It is a tree

PreS-Gr 1--A jungle version of the Indian parable of "The Blind Men and the Elephant," in which six blind men each feel a different part of an elephant and come up with six different opinions of what it is. This version replaces the blind men with blindfolded jungle animals playing a game at a lion cub's birthday party. The lion cub thinks that the elephant is a tree; Giraffe, a wall; Hippo, a snake; Crocodile, a fan; Zebra, a rope; and Armadillo, a pipe. In a two-page spread, Batori amusingly depicts the elephant using all those elements as the still blindfolded animals smile and wave, each sure they are correct. The final spread shows the surprised but pleased animals riding Elephant while the laughing parents of the lion cub look on. The illustrations tell as much of the story as the spare text, if not more, with humor and skill. Batori's use of speech bubbles, superb facial expressions (especially for Elephant), ample white space, and appropriate colors make the text and concept easy to understand. VERDICT This fun and efficient read pairs excellent cartoon illustrations with simple text for a splendid retelling of a classic fable. Great for storytime or individual sharing or as a catalyst for discussion about perspective and point of view.--Catherine Callegari, Gay-Kimball Library, Troy, NH

In a version of the Indian fable "The Blind Men and the Elephant," an assortment of jungle animals plays a blindfolded guessing game. The story begins wordlessly with the lion giving each animal a blindfold before leading the elephant to another area. Blindfolded, the lion cub feels the elephant's leg and declares, "It is a tree." Readers will immediately see the illustration of a tree trunk within the speech bubble and understand how the cub came to that conclusion. Next, comically balancing atop a ladder, the blindfolded giraffe feels what must be a wall but is in reality the elephant's flat side. The game continues with the hippo mistaking the elephant's trunk for a snake; the crocodile, a wrinkled ear for a fan; the zebra, the tail for a rope; and the turtle, a tusk for a pipe. Each of these guesses is expressed in a simple sentence beginning "It is a…" with a visual of the animal's guess to provide picture cues for emerging readers. A final review lists each word next to its position on an elephant-shaped brick wall with tree-trunk legs, a rope tail, two fans, and a befuddled snake dangling between two pipes. But as readers turn the page, the now-cheering friends, blindfolds off, reveal, "It is an elephant." The amusing cartoon artwork makes for an excellent enhancement. The story's origins are revealed only in the cataloging-in-publication statement. Cleverly designed for new readers' success. (Early reader. 6-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.