エルンスト

Ernst #1

by Elisa Kleven

For use in schools and libraries only. Join Ernst, the inquisitive little crocodile, as he ponders "What if...?" and dreams up wonderful possibilities.

Genres: Picture Books, Fiction, Childrens

Tankobon Hardcover

First published September 21, 1989

About the author

Elisa Kleven is the author and/or illustrator of over 30 childrens picture books. Favorites with children and adults alike, Elisa's books have received awards and honors from the American Library Association, The New York Times , The Junior Library Guild, School Library Journal, and the American Institute of Graphic Arts. Her pictures from Abuela are part of a traveling show organized by the Minnesota Children's Museum, and her story The Paper Princess has been adapted for two theater productions, one in Ireland and the other in California. Elisa lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her family and pets. To learn more about Elisa and her books, please visit her web site: www.elisakleven.com

Reviews

[Lisa Vegan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recently read The Puddle Pail (the book/author link isn't working for me right now) and immediately saw that this book came first, that Ernst, a character in that book, was first introduced in this book, so I rushed to read this book too.

I don’t know if it’s because I read it first, but I think I liked the sequel better than this book.

The illustrations, which I think are done as collage, are intricate, beautiful, and very good. I bumped up the star rating by ½-1 because of the illustrations.

The story is sweet but there is nothing that special about it.

It’s about Ernst’s the crocodile’s birthday so it might make an appropriate birthday gift for young children.

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

An imaginative young crocodile who liked to ask questions, Ernst was constantly wondering "what if...?," and dreaming of a world in which reality looked a little different. What if sand were more like fudge? What if the school-bus could sing? What if grandmothers were young, rather than old? But when he wakes up on the morning of his birthday, having dreamed of a fantastic world where all those 'what-ifs' were given form, he discovers that he couldn't possibly think of a better world, than the one in which he is living...

The first of three picture-book adventures to feature Ernst the crocodile - the subsequent two being The Puddle Pail and A Carousel Tale (the latter of which was my introduction to the character, and to the author/artist's work) - this lovely little volume features the endearing characters and gorgeous artwork that I have come to expect from Elisa Kleven. I particularly enjoyed the dream sequence, in which Ernst journeys through the stars, to another world, as the background becomes a little darker, and the beauty of Kleven's collage artwork can really stand out. Recommended to all young dreamers and wishers, and to fans of Kleven's work.

[Crystal Marcos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elisa Kleven artwork in Ernst are brilliantly colorful cut-out paper collage. It is quite busy, but not to busy that it takes away from your experience of the book. I enjoyed the story of Ernst the imaginative lovable crocodile and his birthday. I really had to smile at his "What if" questions and could totally see my own daughter asking questions like Ernst someday. My almost 2 year old daughter and I read this one together introducing us to Ernst. We read a follow-up book by this author called The Puddle Pail and enjoyed that one as well. She really paid attention to these books and kept saying Ernst's name after reading it. We have read these two books three times already with no showing of tiring from either one of us.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous, fastidiously detailed illustrations of a magical world of what if. I adored reading this to my two boys and have passed it on to my niece.

[Cws]

JEPIC-Kle

[Alice]

Elisa Klevin is one of my favorite children's book authors and illustrators ever.

[Siskiyou-Suzy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very cute illustrations, especially the ones in space. They are gorgeous. The story itself is fairly sweet, but not perfect. But I do like the way Ernst asks so many questions.