The Elephant and the Sea
-
- $8.99
Publisher Description
USA TODAY BESTSELLER! An inspiring, seafaring fable about a determined and brave elephant who reaches for his dreams, from New York Times bestselling author-illustrator Ed Vere.
"There is only one thing I want to do . . . So I will do it!"
Gabriel the elephant dreams of being part of the lifeboat crew in his seaside town, but he is too young, and too little. But soon, Gabriel grows up and he is too . . . BIG! Disappointed but undaunted, Gabriel makes a plan. He hammers and chops, saws and sands, and builds his very own boat.
One night, a great storm hits, and it's Gabriel's time to shine, pulling his oars alone against the crashing waves to save a crew in peril.
Young children will love rooting for underdog Gabriel and will draw inspiration from his determination to achieve his dreams despite hurdles and setbacks.
The Elephant and the Sea is a perfect gift for anyone setting out on a new path, encouraging them to face life’s obstacles with optimism.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
This affectionately swashbuckling work by Vere (The Artist) doesn't start out sounding like a heroic tale as Gabriel, an elderly elephant ("His knees crack. His back creaks") looks out over the harbor of a small fishing village, remembering. As a young elephant, Gabriel is smitten with the lifeboat and the animal crew that rows it. "Heave away, haul away, heave-HO!" they sing, and he longs to go with them. "Come back when you're older," they say. But when he's fully grown, he dwarfs their boat ("Heave-ho. Oh no"). Gabriel is determined: "There is only one thing I want to do.... So I will do it!" He collects driftwood, builds a lifeboat of his own, and when disaster strikes, he's ready. In Vere's spreads, Gabriel and other scratchy-lined animal characters have the look of friendly animation; by contrast, sea scenes drawn with charged ink lines pulse with energy against stormy gray backdrops. It's not a tale of injustice redressed: Gabriel is so gentle, and the lifeboat crew so grateful, that only joy lingers as the elephant finds a way to do what he loves, and comes away with marvelous stories to tell. Ages 3–7.
