Little Elliot, Big City

Submitted by Ms. Jill!

Little Elliot, Big City by Mike Curato. Little Elliot is a small, polka-dotted elephant who lives in a big city. He loves his urban home, but his tiny size presents problems: Little Elliot is jostled in big crowds, and struggles to reach things like door handles, sinks, and the top shelf of his own refrigerator. With creativity and a can-do attitude, Little Elliot finds ways to work around most challenges, but his biggest problem as a small elephant is simply to be noticed. Cab drivers never see him waving, and when he tries to buy cupcakes, the bakery workers can’t see him over the high counter. Sad and cupcake-less, Little Elliot gives in to despair and starts home. Along the way, he meets a mouse and realizes that this smaller creature’s problems are much bigger than his own… and that he, Little Elliot, is big enough to help! By working together, Little Elliot and Mouse take on the Big City and finally get what they want… and need. Curato’s lovely pencil drawings, digitally colored, show the tiny pachyderm hero making his way in a bustling 1940’s cityscape, alone and self-sufficient in his small apartment (where strategically placed cushions and book stacks help him manage chores and mealtime), or just barely peeking over too-high countertops. Small children, vertically-challenged grownups, and anyone who’s ever felt overlooked will find a kindred spirit in Little Elliot, and cheer when triumph makes him finally feel like the tallest elephant in the world! See this book listed in our catalog