ON ELIZA PRATTLEBOTTOM’S eighth birthday, she wishes for an elephant to take her away from her boring life. Two days and six hours later, an ...
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reviews
Oct 23, 2008
Tasha
rated it: 
In this surreal story, Eliza Prattlebottom makes a wish at her eighth birthday party that an elephant will come and take her away. Eliza's wish comes true and Cousin Floyd, a very large elephant, carries her away to live with the elephants in the jungle. Cousin Floyd is only noticed by 97-year-old Adele who has perfect posture and once as a girl herself knew Cousin Floyd. Eliza's family mourns her being gone, thinking of their daughter often. Adele decides that she needs to return to the ele
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Apr 01, 2009
Karla
rated it:
Surreal is a good word to describe this story of a girl who on her eighth birthday wishes for an elephant to come and take her away from her life. When she gets her wish and doesn't come back her parents miss her and dream of her walking with the elephants, until an old woman, Miss Adelle, finds her and convinces her to go home. The story is poetic and lovely in a rather bizarre way. I love the illustrations by Ana Juan.
Jan 10, 2010
Jocelyn
rated it: 
This book could have been good. It Baxically tried to hard to be artsy. The illustrations are too dark for me or my kids. I like the idea of an elephant coming and taking you away to a magical place, but it wasn't magical. All the elephants do is walk in a circe. It's creepy. We won't read this one again.
Dec 19, 2009
Laura
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This feels like a children's version of surrealism to me. The illustrations are dreamy and wispy. The tale is fantastical, but still manages to convey the little girl's frustration at her current situation. There's an elephant in a floppy hat. It's quite lovely, and just slightly confusing.
Nov 10, 2009
This is the first picture book I've read that reminded me of the writing of Kelly Link. There's an odd dream logic to it, and lots of specific details mixed in with the fantastic premise. Also, I found it kind of spooky and was glad that it resolved.
Sep 15, 2010
Sandy
rated it: 
Bizarre story about a young girl named Eliza Prattlebottom who makes a wish for an elephant to come and take her away. The illustrations were the best part of the book, very surreal and dreamlike. C. 2008, genre-fantasy
Sep 27, 2010
Rina
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I didn't like this story, it was odd, not very enjoyable and felt disjointed. I suppose it did make the point that we shouldn't lose ourselves in make belief, but it still felt like a stretch.
Jan 19, 2009
Ellen
rated it:
There's quirky and charming, then there's this. Awkward. It has its moments but, for the most part, the trippiness flew over my kids heads.
Jun 08, 2009
Kris
rated it:
???????????
Not quite as bizarre as an acid trip (I'm assuming here), but still felt like pharmaceuticals were involved in the making of this book.
Not quite as bizarre as an acid trip (I'm assuming here), but still felt like pharmaceuticals were involved in the making of this book.
Feb 28, 2009
Meghan
rated it:
I love the illustrations, but the story itself didn't hold my attention. Just a nitpicky thing, but the font was way too small too.
Aug 08, 2011
Great illustrations and a quick moving story. Shows that once you get your wish that you have to still enjoy a life after it
Aug 05, 2011
Katie
rated it: 
Though I found the story disturbing in some ways, I also thought it got at the heart of some very important life and death issues that might be difficult to touch in a more straightforward way. I really liked how this story dealt with the concepts of age and death, and though I was troubled by the bad parenting, I think the fact that Eliza takes matters into her own hands to teach her family a lesson really works well, and no doubt fulfills the wishes of many kids when they're mad at mom and dad
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Jun 19, 2010
Krystin
rated it:
Nice pictures and funny (quiet chuckle) story. The actual plot was a little bit choppy but overall I enjoyed it.
Jul 12, 2009
Jenna
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LOVED the illustrations and really liked the story but thought it was too wordy for a childrens book
Dec 10, 2009
Tina
rated it:
"birthday wish, elephant, time, aging, very psychedelic in a pastel kind of way"
Apr 10, 2009
Ever
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I am not sure I understand this entire story, but the paintings are amazing.
Aug 23, 2008
Angela
rated it: 
Lou Berger's surreal folktale is complemented perfectly by Ana Juan's cinematic images in this mesmerizing story experience . The story and illustrations become inseparable in a dream-like voyage across time and place. This book moved and enchanted me like nothing since Silverstein's selfless tree did oh so many years ago.
Nov 20, 2008
Natalie
rated it:
is pretty.. i like. story is interesting, a bit odd, but the drawing send it over the top.
Nov 21, 2011
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