Nathan thinks the man who operates the elevator in his apartment building has the best job in the world – a job that Nathan himself dreams of having when he grows up. But the elevator man has dreams of his own, and when one day the building’s elevator is replaced with an automated version, Nathan is amazed to see that everybody’s dreams have come true! / Debut author Stanley Trachtenberg’s charming story of our changing times is perfectly matched with acclaimed illustrator Paul Cox’s delightful retro illustrations to create a story children everywhere will love.
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From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2—Nathan's apartment building has an old-fashioned elevator, complete with an elevator man in a handsome maroon uniform who opens the gates and turns a handle to make it go up or down. The boy's greatest wish is to be an elevator man when he grows up, so when traffic is slow, his friend lets him help. Much to Nathan's dismay, a new elevator is installed, with buttons to push, an automatic door, and no need of an elevator man. However, all ends well: Nathan's friend becomes the building's doorman, and the child "heads toward the elevator to begin his new job." Rich, appealing illustrations sketch the characters in broad, quick strokes of black filled in with warm golds, blues, greens, and maroons, against the backdrop of the building's ongoing activities. The endpapers sum up the story marvelously—at the beginning, an oversize man is opening the gate of the old elevator for Nathan, and at the end, the boy is inside the new conveyance, wearing his friend's maroon hat and pushing the buttons. This story will appeal especially to big-city apartment dwellers.—Judith Constantinides, formerly at East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA END
About the Author
Stanley Trachtenberg, a former senior trade editor at both Macmillan and Crown Publishers, is the author of seven books and numerous articles and book reviews in magazines and newspapers across the U.S. This is his first children’s book. He lives in Washington, D.C.
Paul Cox is one of England’s foremost illustrators, whose work includes editions of such classics as The Wind in the Willows and many of P.G. Wodehouse’s books. His drawings appear often in a wide variety of magazines, including Vanity Fair, The New Yorker, and Esquire. He lives in Sussex, England.
Paul Cox is one of England’s foremost illustrators, whose work includes editions of such classics as The Wind in the Willows and many of P.G. Wodehouse’s books. His drawings appear often in a wide variety of magazines, including Vanity Fair, The New Yorker, and Esquire. He lives in Sussex, England.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful Story, Kids love it,
By izzyt (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Elevator Man (Hardcover)
This book is sweet and funny and my kids (ages 3 and 6) love it. Much of what passes for children's literature today I find to be inane and unreadable, written as if the audience has the intellectual understanding of a mud puddle (they're children, but they're not stupid). By contrast, The Elevator Man is a real story with interesting and compelling characters. Nathan, the central figure, displays a curiosity and thoughtfulness that any child can identify with. And what kid doesn't love elevators?
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Back to a simpler time,
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This review is from: The Elevator Man (Hardcover)
The Elevator Man takes us back a simpler and more elegant time and is a joy to read. It is beautifully illustrated and is bound to become a classic of childrens' literature. Nathan is a cute little boy who learns a lesson about change and the march of time as a result of his daily journeys in the elevator.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Rutgers University Project on Economics and Children,
By Yana V. Rodgers "econkids.rutgers.edu" (New Brunswick, NJ) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: The Elevator Man (Hardcover)
Nathan lives on the fifth floor of a building with an elevator that fascinates him. Not only does he enjoy riding the elevator and watching the various gadgets, he also looks forward to greeting the elevator operator and learning from him the tricks of the trade. When the superintendent announces that the building will undergo an upgrade with a new electrical elevator, Nathan wonders how their elevator service will change and where the elevator man will go. This whimsical book presents a good example of how modernization brings changes in the types of goods and services we enjoy as consumers, while it also leads people to find new jobs as their old jobs become obsolete.
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