery. This sublime absurdity should please adult readers as much as very young listeners. (Picture book. 3-5)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.