PreS-Gr 2-Barkow's rhyming story strides into fantasy when a boy who is having trouble falling asleep is "whisked...to Elephant Land" by a blue elephant who changes trousers with every adventure. They visit a pear orchard, paint a picture, dance on a ship with fireworks overhead, fly in a red plane, etc. "Out in the yard, we skipped in the sun,/wearing fluffy pink pants/and having great fun." Elephant's attire, from brown velvet to sunflower patterns, makes for a surprise on each page. Johnson's cartoon illustrations keep events jolly, with rich colors and variety in composition. The ending, with the boy back in his bed dreaming while Elephant watches through the window, the sun at his back, may confuse youngsters, who will nevertheless be charmed by the upbeat chronicle.-Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

In loose rhyme that occasionally stretches thin, a boy dreams of adventures with a playful pachyderm who has a penchant for pants that coordinate with his surroundings. For example, the elephant dons star-covered pants for stargazing. Cleverly embedded in Johnson's whimsical illustrations are clues to the activity on the following page, but text inserted into the art on one spread is badly printed. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.