Title: Have You Seen Elephant?
Author/Illustrator: David Barrow
Age Group: 2-6
Synopsis: Elephant and the little boy engage in a surprisingly difficult game of hide-and-seek.
The Low Down:
Anyone who’s played hide-and-seek with a toddler will instantly relate to the cover of Have You Seen Elephant?. Bug’s gotten better but when he was little (it seems silly to say that when he’s only a couple years old) he used to try and hide behind his spoon at dinner time. The best part of that has to be the little giggle toddlers and babies issue when the inevitable, “Where could you be?” is asked. I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book but it’s sweet and charming all the way through and definitely worth a closer look.
As can probably be deduced from the title Elephant approaches the boy and asks if he’d like to play hide-and-seek. Elephant warns that he’s very good but the boy agrees anyway. Surprisingly, Elephant is pretty good. Watching him finding hiding spots throughout the book is not only intriguing but funny and adorable. As the boy seeks, it’s evident that Elephant really is good as no one else, including the boy’s parents, can find him either. Bug giggled the entire time and then proudly pointed out Elephant. He seemed pleased to be on the other side of the joke this time. However, he still didn’t understand why the end of the story was funny, as a turtle asks to play tag.
Barrow illustrates the entire story with wonderfully soft watercolors that avoid being washed out and instead seem to shimmer with vibrancy. Each page is rich with depth and detail and sure to make you or your little one chuckle as you see the new ways Elephant mischievously hides himself. I also enjoyed being able to tell more about the boy’s family from pictures and to see the turtle who appears at the end of the story hidden in a few pages before hand. It’s an incredible book and would be a fabulous edition to anyone’s library.
Story Tips:
- Playing hide-and-seek after reading this is mandatory.
I need more!
If you are looking for more current info on David Barrow then you will need a microscope and patience. His website doesn’t look like it’s been updated in a few years. I ended up on his publisher’s website and found only that this is his only book currently out. I’ll post more here if I find out anything else.
Add to my library: Have You Seen Elephant?
