Can One Balloon Make an Elephant Fly?

June 6, 2016
Evan and his mother are at the zoo, and they have bunches of colorful balloons. When Evan asks the question of the title and some follow-ups, she’s busy typing on her smartphone. Once she realizes that he is talking about a small toy, not the actual elephant in front of them, her expression softens. “One balloon is definitely enough to make an elephant fly,” she assures him. They continue through the zoo, debating how many balloons might make various toy animals fly; meanwhile, Evan is busy giving balloons to the real animals. Newman’s (Phoebe and Digger) heavy charcoal shading and primary color palette recall ’60s-era picture books, and the zoo has a retro feel, too. “Aren’t they amazing?” asks Evan’s mother, hugging him after she sets the toys aloft. “Yeah. Amazing,” he replies, seeing what she doesn’t: the real animals are floating away, too. Writing entirely in dialogue, Richards (The Problem with Not Being Scared of Monsters) suggests that a quiet, everyday magic is all around, just waiting for us to notice. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Ammi-Joan Paquette, Erin Murphy Literary.

June 1, 2016
It's a mom-and-son trip to the zoo, but mom's preoccupation with her cellphone makes for a lonely time until being present becomes a priority--and then magic occurs.It all begins with the titular question: "Can one balloon make an elephant fly?" Mom, never looking up from her phone, answers in the negative. Her son continues his line of questioning, with unchanging results. Dejected, he sadly slumps down. When his mother finally looks up, she understands and fully engages. Together as they walk, they tie balloons to test his theories, hers to animal miniatures, his to live animals. When they reach the path's end, she releases the toys and offers a celebratory hug, while the live animals also slowly rise across the city. Simple, stylized charcoal illustrations are deftly executed, and Newman cleverly uses repetition to highlight the characters' emotional journeys. The oft-used map of the zoo shows the black mother and son on various stages of the path in expressive poses. Unfortunately, narrative clarity is sometimes hampered due to the stylization of the drawings. There's also more of a grittiness or heaviness to the drawings than in Newman's previous works. Those quibbles aside, this is one of the first books to so accurately portray what parental cellphone use may look like to a child and how it can affect parent/child relationships. A sweet story about connectedness and a willingness to believe in these modern times. (Picture book. 4-7)

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July 1, 2016

PreS-Gr 2-Balloons and a trip to the zoo spark a young boy's imagination and remind his mother to listen and pay attention to nurturing that spark. Evan and his mom are in a wonderful place, full of learning and fun. Mom is paying more attention to her smartphone than to her son. When she looks, listens, and sees that Evan needs her attention, she realizes that she must follow him on his journey of discovery about the world around him. Pretty soon, elephants and more are flying all around. This book is a delight on so many levels. All children have asked incessant questions, to the irritation and chagrin of the adults around them. Readers and listeners will relate. This selection also depicts the parent-child dynamic as a black mother and child engage in a universal experience. The illustrations are beautiful and seem almost to spring from the page. The text is framed in comic strip style balloons, and it flows well. There are several pages without words, making this title a good tool for teaching sequencing and making predictions. This is an easy and fun read-aloud that serves to teach many lessons about paying attention and letting our imagination take us where it will. VERDICT A timeless book with a contemporary feel that will satisfy readers and listeners. A solid purchase for most libraries.-Shannan Hicks, J.S. Clark Elementary School, LA

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