Small Elephant's Bathtime

January 12, 2015
In a companion to Small Bunny’s Blue Blanket and its sequels, Feeney continues to work her way through common childhood dilemmas, introducing strong-willed Small Elephant, who loves the water—except at bathtime. As Small Elephant’s mother attempts to get him into the tub, tantrums and hiding follow; it’s only when Daddy climbs into the tub, pajamas and all, that Small Elephant is amused enough to give it a try. Accented with bright red and blue, Feeney’s artwork is both economical and bursting with emotion; the only downside is that Small Elephant’s change of heart comes a bit too quickly to be fully believed. Ages 2–5.

Starred review from January 15, 2015
Small Elephant loves water-most of the time. But Small Elephant loathes bathtime, even when his mommy adds extra bubbles and toys. His boxy body, dot eyes and wide-set ears all telegraph absolute opposition to watery fun in the tub. Bright, bleach-white backgrounds and a limited palette of primary reds, blues and graphite grays make Small Elephant's flat pencil-outlined form and his fierce refusal of bath quite vivid. Scarlet text with large letters and arresting placement on the page contributes to the artwork's success, while understated, deadpan facial expressions (achieved through minute adjustments to tiny eyes, eyebrows and trunks) make a familiar no-bath picture book effortlessly amusing. Watercolors occasionally appear (on shower curtains, as a roiling red tantrum backdrop, on flapping ears), adding appropriately watery depth and undulation to the starkly one-dimensional illustrations-so perfect for a story about a binary bath experience. After Daddy squeezes himself into a much-too-small tub, Small Elephant happily hops in and promptly refuses to get out. Charming, brilliant in color and execution, and funny to even the most indignant foot stompers, NO! screamers and bathtime boycotters. (Picture book. 2-6)

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January 1, 2015

PreS-Small Elephant likes jumping in puddles and drinking water through his curly straw, but he doesn't like water when it's in the bathtub. His mom tries several incentives such as toys and bubbles to get her son into the bath, but nothing works as Small Elephant "disappears" behind the curtain. His mother tries one more trick, and it works: seeing his large Daddy looking silly in the tiny tub finally coaxes Small Elephant into the water, and he is reluctant to get out. Simple line drawings with touches of red, white, and blue against ample white space and minimal text add to the charm of this story that captures the experience of a toddler tantrum with humor and good nature.-Sarah Polace, Cuyahoga Public Library System, OH

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2015
Preschool-K This precious pachyderm doesn't want to bathenot now, not ever. Mommy is stymied. She tries all sorts of toys, bubbles, persuasion, coercion, and imagination. But Small Elephant just gets madder and madder and madder and says, No! So Mommy brings in the big guns: Daddy! Desperate, Daddy climbs right into the tub, but he is definitely too big to fit. He just looks very silly. A giggling little one decides that it is HIS bathtub and climbs right in with his snorkel and sailboats, saying, No . . . I love bath time! Plenteous white space and black-and-white line drawings with blue and red highlights tell this simple story about a child's reluctance to take a bath. Small Elephant is adorable, while Mommy's and Daddy's understated expressions provide both humor and invoke empathy. Endpapers start in red bubbles of anger and end in blue bubbles of joy, as the reluctant elephant ends up having a great time. Parents will appreciate this gentle solution for a familiar problem.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)