Ella Takes The Cake
Kindergarten-Grade 2–The star ofElla the Elegant Elephant(Scholastic, 2004) returns for another adventure. Here, she wants to help in the bakery, but her mother thinks she is too little to do anything but sweep. Finally she is allowed to deliver a cake in her wooden wagon. She meets with many obstacles on her way, including bossy Belinda and a steep incline. When Ella successfully delivers the cake, she proves to herself and to her mother that she can be responsible. As in the first book, the D'Amicos create a sunny Mediterranean Elephant Island with bright pastels and colored pencil. The characters, though drawn with scant lines, have personality and charm. The story bogs down a little with dull dialogue near the beginning but picks up as the resourceful young elephant nears her goal. Fans of Elegant Ella will welcome this new tale; for others, it is a secondary purchase.–Donna Cardon, Provo City Library, UTCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.