Thursday, 6 February 2020

I am NOT an Elephant by Karl Newson and Ross Collins

I am NOT an elephant -PanMacmillan

Published: 2020, PanMacmillan

👍👍👍👍👍

A few weeks ago I reviewed 'I am a Tiger,' with a solid five thumbs up from my four year old son.

Today, great excitement reigned again as our pre-order of 'I am NOT an elephant' was delivered on it's release day!
Big smiles all round at the chance to see confused but adorable mouse on top form again with her entertaining announcements and, even more so, the amusing interaction with the animals around her.
Karl Newson begins the story by flipping to the inverse of  'I am a Tiger'. Whereas before mouse was convinced she WAS, this time she is convinced she is NOT (in the face of someone who thinks she is!) But if she is NOT an elephant for obvious reasons, then what is she? And what is everyone else?
The back cover review states that Newson 'captures imaginative play perfectly'. This is a wonderful way of describing the conversation between the characters; questioning, amusing and sometimes totally bonkers. It reminded me of those giggly, yet often life-defining conversations that you have wrapped up in a blanket, staring at the stars with a best friend. Amid all the hilarity, there is a beautifully summed up message, uttered nonchalantly by mouse.
Did my son pick up on all this? Well, no perhaps not! But what he did belly laugh at (again) was Ross Collin's very funny artwork, the accompanying sound effects, mouse's confusion and, of course, the page where she announces what everyone is (or looks like!).
What mouse is to us is some genius light relief at the end of the day when we all need a giggle and a cuddle, accompanied by a LOT of wondering about who we are and what we're doing in life. Tonight, my son was a fox. Tomorrow, he'll probably be a chef...when you're small, the world really is your oyster! Or is that your mouse?

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