| 9780399166846 |
| 039916684X |
Available:*
Library | Material Type | Call Number | Shelf Location | Status | Item Holds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Searching... East Library | Children's Book | BAJA | Children's-J-Easy | Searching... Unknown | Searching... Unavailable |
Searching... High Prairie Library | Children's Book | BAJA | Children's-J-Easy | Searching... Unknown | Searching... Unavailable |
Searching... Penrose Library | Children's Book | BAJA | Children's-J-Easy | Searching... Unknown | Searching... Unavailable |
Searching... Rockrimmon Library | Children's Book | BAJA | Children's-J-Easy | Searching... Unknown | Searching... Unavailable |
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Summary
Summary
A baby is born and the world rejoices!
With a loving mama, a trumpeting herd, curious cousins, and even some dancing peacocks heralding this little one's arrival, it is apparent that the joy and wonder a new baby brings is shared by all!
Varsha Bajaj's lilting prose and Eliza Wheeler's enchanting scenes of a wide-eyed baby elephant and its smitten family celebrate the importance of family and community in every child's life. Set in the lush wilds of India, this is an endearing, beautifully illustrated tribute to little ones getting their first warm welcome to the world.
Author Notes
Varsha Bajaj (www.varshabajaj.com) grew up in a rambling house in Mumbai, India, surrounded by coconut, guava and betel nut trees. When she came to the United States to obtain her master's degree, her adjustment to the country was aided by her awareness of the culture through books. She has written two previous picture books, as well as the middle-grade novel Abby Spencer Goes to Bollywood , which was recently shortlisted for the Cybils Award and included on the Spirit of Texas Reading Program. She lives in Houston, Texas.
Eliza Wheeler (www.wheelerstudio.com) wrote and illustrated Miss Maple's Seeds and has also illustrated several picture books and novels. She grew up in northern Wisconsin in a family of teachers, musicians, and artists. Some of the strongest influences on her creativity have been the wild Wisconsin seasons, canoeing the Brule River, picking blueberries with her grandmother, and digging through the snow with her brothers. She received the SCBWI Los Angeles International Conference Portfolio Grand Prize for her artwork. She lives in Los Angeles, California.
Reviews (3)
School Library Journal Review
Toddler-PreS-"This is the Baby, wrinkled and gray. This is the Baby born today." A newborn elephant is celebrated in a timeless manner by its herd and other animals in a wild Indian environment. Repetitive phrasing highlights the extensive roles played in the baby's world by not only the herd but also the lagoon, a banyan tree, peacocks, and white monkeys with black faces. The landscape, created by dip pen, India ink, and watercolor, is peaceful and lively. Scenes of the baby happily splashing in the water and sitting high atop a rock while gazing at the nighttime stars are especially fun and sweet. VERDICT Rich vocabulary and engaging artwork are sure to delight readers and young listeners.-Gaye Hinchliff, King County Library System, WA © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Bajaj (Abby Spencer Goes to Hollywood) traces the first day in a baby elephant's life, an event celebrated by family members, other animals, and even elements of nature itself. The soft, gently repetitive text quickly establishes a soothing message of love and acceptance: "These are Aunts,/ caring and grand,/ who circle the Baby/ born today." (There's a hint of "The House That Jack Built" to the episodic structure, minus the cumulative aspect.) Bajaj focuses on a female-centric cast of elephants, subtly referencing their matriarchal societies, and glancing mentions of monkeys and peacocks give a fuller look at the book's Indian setting. Working in pen, ink, and bright watercolors, Wheeler (Wherever You Go) evokes a lush environment of towering banyan trees and dense vegetation, helping create another personified character in the setting ("This is the Lagoon,/ calm and waiting,/ to bathe the Baby/ born today"). It's an intimate and celebratory look at the early days of an elephant's life, and a reminder that human births are pretty special, too. Ages 3-5. Author's agent: Jill Corcoran, Jill Corcoran Literary. Illustrator's agent: Jennifer Rofé, Andrea Brown Literary. (Aug.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
Of all the beloved newborns in the world of picture books, this adorable elephant baby might be the most universally acclaimed. The lilting text begins, This is the Baby, / wrinkled and gray. / This is the Baby / born today. / This is the Mama, / loving and proud, / who birthed the baby / born today. Though the text seems to be setting up a House That Jack Built cumulative construction, the verses that follow use the structure without repeating content from previous verses. Each turn of the page introduces a new entity, such as the aunts, the earth, the sisters, the banyans, and the stars, and briefly notes each one's supportive relationship with the baby. Beginning at dawn with the mother elephant nudging her smiling baby to stand, the ink-and-watercolor illustrations trace the ever-smiling elephants' day. Wheeler's artwork is distinguished by precise, graceful drawings and radiant watercolors. An author's note concerns a black wooden elephant remembered from her childhood in Mumbai and notes the dwindling number of Asian and African elephants today.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2016 Booklist
