Monday, October 31, 2016

Can One Balloon Make an Elephant Fly? by Dan Richards -- NO

Richards, Dan Can One Balloon Make an Elephant Fly? Illustrated by Jeff Newman. PICTURE BOOK. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2016. $17.99.

While at the zoo, a boy realizes his mom is ignoring him in order to look at her phone. He begins asking her how many balloons it would take to make various animals fly. When his mother finally looks up, she realizes he's actually referencing toy animals instead of real ones.

This book just didn't come together for me. The text feels incomplete, confusing, and vague. While illustrations in picture books generally complement the text and further enhance the story, in this case they did not mesh well, nor did they add the much-needed clarity. In addition, I found it troublesome that a child and his mother were carelessly releasing so many balloons and plastic toys into the sky, causing litter -- and possible choking hazards for animals in and out of the zoo.

EL (K-3) -- NOT RECOMMENDED. Reviewed by Sydney G., Teacher/Librarian

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