Elmer and Wilbur

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Elmer loves practical jokes, but so does his cousin Wilbur. Until, that is, Elmer has an idea which brings Wilbur back down to earth, in more ways than one...

Reviews provided by Syndetics

School Library Journal Review

PreS-Gr 1-Elmer, a patchwork elephant, is waiting for his cousin to visit. He and the other pachyderms decide to look for the tardy Wilbur. Their search turns into a game of hide-and-seek because Wilbur, a ventriloquist, keeps throwing his voice in the direction of a tiger, a pond, and some rabbits. Just when the seekers are ready to pack it in and go home, the checkerboard-patterned Wilbur is found stuck in a tree. Elmer and friends help get him down, but how he got up there remains a mystery. McKee's colorful illustrations are jolly and rambunctious, but the story is thin. If Wilbur is stuck, why does he mislead his would-be rescuers for so long? And how did he get up that tree, anyway? To young listeners, who will be charmed by the childlike antics of these amiable animated animals, the answers to these questions are probably irrelevant, and they will enjoy looking at the pictures more than once.-Anna DeWind, Milwaukee Public Library (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Booklist Review

Ages 2^-4. Elmer, a lavishly hued, patchwork elephant, sets out with his herd in search of his cousin Wilbur. But Wilbur is not easy to find; a ventriloquist and a jokester, the black-and-white^-checked pachyderm leads his cousin on a wild-goose chase. Their expressive eyes and smiling mouths reveal that Elmer and the other elephants enjoy Wilbur's game of hide-and-seek . . . until they grow hungry. When they threaten to return home without him, Wilbur discloses his predicament--he's stuck in a tree. After Elmer and the herd help Wilbur from his perch, youngsters will have fun speculating about how he got up there in the first place. Children will also relish the stylized jungle vegetation awash in vibrant colors that will project in story hours or please during one-on-one sharing. --Ellen Mandel

Horn Book Review

In Elmer the patchwork elephant's eighth adventure, his cousin Wilbur uses ventriloquism to tease him and his gray friends as they search for him. The shaded, cartoon-style elephants' eyes and postures are quite expressive. Almost lighter-than-air, they romp through a jungle of amazing colors in a simple story that is gently humorous and intriguing. From HORN BOOK 1996, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.