Synopsis
Baby Elephant can't sleep without his teddy bear, so Elmer the patchwork elephant lends out his own stuffed animals and plows through a surealistic jungle of bright colors to find the missing toy. Elmer, who always knows how to laugh at himself, exhibits his usual appeal in this simple story with its gentle humor and expressive animals.
— The Horn Book Guide
School Library Journal
PreS-K-Fans will welcome the return of a favorite character. Elmer, the patchwork elephant, volunteers to find Baby Elephant's lost teddy bear, which was left behind during a picnic. In the interim, Elmer kindly lends the youngster his own teddy. As Elmer searches, all of the animals he meets-tigers, lions, giraffes, and zebras-try to help. Finally, with the assistance of Wilbur, his checkerboard-colored cousin, Elmer finds Baby Elephant's bear and returns it. The familiar theme and the straightforward dialogue will delight children. The illustrations, saturated with bright colors and adorable baby animals, are perfect for the text. The pages are rich in detail and youngsters will enjoy finding fanciful birds, trees, and flowers in the jungle scenes. Elmer sends a positive message to children, showing them how to comfort with kindness when he parts with his own precious teddy bear to make Baby Elephant feel better.-Barbara Buckley, Jericho Public Library, NY Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.