A Parade of Elephants

June 18, 2018
“Look! Elephants!” Henkes announces. And here they come, five in all: blue, yellow, purple, green, with a little pink one bringing up the rear. These elephants aren’t up to any hijinks or even peanut-eating—they do one thing: march. For much of the book, Henkes arranges the elephants’ simple shapes (they have few details beyond expressive eyes and a dash of texturing) into lines of action that demonstrate concepts, from counting to spatial ideas (up, down, in, out) and wordplay: “Big and round and round they are. Big and round and round they go.” The characters may be single-minded, but there’s a sense of energy on every page, leading up to the final spreads, which show the elephants “scattering stars across the sky” via collective bedtime trumpet. With clear, bold type sized for puzzling out letters, this spare offering will appeal to preschoolers who, like the elephants, are settling down into starry sleep. Ages 4–8.

Starred review from August 1, 2018

PreS-K-Caldecott winner and fan favorite Henkes is back with a delightful new picture book. "Hooray! The elephants are here." A parade of five round elephants. They march and march all day. They march up and down, in and out, over and under, all around town, and they don't stop until the day is through. But before their day is done, they have one last thing to do: they lift their trunks and scatter a blanket of stars across the night sky. The elephants are ready for bed, and so are viewers. Henkes's images are just as integral as the spare text. Done in a light, pastel palette, the five whimsical and expressive elephants speak for themselves as they march from page to page. Repetition of words and phrases in large, bold font make this a wonderful choice for new readers, but the story is simple enough for the younger set. VERDICT A must-purchase for all libraries. Recommended to be shared with a group or read one-on-one at bedtime.-Elizabeth Blake, Brooklyn Public Library

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2018
Preschool-K Look! Elephants! With that simple direction, Henkes captures the youngest storytime audience members, focuses their attention, and proceeds to take them on a charm-filled adventure. As just one element of the masterful book design, the first spread includes counting and graphing as it introduces the elephant group. Simple repetitive text describes the elephants' activities, demonstrating a variety of prepositions. All of that marching tires out the elephants, who then stretch and yawn as they prepare to sleep. A play on words leads readers to investigate multiple meanings of parade and trumpet. An unexpected touch of magic at the end brings the tale to a satisfying conclusion. Although the color palette is similar to the one he used in Egg (2017), this time Henkes uses denser, more saturated gouache, perhaps to give the elephants a bit more heft. With little more than well-placed dots and lines, Henkes conveys the elephants' emotions and sense of accomplishment as the day turns to night. Well-executed and appealing, this book is a useful addition to preschool collections. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Henkes is a household name, and that's enough to boost demand for his latest.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2019
Five sturdy elephants are rendered in a pastel color with a thick brown outline: the blue elephant first, then yellow, violet, green, and, finally, a smaller pink one. Bold panel arrangements portray the group steadfastly marching until bedtime. Henkes addresses the concepts of counting, colors, and prepositions while once again displaying his understanding of preschoolers: hungry for new information but also needing a framework of solidity and comfort.

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)