Ollie the Purple Elephant
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- $4.99
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- $4.99
Publisher Description
From the author of National Book Award finalist Hey, Kiddo.
Ollie is a purple elephant who is lost and has no place to call home. Until Shelby and Peter find him in the park—and invite him to live with them. Soon Ollie is a regular part of the family. He doesn't have a room to call his own, but he doesn't mind. He is happy. He loves hopscotch and kickball—but most of all he loves the dance parties the McLaughlins have after dinner.
But Mr. Puddlebottom, the downstairs neighbor, most certainly does not love Ollie. And neither does the McLaughlins' cat, Ginger. Ollie has taken her spot on the couch at night. When the conspirators hatch a plan to get rid of Ollie, the purple elephant walks right into their trap—and onto a circus cart. Will he ever be reunited with his family?
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
With bright, friendly acrylic art that recalls Krosoczka's earlier work such as his My Buddy, Slug (2006), another story of an unusual pet the author offers a fast-paced and surreal tale with twists aplenty. After Mr. McLaughlin makes good on a silly promise that comes back to bite him ("that should they ever come across a purple elephant, they could keep him"), the McLaughlin family makes room for Ollie, whom they meet in a park. Good times and floor-shaking dance parties follow, upsetting the family cat and the downstairs neighbor, who collude to remove the unwanted pachyderm. After the cat persuades Ollie that he is unwanted, a sad year passes as the McLaughlins search for Ollie, who has joined a circus. Krosoczka's story feels tailor-made for story time, thanks to kid-pleasing plot elements (elephants! circuses! robbers!), emphatic prose ("Ollie needed to do something and fast!"), and emotive art. And he certainly offers a fun, modern twist on happily ever after: the promise of "many dance parties" to come. Ages 5 8.
