When Your Elephant Has the Sniffles

June 19, 2017
In a board book that reads like a picture book, an unseen narrator offers advice for caring for an under-the-weather elephant. Wiseman’s chunky cartoons introduce an unhappy-looking gray-blue elephant and the brown-skinned girl who tucks him into bed, brings him “lots of liquids,” and tries to keep him entertained. Hill’s cautionary text lets children imagine themselves as caregivers, and the ending—in which the girl winds up sick—will feel awfully familiar to adults who have watched the sniffles work their way through their own homes. Simultaneously available: When Your Lion Needs a Bath. Ages 2–4. Author’s agent: Liza Voges, Eden Street Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Teresa Kietlinski, Bookmark Literary.

A child finds out an elephant with the sniffles is a lot of work--and can be contagious to boot!A brown-skinned child with two cute buns atop her head works very hard to stop her elephant's sniffles from turning into a sneeze in this lighthearted account. She puts him to bed, sweeps away any allergens, and even brings him a toy to cuddle up with. She soon learns, though, that an elephant in bed can get bored, and what a lot of distracting he'll need. In the end, and despite all her efforts, the elephant sneezes. "Oh dear. When your elephant has the sniffles, you just might end up with them too!" The companion volume, When Your Lion Needs a Bath, follows an olive-skinned child attempting to bathe a smelly lion. Sneakiness and an understanding of the lion's disposition are the main ingredients in this equally lighthearted account. Simple, cartoonlike illustrations against mostly white backgrounds keep the focus on the main characters. The books hit just the right note for children in this age group, who are newly developing empathy and an understanding of others. Together with its companion, two humorous explorations of what it means to take care of a friend. (Board book. 2-4)

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