Today Caramel reviews a sweet picture book published in 2023 titled Elbert in the Air, written by Monica Wesolowska and illustrated by Jerome Pumphrey. As always, Sprinkles is taking notes and asking questions.
The book bunnies received this book as a review copy.
Sprinkles: So Caramel, here we are, once again talking about a brand new picture book. What can you tell us about Elbert in the Air?
Caramel: This book is about Elbert, who is a kid who floats. Quite literally. I mean he can float in the air, and he could do so since the time he was a baby.
S: So like a balloon?
C: Kind of.
S: That is interesting. Can he control it?
C: Not really. He can only go up it seems like. He can’t go down. It is really sad actually. How would he get food? I mean, his mom gives him things, but she has to climb a tree and so on to reach him.
S: You are right Caramel. Floating like a balloon sounds fun at first, but I guess it can be lonely.
C: It could be cool if you could control it.
S: I agree Caramel. So do we know why Elbert floats?
C: Nope. He just does.
S: Okay, so what happens in the book?
C: He keeps flying and people are scared of him. They keep telling his mom how to control him and bring him down.
S: What does the mom do?
C: She does not do any of the things they tell her to. She says, “if Elbert was born to float, you should let him.”
S: I see. Do you think she is doing the right thing?
C: Yes.
S: She is not judging her child and trying to make him fit into other people’s expectations.
C: Yes, exactly. So I think she is doing the right thing.
S: But Elbert will be lonely if he is the only one floating.
C: Well, at some point he has regular friends while they can reach him, but then he flies up higher and regular folks cannot reach him. So for a while he is really lonely.
S: But at least he knows his mom is supporting him.
C: Yes.
S: Still it could be lonely…
C: Yes. I am sure it would be, but he does eventually find others who can float, and — wait, is that a spoiler?
S: Hmm, maybe.
C: Okay, I will say no more.
S: Alright, so let us look at the book in other ways. What did you think of the illustrations?
C: I thought they were good. There are a lot of pale blue, orange, brown, black, red, white, and so on.
S: Somewhat muted and calming colors mostly?
C: Yes. Except the red and the orange. But those are fun colors too.
S: So you liked the colors! What was your favorite part of the book?
C: Well, I cannot tell, because it is at the end, and I do not want to spoil things any more than I did already.
S: That’s fair. Okay Caramel, so if you were to summarize this book in three words, what would you say?
C: Colorful, floating, and happy.
S: I like those!
C: Actually, maybe I’d say adventurous, too.
S: Alright, then. I think those are good words to summarize the book. Let us wrap up our review then. What would you like to tell our readers Caramel?
C: Stay tuned for more book bunny reviews!
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