Elephant Island

January 17, 2022
When a “boisterous wave” sinks Arnold the elephant’s boat—the stormy sea is rendered in almost palpably rough dark brushstrokes—he’s stranded on a tiny rock barely the size of his foot. But though several seafaring animals offer to rescue him, each boat is swamped as soon as the pachyderm steps aboard. No matter: like Timmers (Monkey on the Run), Arnold proves a gifted and deeply silly engineer. Salvaging the wreckage, the elephant rigs up an increasingly elaborate, improbable structure atop the diminutive rock, transforming it into a multilevel affair on which the group dances under a starry blue sky and “all night long sang whale songs.” As is true for any trend-setting spot, “Soon everyone was setting course for Elephant Island,” with each new animal deliberately contributing its respective vessel to create a towering attraction—complete with a waffle maker—that’s portrayed with subtle sculptural dimensionality. When a second squall gives everyone the chance to head home, the group demurs; it’s a picture book tribute to the power of collective, constructive play, and to heeding the call of freedom. Ages 3–6.

March 1, 2022
Preschool-Grade 2 After a boisterous wave sinks his boat, Arnold the seafaring elephant swims for hours before climbing onto a tiny island. A mouse rows by and offers him a ride, but when Arnold steps aboard, the rowboat shatters. They use the wood to build a structure extending the minute island. Increasingly larger boats come to their rescue, break apart, and add to the ramshackle scaffolding and platforms, making space for a large crowd of creatures who join in the nightly singing and dancing. Even after "the sea lost its temper," smashing Arnold's strangely uplifting construction, the elephant uses the debris to build another fantastic structure, full of animal friends who enjoy the ongoing celebrations. Timmers, a Belgian writer-illustrator, creates a likable main character with a creative imagination and engineering skills. From the image of the solitary, stranded elephant quoting the ancient mariner, "Alone, alone, all, all alone. Alone on a wide wide sea," to the scenes depicting his joyous community at the story's end, the tender yet dynamic verbal and visual narrative never falters in this engaging picture book.

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