Little Elliot, Big City (Little Elliot Series #1)

by Mike Curato, Mike Curato (Illustrator)

Overview

Whether it's meeting that special friend, or finally getting that long-awaited cupcake, it's the little things that count in this sweet story of a little polka-dotted elephant, Mike Curato's Little Elliot, Big City.

Amid the hustle and bustle of the big city, the big crowds and bigger buildings, Little Elliot leads a quiet life. In spite of the challenges he faces, Elliot finds many wonderful things to enjoy—like cupcakes! And when his problems seem insurmountable, Elliot discovers something even sweeter—a friend.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781466887886
Publisher:	Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Publication date:	12/09/2014
Series:	Little Elliot Series , #1
Sold by:	Macmillan
Format:	eBook
Pages:	40
File size:	39 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Mike Curato has the fortune of possessing a designer's brain, an illustrator's heart, and an artist's vision. You can find him on any given day walking around the city eating a cupcake (or thinking about it).

Editorial Reviews

…warmly illustrated…The author-illustrator Mike Curato, making his picture book debut, beautifully renders the images in rich earth tones that are soft and smooth, calling to mind The Sweetest Fig, by Chris Van Allsburg…

The New York Times Book Review - Mark Rotella

★ 06/16/2014
First in a series, Curato’s debut introduces a tiny polka-dotted elephant who lives in a Hopperesque 1940s Manhattan. Elliot is so small that he cowers on the subway platform so as not to be stepped on, and while he’s literally the elephant in the room (or on the sidewalk), his fellow seen-it-all New Yorkers give him nary a notice wherever he goes. Despite the annoyances and hazards of the city, Elliot soldiers on like so many others in the Big Apple, savoring “small treasures.” His life opens up unexpectedly and dramatically when he meets a white mouse, “someone even littler than himself.” Together, they make a great team, especially when it comes to facilitating the purchase of Elliot’s favorite treasure, cupcakes. Curato’s writing is a tad literal and makes Elliot seem a bit more pathetic than his images convey. But he’s a terrific emerging talent, with gorgeously rendered images that bring to mind the moodiness of Chris Van Allsburg and the sweetness of William Joyce. Ages 4–8. Agent: Brenda Bowen, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

Little Elliot, with his upswept trunk and his angel-wing ears, is a cuddly-looking elephant with pastel polka dots all over his body, all the more amusingly incongruous living in a 1930s-esque version of New York City . . . Children will relate to Elliot's experiences.” —The Horn Book

“*Curato, a debut author and illustrator, tucks several gentle messages into one simple story that's perfect for the age group. It is, however, his almost cinematic artwork that's the real showstopper.” —Booklist, STARRED REVIEW

“A tiny, spotted elephant tackles the challenges of city life . . . The simple story is told in 17 short sentences that allow Curato's magnificent 1940s-style illustrations to carry the tale.” —School Library Journal

“STARRED REVIEW He's a terrific emerging talent, with gorgeously rendered images that bring to mind the moodiness of Chris Van Allsburg and the sweetness of William Joyce.” —Publisher's Weekly

From the Publisher

01/01/2017
Toddler-PreS—This story about a quiet elephant in a busy city transitions to a board book format flawlessly. The gentle pencil drawings and muted palette make this an appealing choice for one-on-one reading. Older toddlers will enjoy having this story in a format they can browse independently.

School Library Journal

2014-06-29
The big city is clearly New York, but it's a grayed and sepia city sometime in the late 1940s, judging from the cars and clothing.Elliot is a small, polka-dot elephant who loves his city even though it is hard for him to catch a cab or even open a door. (And he does the dishes by sitting in the sink with them.) He's too little to be seen when he tries to buy his favorite treat, a cupcake, and that makes him sad. But he sees a tiny, very hungry mouse trying desperately to scale a trash bin for scraps. He manages to help get Mouse something to eat, and lo! He feels "like the tallest elephant in the world!" With Mouse's help, the next day he gets that cupcake. The last image peers through Elliot's window to find him and Mouse sharing it. The Flatiron Building, brownstone steps and the Empire State Building are clearly recognizable, giving the story Big Apple authenticity. The art has its own meticulous beauty, but the story is more saccharine than sweet—rather like too much frosting on a cupcake. The endpapers are a lush repetitive pattern of variegated cupcakes, with cameos by Elliot and Mouse.This feels far more like a parable for adults than a picture book for children, who may also miss the elegance of the New York City images in their dark, soft palette. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews