Ella The Elegant Elephant [Hardcover]

Carmela D'amico (Author), Steve D'amico (Author), Carmela & Steve D'amico (Illustrator), D'amico (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up | Series: Ella

She's younger than Babar, shyer than Lily, and every bit as cute as Olivia. Look out! Here's ELLA!

Ella's counting the days until the first day of school ... but not because she's eager to start! On the contrary, as the littlest elephant on Elephant Island, she's terribly nervous about the other kids she'll meet. Then she receives a beautiful red hat that belonged to her grandmother -- her new lucky charm. Big mean Belinda at school teases her for it, calling her "Ella the Elegant Elephant." But Ella's brave enough to hold on to her hat, and in the end, the hat (and her heart) save the day.
With warm, rich pictures and a charming main character, ELLA is sure to be a new favorite.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2–A young elephant is new to town and anxious about starting school. On her first day, she wears her grandmother's fancy "good luck hat," causing a bully named Belinda and her friends to dub her "Ella the Ella-gant." When Belinda slips on the safety wall that surrounds the schoolyard and protects the students from a very big drop, Ella attempts a rescue only to slip and fall herself. Fortunately, the lucky hat acts as a parachute, transporting Ella and Belinda to safety. The next day, the entire class, bullies included, sports fancy hats, and a message on the chalkboard reads, "We love Ella." With its charming and whimsical cartoons and simple design, this offering seems like a picture book from an earlier era. Ella is a likable character, and children will be able to relate to her emotions. Unfortunately, the story is nothing new and the text may be a bit long for some youngsters. Despite these shortcomings, parents who are nostalgic for Jean de Brunhoff's The Story of Babar (Random, 1937) will appreciate the D'Amicos's kinder, gentler elephant tale.–Rachel G. Payne, Brooklyn Public Library, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

K-Gr. 2. On the Elephant Islands, "hidden by fog so thick no human being has ever found them," shy little elephant Ella, new to town, worries about school and making friends. Ella loves her big red hat, a special gift from Grandma, but wearing it the first day of school brings teasing, especially from big bully Belinda. But when Belinda's antics put her in a dangerous situation, Ella steps in to help--and is surprised to discover that her hat is more special than she thought. Combining a fairy-tale quality with elements in story and setting that will be familiar to children, this has a charming protagonist, as well as lovely, whimsical art, in a soft, rich palette and style that evokes the work of H. A. Rey and recalls Ludwig Bemelmans' Madeline in its rows of students clad in identical blue uniforms and "Ecole" written over the school gate. The text is simple, descriptive, and often lively, making a good read-aloud. Listeners will sympathize with Ella's challenges and appreciate the rewards that come from her showing compassion and staying true to herself. Shelle Rosenfeld
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 56 pages
• Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books (September 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0439627923
• ISBN-13: 978-0439627924
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #119,047 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #52 in Books > Children's Books > Animals > Elephants

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars We LOVE it!, November 23, 2004

By 

Kaylene Smith "book mama" (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Ella The Elegant Elephant (Hardcover)

I love everything about this book! I love the vintage, sweet quality of the illustrations. I love the message of kindness in the story. I even love the font. As a former bookseller and elementary school teacher, I have read a LOT of books and this instantly became one of my favorites. My son just turned 2 and I originally thought a bit young for this story. I changed my mind after he insisted that we read it 6 times one afternoon, and multiple times a day since then. We are definitely buying copies for all our friends.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My granddaughter's new favorite book!, September 22, 2004

By 

Judy Anderson (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Ella The Elegant Elephant (Hardcover)

Everything about this book is appealing! I loved the "follow the golden rule" inference, and the utterly charming personality of the lead character, Ella. The colorful, eye-catching artwork made turning each page a treat. When the book was over, my granddaughter asked me to "please read it again!" And it was my pleasure to do so. We can all relate to Ella's predicament when she is confronted by the school bully, and it's heartening to see that her strength of character, (with a little magic thrown in for good measure!) pulls her through her dilemma. If you have children between three and nine,I strongly urge you to go out and buy this lovely book! I've recommended it to all my friends, and so will you! Get a first-edition copy soon, because this book will most certainly be a classic!
J. Anderson

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars DON'T READ THE EDITORIAL REVIEW, September 14, 2005

By 

A. Mersinger (St. Louis, MO) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Ella The Elegant Elephant (Hardcover)

Hopefully it's not too late and you haven't read the review above as it gives away the sweet, tear-inducing ending to a beautifully illustrated tale described so well by the other "amateur" reviewers. I read this to my almost-2 year old and my 4 year old, and they both love the pictures and the story. There are quite a few lessons to be learned from this story - I appreciate the fact that even though she is made fun of for her hat, she continues to wear it to school because it means so much to her. I still tear-up a little at the end. It's really a hopeful story - it makes me hopeful that my own children see results/appreciation when they do their best to do the right thing. I have purchased 3 copies and will continue to do so as friends have babies.