Little Elliot, Fall Friends

Starred review from July 17, 2017
In this charming fourth outing for Curato’s polka-dotted elephant Little Elliot and his friend Mouse, the companions take a needed break from the noise and chaos of their 1940s-esque Manhattan, hopping a bus for the countryside. After arriving at an idyllic farm, the two eat apples, soak up the autumn colors, and play hide-and-seek. Elliot’s hiding place in the cornfield is a little too effective, but Mouse’s ingenuity and pie-making skills reunite the friends—and result in a “fall feast” with some new barnyard pals. Curato’s lush illustrations revel in the calm of rural expanses (“The country is even bigger than the city!” Elliot exclaims), creating a sense of palpable relief as the friends relax. Never underestimate the power of a getaway to rejuvenate one’s spirits and friendships. Ages 4–8. Agent: Brenda Bowen, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates.

June 15, 2017
Little Elliot (a small, white pachyderm with pastel polka dots) and his bestie, Mouse, need a respite from the big city's grating sounds, slightly sickening smells, and frenetic pace. The fourth in Curato's Little Elliot series opens in an unnamed but recognizable New York City (again realized in sepia tones and 1940s fashions) but quickly follows the two companions into the rolling hills of the country. While young readers will enjoy tracking the friends' bucolic autumnal escape (lolling under apple boughs, frolicking in leaf piles, crawling through logs, hiding in pumpkin patches), they might miss the pre-World War II period details of Little Elliot's earlier urban adventures, those grainy snapshots from another era in felted browns. Indeed, all appears golden, barn red, and mossy green in the smooth, digitally colored farmland. When Little Elliot finds himself alone in a cornfield at nightfall, a double-page spread of spreading dusky darkness effectively breaks up the crisp clarity of the sunny country narrative with palpable fear. "He waited and waited, but Mouse never came." Anxiety is banished when the whiff of apple pie tickles Little Elliot's trunk and leads him to the waiting arms of Mouse and new barnyard friends--and a sweet feast! A yummy, happy resolution--perfectly delectable to the preschool crowd. (Picture book. 3-6)

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September 1, 2017

PreS-Gr 1-Little Elliot, the tiny, polka-dotted elephant of Little Elliot, Big City and Little Elliot, Big Family, and his friend Mouse need a break from the hustle and bustle of New York City. So it's off to the country to take in the autumnal foliage. Little Elliot panics when Mouse fails to find him during a game of hide-and-go-seek, but the pachyderm smells something sweet and heads to a farmhouse. There, he finds a pie, which Mouse and some new pals baked to lure him out, and the tale ends with a fall feast and a cozy night beneath the stars. Making excellent use of light and shadow, the painterly illustrations are sumptuous, dominated by oranges, reds, and golds. Curato brings to life the fall countryside just as effectively as he does the urban setting. However, compared with other "Little Elliot" installments, which offer rich explorations of friendship and bravery, the plot is a little unfocused. The drama around Elliot being unable to locate Mouse comes relatively late in the game and is resolved fast, and the titular "fall friends" seem to arrive out of nowhere (Mouse meets them off-page). Still, Elliot is a winsome protagonist, and the charming visuals will entice children. The gentle prose makes this book suitable for a quiet storytime or a soothing bedtime read. VERDICT Recommended as an additional purchase or for collections where Little Elliot fans abound.-Mahnaz Dar, School Library Journal

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