Base, Graeme: Little Elephants.

Murphy, David

** BASE, Graeme Little Elephants Viking, 2012 unpaged $24.99 ISBN 9780670076475 SCIS 1574790

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

A new Grame Base book is always a treat as his beautifully rendered picture books delight both young and old. This new book, however, is a little different than his normal offering. Graeme Base books often have puzzles and ciphers to be unravelled and solved. This story certainly has many layers within it which add depth to the story and create a sense of complexity but the overt puzzle solving is not present. Instead we have a story line which is set in the wheat plains of Texas in a time period which could be anywhere between 1920 and today.

The book is about a small boy, who lives on a farm with his mother and his pet mouse. Disaster threatens the harvest, and their livelihood. Through an act of kindness to a stranger in a strange hat the young boy is given a magical gift and some new friends in the form of tiny gray, magical, elephants. This is an enchanting story that would be suitable for ages four and up as a picture book to be read to or to read alone.

[c] The copyright of all articles and reviews remain with the author.

All prices are recommended only.

** Book by all Australian author or illustrator

[dagger][dagger] Book by a New Zealand author or illustrator

[A] An outstanding book of its kind as recommended by the reviewer

[B] An outstanding New Zealand book of its kind as recommended by the reviewer