Elephants Can't Jump!

December 15, 2014
The old adage that if you dream it, you can do it gets (rightfully) turned on its head in this sweet concoction. Monkey can jump. Lion can jump. Even Giraffe can jump, so why can't Elephant? The grown-up elephants' answers sound pretty vague ("It's just the way we're made"; "Something to do with our knees"), so young Elephant sets out to prove them wrong. After each failed attempt Elephant is teased by the animals that can jump and eventually gives up and gorges himself instead. Seeking a good sulking place, he discovers a boy stranded on a ledge and in need of rescue. The other animals attempt to use their jumping skills to save him but instead only worsen the situation. It's Elephant, who now discovers his own true talent, who saves the day. Willis' text balances out the nicely sardonic world of adults with the in-your-face optimism of kids. At no point does Elephant ever jump, and so the message of accepting what can and cannot be changed remains strong. Elephant's turn to food as a comfort for his failures seems rather adult and out of place. But Reynolds' choice to keep Elephant from visibly reacting to each failure endows the main character with a deadpan humor that should appeal to preschoolers. Elephant may fail spectacularly, but this is a success story through and through. (Picture book. 3-6)

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January 1, 2015

PreS-Gr 1-Elephant wants to know why he can't jump like Lion, Monkey, and Giraffe, but his family's terse explanations don't convince him to stop trying. Time and again, he thinks up a new strategy, but his attempts always fail, much to the amusement of his friends. Finally frustrated by his fruitless efforts and his friends' laughter, Elephant goes off to sulk and discovers a boy who is stuck on the ledge of a cliff. The child implores him to "'Jump down and save me!'" but of course, elephants can't jump. So Monkey tries, Lion tries, and Giraffe tries to jump down to help, but they all end up stuck on the rock below with the boy. Elephant realizes what needs to be done and musters all his strength to rescue his friends and the boy with his long, strong trunk. Reynolds's digital, cartoon animals exude a playfulness and innocence that perfectly complement Willis's winsome story, while the alternating use of close-ups and landscapes creates a sense of intimacy in spite of the expanse of the wilderness setting. Pair this with Giles Andreae's Giraffes Can't Dance (Orchard, 2001) and Richard Byrne's Penguins Can't Fly (Barron's, 2013) for a storytime on attribute appreciation.-Lynn Van Auken, Oak Bluffs School, Oak Bluffs, MA

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