Special Delivery

December 22, 2014
Stead (Sebastian and the Balloon) channels some Russell Hoban–style loopiness with this story about Sadie, a girl attempting to ship an elephant to her Great-Aunt Josephine, “who lives almost completely alone and could really use the company.” When postal employee Jim shows Sadie how many stamps this would require—a wheelbarrowful—Sadie swipes a handy biplane and stuffs her elephant into the passenger seat. A crash follows, and an alligator comes to the rescue, after which Sadie and her elephant join a band of monkey train robbers, and complete their trip via ice-cream truck. Cordell’s (Rooting for You) loose pen, ink, and watercolor drawings, festooned with cheerful hand-lettered words (the phrase “chugga chugga beans beans” is especially likely to become a household mantra), strike precisely the right note of genteel wackiness. It isn’t easy to sustain and control a story that unfolds with the speed and unpredictability that this one does, but Stead and Cordell—like Sadie herself—deliver the goods. Ages 3–7. Author’s agent: Emily Van Beek, Folio Literary Management. Illustrator’s agent: Rosemary Stimola, Stimola Literary Studio.

Starred review from December 1, 2014
Nothing will deter Sadie from her mission of transporting an elephant to her beloved Great-Aunt Josephine, who "lives almost completely alone and could really use the company."When the postmaster brings out a wheelbarrow full of stamps and a calculator, however, the carrot-topped heroine realizes she will need to find an alternative to mailing the pachyderm. She borrows a conveniently located biplane. Insiders will recognize this plane (inverted on the book jacket as it was on the most famous misprint in philatelic history); those who don't know the reference will just laugh at an upside-down airplane with a goggle-wearing elephant. After it crashes in a river, Sadie boards, in succession, an alligator, freight train (commandeered by bean-eating masked monkeys) and an ice cream truck. When readers finally meet the aunt, it becomes clear that she has been the recipient of many similar presents. Stead's fans will recognize the unique blend of quirky logic and compassion that drives his persistent wayfarers. Cordell's carefree lines and dappled watercolors draw viewers in with bold action and tiny touches of humor. Portions of text are treated graphically, and it is likely that "chugga chugga chugga BEANS BEANS BEANS" will linger in children's lexicons. Stamps do get their moment-in the conclusion and on the seek-and-find case beneath the dust jacket. Animal lovers and stamp collectors, especially but not exclusively, will be enthralled. (Picture book. 4-7)

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December 1, 2014

PreS-Gr 2-How exactly does one deliver an elephant to a dear aunt "who lives almost completely alone and could really use the company"? Spunky young Sadie plans to send the pachyderm through the mail, but the wheelbarrow full of stamps required for the transaction makes her realize she needs another game plan. Undaunted, Sadie and the elephant travel by biplane, train, alligator and ice-cream truck to get to Great-Aunt Josephine, who as it turns out, doesn't really live almost completely alone thanks to Sadie. Watercolor and ink illustrations have a scratchy cartoonish quality reminiscent of James Stevenson that infuses the story with energy. From the "uh, oh" speech bubble hovering over the sputtering plane as Sadie realizes she's running out of gas to a train full of monkey bandits chowing down on bananas and canned beans, these two-page spreads are a comic delight, resulting in an engaging blend of perfectly paced adventure and visual humor. Add in a liberal use of exaggerated sound effects, and the outcome is a read-aloud winner sure to deliver laughs to young readers.-Teri Markson, Los Angeles Public Library

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2015
Preschool-G Shipping a live elephant to a lonely aunt is no easy task. The postman says Sadie will need a wheelbarrow of stamps; the pilot says she will need more fuel for the plane. Undaunted, Sadie cruises off in the two-seater biplane, with the elephant in the rumble seat. Crashing in the river, her transport switches to a towing alligator, and then a passing train commandeered by bandito monkeys in full regalia. Egad! Can the ice cream truck get them there? Elephant's alarmed expression changes from confusion to bedraggled despair, as each new crisis causes terror and dismay in the patient pachyderm. When they arrive at their destination, Sadie's Great-Aunt Josephine greets the pair with glee, inviting them to join the rest of her menagerie: a giraffe, a mouse, a lion, a gorilla, a horse, a bat, a camel, a snake, and so on. The lively illustrations incorporate humorous line drawings reminiscent of Quentin Blake: colorful, expressive, detailed, and quirky. The creative text style is sometimes presented in sputtering smoke, chugging steam, or bold caps. Hot chocolate for all!(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)