Little Elephant's Blocked Trunk

October 1, 2014

K-Gr 3-The British "Urgency Emergency" series is back and the gang is all here-the penguin paramedics, chicken nurse Percy, and the indomitable canine doctor Glenda. This visit to City Hospital has Little Elephant arriving with his trunk blocked and in danger of bursting. Terrified Little Elephant can only cry when asked what is up his trunk-an X-ray reveals the blockage and the adults are shocked at what they find. "'I put the ping-pong ball up first, ' said Little Elephant, 'just to see what would happen. When it wouldn't come out, I tried to get it out with the pencil, and when that got stuck, I tried the ruler, but that got stuck too.'" As for the toy truck-"'I just wondered if it would fit.'" Luckily Doctor Glenda can make everything better with the Obstruction Suction Machine (yes, it does look like a vacuum cleaner.) Little Elephant gets his favorite toy truck back after a good washing, along with an admonition never to put things in his trunk again. As in the previous titles, there is plenty of sly humor in the text. And Archer's cartoon illustrations are similar to his other books in the series, with black outlined characters in appropriate colors with excellent expressions and just enough details. The text is a bit challenging for beginning readers, but it imparts an important message in a nonthreatening manner. Buy where the other titles are popular and as need dictates.-Catherine Callegari, Gay-Kimball Library, Troy, NH

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