Description
Book SynopsisCaught in a storm, Arnold the elephant washes up on a tiny island. Along comes Mouse in a little dingy and Arnold steps aboard . . . uh-oh! They use the wreckage to make the island bigger. And here's Dog-can this boat take Arnold's weight? Uh-oh! None of the animals can save the shipwrecked elephant but each broken vessel provides new materials for another intricate construction. Wheels and pulleys create a Ferris wheel, an elevator, a waffle maker. Soon there is a whole community and enough space for everyone! As with all Leo Timmers picture books, Elephant Island has many layers of discovery. Each new building is a magical fun park packed with mechanical detail and busy animals all working together.
Trade Review"Yet another triumphant experiment for the award-winning Timmers."
-- The New York Times, Best Children's Books of 2022
"This light-tension, winking tale of a makeshift homecoming is sure to delight audiences at story time."
-- Foreword Reviews, starred
"A refutation for anyone who thinks their island is too full to accommodate outsiders."
-- The Times, Children's Book of the Week
“The tender yet dynamic verbal and visual narrative never falters in this engaging picture book.”
-- Booklist
“A picture book tribute to the power of collective, constructive play, and to heeding the call to freedom.”
-- Publishers Weekly
"From endpapers to assemblages, Belgian Leo Timmers never ceases to delight."
-- The Listener, Top Children's Books of 2022
"A fascinating and funny tale."
-- The Scotsman
"The sheer inventiveness of the entire endeavor is to be commended. Come for the elephant. Stay for his island."
-- Betsy Bird, US
