Mammoth and Me

PreS-K—Hall's blue mammoth is "as big as the biggest truck and hairier than a yak." Sleeping for thousands of years has made him hungry—and lonely for a friend. He finds a boy who wants to help, but because of Mammoth's size, problems occur whenever the child tries to feed or entertain him. He worries that his new friend will have to leave after Mammoth's upset stomach causes an accident "all over a car," but the townsfolks' perception of the huge animal changes when he rescues a group of children after their bus breaks down. The youngsters thank him with hugs and pats and the boy's father, who once insisted "that mammoth can't stay here," welcomes him back with a suitable home. The plot is predictable and lackluster, but Hall's endearing illustrations, rendered in watercolors, pencil, and graphite stick, of a wistful and engaging creature trying to find his place in a new community will appeal to children. Pair this story with Neal Layton's Hot Hot Hot (Candlewick, 2004) for a prehistoric-themed storytime.—Tanya Boudreau, Cold Lake Public Library, AB, Canada