Through the Elephant's Door

February 4, 2019
De Blois writes about being an ally to a friend who’s different, with a crime-stopping plot twist thrown in as a bonus. The narrator brings his elephant pal Émile to the art museum, where earnest Émile’s big ears and huge rear end come in for constant harassment. A guard lectures in every gallery, but the ceramics room is the worst: “Him with the—with the—behind... that’s as big as a mountain!” The narrator’s stumped for a reply (“What could anybody say to such an insult?”), and Émile is reduced to tears. Moments later, the elephant’s quick action foils a theft in progress, much to the huffy guard’s chagrin. In Watson’s natural-sounding translation, the narrator shares his own frustration (“I clenched my fists”) and makes Émile’s point of view easy to understand (“Émile doesn’t like to talk about his ears”). Including an elephant protagonist keeps the proceedings funny rather than preachy, and saturated cartoonlike artwork by Cormier makes sweet comedy of Émile’s abashed looks. Not every friend will be able to stop a crime, but de Blois makes it clear that differences can be gifts. Ages 6–8.

July 19, 2019

K-Gr 2-This imaginative story combines scientific information about elephants, art appreciation, and a heist to create an unusual but effective exploration of prejudice. A boy and his friend Emile the elephant are looking for something fun to do on a rainy day. They decide to visit a local museum. Upon arrival, however, they realize that Emile will not fit through the entrance and will have to use the delivery door. Already feeling somewhat out of place, Emile's experience is not improved when a nervous guard follows the friends closely throughout the exhibits. The guard insults Emile's size and rudely describes parts of Emile's body, such as his "windmill ears" and his "behind that's as big as a mountain." The boy and Emile try to fully experience and appreciate the paintings, vases, plates, and figurines, but the guard's behavior is an unwelcome distraction. The narrative shifts when the lights go out. When Emile thwarts would-be robbers, the guard changes his mind about who belongs in a museum. The book is well designed and the artwork invites close inspection. In the end, the museum leaders are so grateful to Emile that the delivery entrance gets a new sign. VERDICT Translated from the French, this quirky book humorously demonstrates the danger in judging others by their outward appearances.-Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's School, Richmond, VA

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 15, 2019
Will the officious, sneering guard at the art museum eventually banish a boy and his elephant friend, Émile?As soon as the boy and his pachyderm pal enter the museum, the guard greets them with, "Not so fast, sweetie pie!" After grilling them on the rules, he follows the pair through gallery after gallery, constantly bullying and berating the sensitive elephant. The bespectacled, large-headed boy narrator exhibits behavior that will resonate with readers. Each time the guard insults Émile, the boy is politely acquiescent. After the guard has left the room, the boy lists all the rebuttals he wishes he had made. (Cleverly, these include interesting facts about elephants' ears and trunks.) The underlying, serious message is well-balanced by the humorous premise and continued humor in art and text. There is also a fundamental introduction to art appreciation. Young readers will particularly enjoy the semidark pages in which two criminals think Émile is an exhibit. One sentence of narration feels a bit off: The boy asserts that the guard should know he and Émile will be careful, since they are not "gorillas." It's more of the text's absurdity, to be sure, but it may subvert the message. All characters (except the blue-gray elephant) present as white. The text and illustrations have the air of a sophisticated picture book; the trim makes it look like a novel.This quirky French-Canadian import stands out--rather like an elephant at an art museum. (Fiction. 6-8)

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