  | Elephant and the sea Author: Vere, Ed | |
| Price: $23.78 | ||
Summary:
Gabriel the elephant dreams of being part of the lifeboat crew in his seaside town, but he is too young, and too little. But soon, Gabriel grows up and he is too . . . BIG! One night, a great storm hits, and it's Gabriel's time to shine, pulling his oars alone against the crashing waves to save a crew in peril.
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (+) (04/01/24)
Booklist (05/01/24)
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (00/05/24)
The Hornbook (00/07/24)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 05/01/2024 First too little, then too big: the story opens with elderly elephant Gabriel reflecting on his life, striking a somewhat somber tone as he recalls his ambition to join the local lifeboat crew in his seaside village. The captain tells young Gabriel he needs to grow before he can help out, but adult Gabriel is larger than the rescue boat. The repeating chorus ends with “Heave-ho. Oh no.” A less-determined elephant would give up his dream, but instead Gabriel teaches himself how to build a (larger, stronger) boat. The atmospheric illustrations have layers and textures, creating a realistic backdrop juxtaposed with animal characters. When a fleet of fishing boats runs into trouble, the storm is too forceful for the regular rescue crew. Gabriel’s weight is enough, however, to keep the strong winds from blowing him over, and he reaches all the boats in trouble. His bravery and perseverance convince everyone that he does have a place with the team. Now they just need an even larger boat, which Gabriel happens to know how to build. - Copyright 2024 Booklist.
