The Trouble With Elephants

by Chris Riddell

A little girl describes the various problems with elephants, but decides the real trouble with elephants is that you can't help but love them

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals, Fiction

Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

Chris Riddell was born in Cape Town, South Africa, where his father was an Anglican priest and a member of the ANC. The family moved to England in 1963, when Riddell was one year old, and he spent his childhood in a number of different locations, as his father moved between parishes. Both of Riddell's parents continued to be active in the anti-apartheid movement.

Chris Riddell is an internationally acclaimed writer and illustrator whose many awards include the Nestlé Gold Award and two Kate Greenaway Medals—the most prestigious prize for illustration in the UK. He is the creator of more than one hundred books for all ages, including the immensely popular series the Edge Chronicles and his latest chapter book series, starring the irrepressible Ottoline Brown, which School Library Journal called "exceptional." Chris lives in Brighton, England, with his wife and three children where he invents his amazing characters in a very tidy shed in his yard.

Reviews

[John of Canada · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of Chris Riddell's earliest works.This is a sweet little story about a girl and her elephant.Much simpler than his more recent works,he still did cute artwork.

[Derelict Space Sheep · Rating 4 out of 5]

A whimsical picture book featuring rotund, fun-loving anthropomorphised elephants—imaginative manifestations of the narrator’s stitched elephant doll—engaging in everyday suburban life. Though guilty of perpetuating some commonly held misconceptions, Riddell’s text and illustrations nevertheless capture the joyousness of elephants at play.

[Allison Tubaugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre: fantasy
Grades: k- 3

The trouble with Elephants is a humorous book about a little girl and what she discovers about the trouble with elephants. Some of the trouble elephants is that they take up the whole bed and snore really loud. To find out what other trouble elephants cause you’ll have to read the book.

[Sarah Lancaster · Rating 4 out of 5]

K-1st Grade
Genre: Modern Fantasy

This story really portrays imagination in the most realistic way possible. This story was so fun to read! I enjoyed reading the characters "troubles" with elephants and really enjoyed the illustrations to portray the imagination of the child in the book!

[Joanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s lots of trouble when it comes to elephants but the worst of it is that you can’t help but love them, and that is exactly what this charming book is all about. Elephants may rattle the windows with their snores or squash your dollhouse on accident, but we love them all the same.

[Courtney Heard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute book for kids who may have not seen what an elephant looks like and they can use this to compare how large they really are.

Six + 1Traits: idea
DRA Level: ~28
Lexile: ~525

[Tanner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book isn't just everything a elephant themed children's book should be, it's everything a children's book should be. The text and illustrations are full of beauty and humor. We laugh and I cry.

[Sanja_Sanjalica · Rating 5 out of 5]

So sweet and fun, a book to hug.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

my grandmother would have liked this--she collected elephants

[Poppy Thorpe · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very cute book that I think we'll be going back to time and time again!

[Nat · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favourite books to read as a kid and now live reading to my boy. This book is the reason I thought pink lines in the bath was caused by elephants.

[Tobi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rather sweet.

[Rachel Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre: Modern Fantasy
Grade Level: K-1

This is a cute story about a little girl trying to live life with elephants. She is having a lot of trouble, but still declares her love for them. I liked this book because it was a fun, quick, entertaining read. I would hope the message of loving your neighbors even when it's hard sticks with the children who are reading it. The illustrations are nice. The crazy plot of this book is sure to keep young readers engaged. It is overall a nice little story.

[Keri Rohr · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Trouble With Elephants is a modern fantasy book appropriate for grades K-2. I loved the ending of this book, however, I found the rest of the book kind of boring. There were also a few pages out of the book that confused me. I personally would not want this book in my classroom due to the confusion of some of the pages.

[Elly Schultz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grade:K-2 Genre: Modern Fantasy
First off I think that elephants are cool animals! Within the book I think that it is interesting how the little girl has a elephant as a pet. She seems to have trouble with the elephant in how big it is. Although, on the last page I thought that what the author had said was very true.

[Hannah Grosse · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like this book. It's not an over-the-top knock-your-socks-off kind of book, but it is enjoyable. I personally am fond of elephants, which is why this book stuck out to me. The little girl is cute, and this book is a good way to help small children remember how big elephants are. I also like the imagination put into the supposed life of an elephant. Adding that personification helped to keep the reader's interest, and it sparked imagination by inviting us to envision a big old elephant sliding down the banister toward the breakfast table. It's cute, it's fun, and it would be a great bedtime story for most young children or toddlers.

[Michelle Nash · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of the first books I purchased for my library when I was 18 years old and beginning my children's book collection. Bought soley because it was about Elephants, my favorite animal. The story is short, not a lot of words on the page to keep young children/babies interested. My one year old will sit through stories quite nicely, but wants to turn the pages and taste test all books we read, so this might go back on the shelf for a while longer.

[Tahya Bruce · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a well thought out children's book. The plot of it is very cute and connects very well with little kids. It shows just how big a child's imagination can be with their stuffed animals and how they treat their stuffed animals as if they were alive and present. I would recommend this book for either class room or nighttime read. The illustrations were great and this book would be perfect for kindergarten and even 1st grade.

[Jeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I especially liked the elephant picnic part and the games the elephants play.

[Hall · Rating 3 out of 5]

cute elephants.

[Cws]

JEPIC-Rid

[The Brothers · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute, whimsical tale about all the issues you run into when you hang out with elephants.

Really nice illustrations.

[Amanda_DJ n' Zac · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think we need to buy this one. How have we not seen it before.