Little Elephants by Graeme Base

[katekintailbc]

Little Elephants
by Graeme Base

I passed this in the library the other day and, perhaps it was the Nerdfighter in me, but I just had to read this story about puppy-sized elephants. It was done by Graeme Base, whose picture books I have thoroughly enjoyed in the past (I will not admit to you how many days I spent working out the puzzle and counting things in his The Eleventh Hour.

This is the story of a boy whose family farm is in jeopardy from an impending swarm of locusts. The boy finds a mysterious stranger and then an even more mysterious horn. Then, instead of mice under his bed, he finds adorable tiny elephants. He worries his mother will overreact and dispatch them, so he hides them. They play with his toys and dress up in adorable ways. Then, when the time is right, they escape. His mother is shocked. But the elephants protect them, fighting off the locusts and protecting the crops. Thank you, little elephants!

The art was, like in all Base's books, astounding. It is realistic and fanciful at the same time, soft and bold, full of curves and beauty. And the story is sweet and lovely, though not a complex mystery. I wasn't sure what I was in for when starting it, but I found it fun and enjoyable.