Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
When infant Elbert floats into the air soon after his birth, his mother stands on tiptoe to feed him. In response to a neighbor's suggested alternative ("Net him like a butterfly"), she says simply, "If Elbert was born to float, I will let him." Myriad logistical quandaries follow the child's maturation. When it looks as if he'll have to celebrate his birthday alone ("No one else is up here"), his mother climbs a ladder with a birthday cake. And she remains undaunted as school administrators and community officials complain about her son's buoyancy, even mounting a fire escape to champion him. "Just be yourself," she says, "and you'll find friends." Eventually, when he does, he returns the faithful love she's shown him. Digital artwork from Pumphrey (Somewhere in the Bayou) portrays the duo with brown skin and a retro look, while a limited palette combines with blocky forms to highlight sign-like shapes, such as the crane Elbert's mother scrambles up to hand him an encouraging gift. Imbuing a fairy tale setup with plausible real-world results, Wesolowska (Leo + Lea) writes a warming story of loving someone just the way they are. Ages 4--8. Author's agent: Kelly Sonnack, Andrea Brown Literary. Illustrator's agent: Hannah Mann, Writers House. (Feb.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2--From the moment Elbert is born, he floats. In spite of plenty of strangers (and the nurse and the librarian and the teacher) offering Elbert's mother advice for how to bring him down to earth, Elbert's mother encourages him to remain true to himself. Still, as Elbert grows, he floats higher and farther away from everyone, until he becomes lonely. Will he find his place, or others like him? Wesolowska's deftly created structure, which like her first book, Leo + Lea, makes use of allegory (although in that one it was the Fibonacci code), will speak to children and adults wherever they are in their personal journey to finding themselves without feeling didactic or preachy. Pumphrey's literal interpretation of the text (Mom really is climbing a crane to bring Elbert a picnic) done in muted vintage colors with the look of carved stamps keeps the tone light and playful, so that children are likely to infer the deeper meaning of the story more than understand it; this trust in the compassion of young readers only reinforces it. Elbert and his mother both have black curly hair and light brown skin while the background characters show a wide range of skin tones and hair colors. A fun story with plenty of space left in it to apply it to nearly any discussion about celebrating who you are, especially if you feel different. And don't we all? VERDICT Featuring the unconditional, iridescent love of a caregiver and Elbert's own stoic nature, this is a stellar purchase for every picture book collection.--Hillary Perelyubskiy
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Review by Horn Book Review
One day, baby Elbert floats happily up and out of his crib. His mother takes this surprising ability in stride, disregarding unsolicited advice (involving a butterfly net, glue, and other traps) and instead trusting her instinct: "If Elbert was born to float, I will let him." As he grows older, life gets more complicated, but Elbert meets each challenge with grace and ingenuity, and with his mom as his champion ("If Elbert was born to float, you should let him!"). At school he drifts to the ceiling of the classroom but figures out how to deliver assignments via paper airplane; his classmates creatively modify their playground games for his participation. However, as time passes, adults remain hostile, calling him a distraction and a disturbance. Elbert, misunderstood and lonely, starts to float higher away than ever before. But a midair care package provides sustenance, physically and emotionally, and Elbert presses onward and upward to a place where, rewardingly, he finds his people. Pumphrey's art, which was "created digitally and includes textures created with tea-stained paper," is at once lighthearted and whimsical, warm and evocative, with subdued hues, varied compositions, and gentle yet perpetual motion. A unique and uplifting celebration of individuality and unconditional love. Elissa GershowitzJanuary/February 2023 p.69 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
In this allegory celebrating individuality, Elbert finds true acceptance, aided by his loving mother. After birth, Elbert begins to float, literally rising as he grows. His mother clambers ever higher to provide unconditional support: "If Elbert was born to float, I will let him." Cavorting in the air, first among his toys and then above his yard, Elbert discovers despondency at 6: "Even on my birthday…no one else is up here." At school, he deftly catches "the highest balls" and finds creative ways to play tag with his classmates at recess. Ma continues to reassure as Elbert's increasing altitude literally puts classmates out of reach. "Just be yourself…and you'll find friends." She encourages him to make wishes--on birthday candles, on a shooting star--which symbolize the family's commitment to Elbert's existential quest. Wesolowska employs the Euro-folkloric motif of threes: At three stages in Elbert's coming-of-age odyssey, a trio of naysayers offer feckless, often chilling advice designed to hobble him. But "Elbert was Elbert. No hook, no anchor, no law could bring him down!" Finally, Elbert finds "the world he'd always wished for!" Textured, gracefully composed digital art depicts Ma and Elbert enjoying a sky-high picnic among a group of the boy's happily engaged peers; images that evoke Elbert's toy blocks surround them. Both Elbert and his mother have brown skin and black textured hair, among diverse communities aloft and below. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A transcendent journey for families seeking affirming representations of those who march to their own beats. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
