Elephant Island

Elephant is sailing along when he’s shipwrecked, right in the middle of the ocean. Luckily he finds an island that’s just big enough to stand on. When Mouse comes sailing by it looks as if Elephant will be rescued. But he turns out to be too big for Mouse’s boat. It collapses under his weight, reducing it to planks. Elephant collects the wreckage, which he uses to make the island big enough for both of them. Dog’s dinghy and Crocodile’s fishing boat suffer the same fate. Word starts to get round about Elephant’s island: it keeps on growing, and the animals on it have more and more fun. Until a storm blows the entire island and its motley crew of castaways away.

In this jolly book, Leo Timmers swaps his beloved wheeled vehicles for boats. Though it starts on a dark note, with Elephant frightened and utterly alone in the giant ocean, light soon returns when he gets company. Elephant, smashing boat after boat in his unquenchable enthusiasm, is an enchanting character. What’s more, he demonstrates the power of creativity. ‘Elephant’s Island’ is captivating proof of Timmers’ skill as an illustrator and storyteller.