Merry Christmas, Little Elliot

September 1, 2018
Little Elliot, the white, polka-dot elephant, visits Santa at a New York department store with his friend Mouse.He is looking for the Christmas spirit, but Santa tells him he'll have to find that himself. Elliot and Mouse search at the ballet, Rockefeller Center, and while sledding--having fun but not finding the Christmas spirit. The story of the two friends is prefaced by wordless illustrations on the front endpapers and title page in which a little girl, bundled against the cold, tries to post a letter only to have it ripped out of her hands by the wind. The two stories come together when the red envelope addressed to Santa lands on Elliot's forehead. He and Mouse read the letter, grab a cab, and arrive at a house with a red door, where Noelle, the girl who wrote the letter, invites them in, thus fulfilling both her and Elliot's Christmas wishes. Not-a-word-out-of-place storytelling is enhanced by soft-focus illustrations done in pencil and colored digitally, which perfectly capture the characters' expressions. The city setting seems to be post-World War II, with an old-fashioned look that could easily appeal to grandparents looking for a heartwarming holiday book to share. Young children will have fun trying to spot little Mouse throughout. Curato populates the pages with an eye to diversity, including people of color and a child who uses a wheelchair; Noelle appears to be Asian.A treat for fans of the Little Elliot series. (Picture book. 3-7)

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September 24, 2018
Little Elliot, the white and pastel-polka-dotted elephant, is regretfully lacking Christmas spirit. With friend Mouse, Elliot looks for inspiration from the department store Santa, at a production of The Nutcracker, in the tree in Rockefeller Center, and sledding in Central Park. When Elliot discovers a lost letter from a child to Santa, he and Mouse take a yellow cab out of the city and to a quiet country house, where they deliver themselves in response to the girl’s modest request: “Dear Santa, for Christmas I would like some good friends.” With elegant scenes that seem lifted from a bygone New York City, Curato again enhances a quiet story about friendship and belonging. Ages 4–8.

October 1, 2018

PreS-Gr 1-Little Elliot, a polka-dotted elephant, can't relax and enjoy the holidays. His buddy Mouse hopes for a toy train for Christmas, but earnest Little Elliot just wants the Christmas spirit. The department store Santa tells him that he must find that himself, so the pint-size pachyderm and his pal participate in a host of holiday activities. Nothing works until Little Elliot discovers a missive intended for Santa that's gone astray. Elliot and Mouse decide to make the letter writer's Christmas wishes a reality, delivering what she asked for: good friends. Little Elliot is a gentle soul who's often overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of New York City, and this quiet adventure will resonate with thoughtful, sensitive readers. As in previous installments, Curato revels in the vintage Manhattan setting, with lavish paintings of the tree at Rockefeller Center, a sled ride in Central Park, and a production of The Nutcracker. His stiff, waxy depictions of people aren't nearly as successful, but Mouse and Little Elliot are so adorable that readers may not even notice. VERDICT A lovely addition to holiday collections, especially where Little Elliot is popular.-Mahnaz Dar, School Library Journal

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