Elmer and the Flood

September 1, 2015

PreS-Gr 1-Elmer, the patchwork elephant, returns for another installment in McKee's popular series. In his latest adventure, a rainstorm has caused Elmer and his herd to be cooped up in a cave for several days. Elmer, growing tired of hearing nothing but "complaints and bad jokes" about the weather from his herd, decides to take a walk in the rain to look for "some peace and quiet." On his walk, he discovers the rain has triggered flooding, which has led to an elephant named Young being trapped on a patch of land now surrounded by water. Elmer uses some clever thinking to rescue Young with help from his herd and the other animals in the jungle but soon finds himself stuck alone on the island instead. However, in a surprise ending, Elmer happily decides to remain on the island until the water subsides in a few days so he can at last get his peace and quiet. Elmer is a likable protagonist, who's resourceful enough to help his friends when they are in trouble and confident enough to stand apart from the herd. McKee's illustrations remain constant and comparable to other entries in the series, and the design of Elmer continues to be cheery, vibrant, and appealing. The humorous conclusion rings true and will be appreciated by those children who value the occasional alone time. VERDICT Another winning entry from the series.-Laura J. Giunta, Garden City Public Library, NY

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