Review - Elmer and Rose

Elmer and Rose (Elmer)
by David McKee
Date: 2005
Publisher: Andersen Press
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

Elmer, the patchwork elephant, has been a favorite of children around the world since the first book debuted in 1989. Join Elmer and his friend Rose in a new story about what it really means to be unique. Grandpa Eldo asks Elmer and his cousin Wilbur to help a young elephant find her way back to her herd--and they get a shock when they see she is pink! No wonder she is called Rose. As they help Rose find her herd, Elmer and Wilbur learn a valuable lesson about being different and fitting in.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This book has a really weak plot. I would've liked to read the first book in the series, but the library didn't have the e-book. I think I get the idea, though. Elmer is a patchwork elephant and he looks different. I don't know if all the books in the series are about looking different, but this one is. Elmer and his cousin meet a young pink elephant named Rose (who's petite and blushes a lot; I found her to be a little bit of annoying gender stereotype). Rose has become separated from her herd, so Elmer and Wilbur take her back to rejoin them. On the way, they see a grey elephant and Rose thinks he's strange. We don't find out why until we see her herd... which is all pink elephants!

The pictures are certainly bright and appealing, but the story is so sparse it almost isn't there. And the writing started off on a bad foot for me when a character smiled their speech on the very first page (*pet peeve alert!*).

I think I can do without Elmer in my life. At least now I know what the character is all about.

Premise: 2/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 2/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 1/5

Overall: 2 out of 5