Ella, Of Course!
PreS—Ella is an enterprising pig. When an aunt's earring falls down the drain, she retrieves it with a high-heeled shoe and a wad of bubblegum. She comes to the rescue with a spaghetti strainer and curtain rod when her brother's frog escapes into a pool. Then, the porker receives a wonderful umbrella as a birthday present that she "love-love-loved." She takes it with her everywhere she goes, causing problems instead of solving them. Cushman's rounded acrylic paintings depict the chaos of an unfettered umbrella until the object is banned from Ella's dance recital. Like Kevin Henkes'sOwen(HarperCollins, 1993), Ella knows sheneedsher umbrella to give her courage and, like Owen, the resourceful pig comes up with a perfect solution. A reassuring tale for the youngest of listeners, who are often tied to precious objects of their own.—Kathleen Whalin, York Public Library, MECopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.