Have you seen an elephant?

PreS-Gr 2--An intrepid but not highly observant young explorer named Alex loves elephants and goes out on an expedition to find some "real" ones. Along the way, Alex meets a great many other wild animals, but fails to be looking in the right direction when the elephants are actually oh so close. Alex has a detailed and inspiring journal full of elephant information, and by the end of the book, young animal enthusiasts will have a highly informative guide to creating an animal journal of their own. Alex is a cheerful and diligent character, and the learning is made fun through humorous illustrations that will have readers pulling for Alex to look thoroughly and see the elephants right there on the page. VERDICT An entertaining introduction to elephants, this title will be enjoyed by elementary students and hopefully inspire young researchers to create their own research journals.--John Scott

How tough could it be to find an elephant? "Elephant journal" in hand, Alex, our tan-skinned young narrator, is determined to track down a pachyderm. Alex quizzes a giraffe and some meerkats but, while questioning a tree-twining boa, fails to notice a long, gray, fruit-plucking trunk below. As Alex talks to a rhino, the hindquarters of another pachyderm can be glimpsed disappearing into the underbrush. Crouching in a nest amid huge eggs, our oblivious narrator interrogates a cranky-looking vulture; later, Alex queries an irate lion, missing many elephants off in the distance. The next page reveals Alex inside the lion's belly, consulting a zebra who's also been eaten by the big cat (both are intact), while five elephants walk by outside, unseen. In a crocodile-infested river, Alex straddles an open jaw, overlooking the elephant group on the far shore (as well as the croc chomping on the narrator's backpack). Perched on an enormous termite mound, Alex again misses out on the elephants. Finally, concluding that "elephants are so hard to find," Alex pulls out a "Tiger Journal," beginning a new quest by querying…an elephant! Delightful watercolorlike illustrations in earthy tones are engaging and will have kids eagerly pointing out everything that Alex misses--make room for this one at storytime. Three spreads feature pages from Alex's journal, with facts on elephant families, intelligence, diet, and more. Enlightening, interactive animal fun. (how to make your own journal, resources) (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.