The Green Umbrella

PreS-Gr 1—A cast of animals interrupt pink Elephant's walk in the rain with his green umbrella. First Hedgehog insists that Elephant has his boat, in which he has sailed the seas. Hedgehog's boat looks suspiciously like Elephant's green umbrella turned upside down. Elephant assures Hedgehog that his umbrella is not a boat, and invites him to share it and stay dry from the rain. Next comes Cat, who is sure that the green umbrella is his tent, and on to Bear and Rabbit, who both mistake Elephant's green umbrella for their own. Each time, Elephant corrects the misconception and graciously offers his umbrella to keep the newcomer dry. Eventually, the rain stops, and the sun comes out. Elephant and his new friends decide to have a picnic. They use the green umbrella to shade themselves from the sun as they discuss their adventures. Whimsical and cartoonlike animals, depicted with a touch of vintage style, will delight readers as the story shows all the imaginative ways an umbrella can be used. The brightly colored acrylic illustrations complement the conversational text, which is suitable to read aloud to an audience. Unexpected textures in the trees and grass add interest and more whimsy.