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Inspired by a little girl who refused to take her usual nap, this story follows the adventures of Charlie as she gets whisked away to a magical forest by a blue elephant. Far from the city where her family lives, Charlie feels nothing except delight in these natural surroundings until she realizes that her elephant friend is sad. Another newfound companion, Mr. Crow, helps her in getting the blue elephant to settle down and peacefully fall asleep. When poachers try to steal the blue elephant’s tusks, Charlie gets assistance from Ms. Ash Tree (a talking tree), Mr. Crow, and a whole murder of feathered friends to drive them away. And, by the end, she has a wonderful experience that she will always remember.
Beautiful illustrations reminiscent of a child’s crayoned drawings decorate each page of this delightful book. There is a playful, dreamlike quality to these pictures and the narrative itself, where such peculiar things happen as blue elephants whisking children away to forests or crows wearing glasses. It also feels very much like a story born out of the desire to coax a child into falling asleep. As with a certain little girl who refused to do so, Charlie tries to resist taking a nap and even ponders its importance. Even so, the enchanting nature of the plot and the melodic rhythm of each line give the impression of being gently rocked to sleep. These qualities make it the perfect bedtime or naptime adventure for parents to read to their little ones.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review