Little Nelly's Big Book

Stories based on a misunderstanding draw the reader in by making them party to the secret. Children love the sense of one-upmanship the knowledge gives them over the book's inhabitants and adore the joke. The mistake here is that Little Nellie the elephant reads a description of a mouse (grey, big ears, thin tail) and because there are no pictures in the book to disabuse her of the fact, she assumes she must be one herself. What unfolds is a tender story of acceptance and caring as the mice take in the little elephant and later the zoo elephants return the favour. This book celebrates being different and relishes the difficulty a large creature has in adapting to a small way of life.

It is a clever device to have 'Book Learning' as conduit to a mistake, and the message that books need pictures is a nice thrust at the book industry in Britain which forces new readers to think picture books are baby stuff. The difference in scale between elephants and mice is a challenge. Andy Rowland makes it seem easy with his wonderful use of composition and quirky characterisations. A book to encourage discussion.