The Elephant in the Sukkah

October 1, 2019

PreS-Gr 1-This inventive Sukkot story uses the unexpected addition of an elephant to underscore the idea that all are welcome. Henry is a singing circus elephant who loves his job, but he ages and is sent to an old elephant home. He continues to sing, but no one appreciates him. One day he discovers the Brenner family singing in their sukkah. Returning the next night, he sings along, prompting one of the boys to explain Sukkot and invite him in. However, he does not fit. Ultimately, the Brenners make him into a wall of the sukkah, and he joins their celebration, realizing that the sukkah is "a place to be together." The following year, he builds a larger sukkah and he and the Brenners sing while the other elephants hum along. The text is concise and accessible, ideal for read-alouds. The explanation of the holiday will not be enough for the uninitiated but is integrated smoothly into the narrative. The cartoonish illustrations, reminiscent of Laura Huliska-Beith's work, depict Henry with eyeglasses, a shirt, and a hat, walking on his hind legs. The artwork is full color and mostly full-bleed, with a bold palette. Henry's unsuccessful attempts to squeeze into the sukkah are portrayed in a series of laughter-inducing spot illustrations. VERDICT While this picture book won't work as an introduction to Sukkot for newbies, Jewish libraries and public libraries will find it a welcome addition to holiday shelves.-Amy Lilien-Harper, Wilton Library, CT

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2019
When the Brenners invite a retired circus elephant to join them in their sukkah, adjustments are creatively made to accommodate his large size in their small ceremonial hut. Lonely and bored in his new home, a farm for old elephants, Henry misses the singing and music from his old act. One day he wanders away, comes across the singing of a family gathered in their sukkah for the holiday of Sukkot, and eventually meets young Ori Brenner, who invites him to join the family. As Henry is much too large to fit, the family removes one of the walls of the hut to allow Henry to stand just within, acting as the third wall. Basing her story on an obscure argument in the Talmud that actually states that sukkah walls can be made from anything natural and sturdy, even an elephant, Mandell turns this preposterous example into a story of altruism--albeit a very silly one. Amiable illustrations of a bespectacled, anthropomorphic elephant next to the diminutive members of the Jewish family (all presenting white, with kippot perched on the heads of all the males, including a cat and a dog) add to this lighthearted commemoration of the fall harvest celebration. Though it may seem anything but, the traditional message of welcoming guests in holiday observance still holds. (author's note) (Picture book. 4-6)

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