Elephant on My Roof
PreSchool-Grade 1—Lani turns to the people in his village to help get an elephant off his roof after he realizes that he cannot do it alone. At first everyone refuses, but the youngster convinces them to lend a hand. Once down, he and the elephant reciprocate by assisting the fisherman, some children, and an old woman with their problems. The villagers then throw a surprise party for their new friend to say thanks. Coming full circle, the narrative ends with Lani and the elephant back on the roof. The story has the look and feel of a folktale, and the softly colored watercolors suggest an Asian setting. Harris offers a positive message concerning helping one another, but Heather Forest'sThe Little Red Hen(August House) and Jerry Pinkney'sThe Little Red Hen(Dial, both 2006) are better choices for reading aloud. An additional purchase for larger collections.—Marilyn Ackerman, Brooklyn Public Library, NYCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.