#blogbookaday: Zola’s Elephant
Summary:
“When Zola moves into the neighborhood, her new next-door neighbor is too shy to go over and introduce herself. Plus, Zola already has a friend to play with—an elephant!” (Taken from Goodreads)
Review:
A new girl, Zola, moves in next door, but the little girl is too shy to introduce herself. She convinces herself that Zola doesn’t need any new friends as she’s got an elephant to play with! They play hide and seek, build a clubhouse and have toast. Finally, the little girl gathers up her courage to introduce herself to Zola.
Personal Reaction:
This story is a wonderful reminder that things are not always what they seem and that putting yourself out there and really be beneficial! It can be difficult to try and make new friends for both parties, but not many books talk about meeting the new kid, they’re usually about being the new kid. Pamela Zagarenski’s illustrations create a beautiful dichotome of what the little girl imagines what is happening and what is actually happening next door. A great story to start a discussion about being afraid, making new friends, and not making assumptions about people you don’t know.
Title: Zola’s Elephant
Author: Randall de Sève
Illustrator
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: October 9, 2018
This is a new idea I’m trying on my blog this year that was inspired by @donalynbooks and @heisereads – to provide a brief review of a picture book every day of 2018. You’ll get a brief summary of the story, a review of the content, illustrations and theme, my personal reaction to the book and all the pertinent publication information! Enjoy!
