Written by This post is part of a weekly series of synopses of children’s books, written by First Book staff members.
Saggy Baggy Elephant, by Golden Books, illustrated by Tenggren. A little elephant is tromping through the jungle and he seems very happy, but really he is searching for a way to make his saggy, baggy wrinkles disappear. He doesn’t like his wrinkles and thinks that they are ugly. On his journey he meets lots of other animals and starts to see how great it is to be an elephant! Finally, he discovers a herd of elephants that all look like him and he realizes he’s quite beautiful just the way he is. Grades K-2.
Ghost Horse, by George Edward Stanley, illustrated by Ann Barrow. After moving to a new town, Emily feels uneasy because she has to attend a new school and make new friends. When a ghost horse visits her room night after night, it helps Emily unravel a mystery and make new friends. Grades 3-4.
Egypt Game, by Zilpha Keatley Snyder, illustrated by Alton Raible. Eleven year old April has come to live with her grandmother and she’s not so sure she will like this new town. But her love of storytelling brings together a diverse group of unexpected friends. Their mutual invention is a game created from their imaginations and played out in the vacant storage lot behind the Professor’s store. Reading brings adventure and knowledge is cool as more and more layers are added to the best game ever – The Egypt Game! Even the Professor is interested and pretty soon April feels like her new hometown is pretty wonderful. Grades 5-6.
It is refreshing to see that the stories i read as a child are still valued by todays children. They really are well written.