Zola's Elephant, written by Randall de Sève, reviewed by Klaudia Janek

Student Reviewer: Zanya M.
Summary: This book is about a young girl who is hesitant to become friends with her new neighbor,

Zola. The girl imagines all sorts of things her neighbor is up to through the sounds and smells coming from her house until she comes to the conclusion that her neighbor already has a friend… an elephant! Eventually, the girl decides to meet her neighbor and they do become new friends!

Straight Talk for Librarians: This book would be great for a read-aloud in a classroom or a library. This is a very appealing book to children due to the colorful pages and images used in the book. Parents at home can use this to read with their children because it is a great way to begin learning new vocabulary. There is also the use of more complex vocabulary for young children which is why this could be used as a more advanced book for young readers. It might show readers a reason why they should not jump to conclusions if they are unsure of something or someone. In addition, this is a great introduction to various literary devices. For example, the repetition of the word, “Perfect” three times brings emphasis to the line and introduces the concept of repetition, a literary device that is simple enough for young readers to understand. This is a great read for students who struggle with making friends because this will give them more confidence to meet people and try and become more outspoken. The artwork does an amazing job of conveying the emotion and mood of the character due to the skilled use of paints and mixed media. For example, when referring to the neighbor, Zola, cool tones are used to evoke the sad and lonely emotions of her character. While the imaginative side of the story uses vibrant and bright colors to show more positive emotions. I believe that this book will greatly benefit young readers while giving them something entertaining and enjoyable to read!