Elephant? What Elephant?
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room
“Being a preschool teacher and a mother of a child with special needs, I can not tell you how much this book hits home for so many families. A simple and relatable way to explain and learn that we really are all dealing with something.”
— JEN, PRESCHOOL TEACHER
“Amazing tool for therapists and parents! This book allows for therapists, parents, and any other caregiver to explore topics that are heavy on children’s minds and heart in a warm and calm manner allowing for children to identify and process their emotions regarding that ‘issue’ they see and feel but nobody talks about.”
— KARLA, CHILDREN'S THERAPIST
The Story
"He's been there as long as I can remember . . . the big, embarrassing elephant in our living room."
Maya and her family have a problem. They try ignoring it, dancing around it, even sweeping it under the rug. Yet the elephant in the room remains. And Maya is at her wit's end figuring out how to hide it from everyone. Then a new friend moves in next door, and Maya begins wondering if there might be a better way to deal with the whole situation? This clever story about friendship in the face of overwhelming problems is given hilarious life by Pierre Collet-Derby. A fun read-aloud for story time, bedtime, and anytime.
purchase from your favorite bookseller:
Download Your Free activity kit
Host a story time in your classroom, library, bookstore—or use these activities to discuss the book at home. Inside you’ll find: mini discussion guides, worksheets, a complete lesson plan for teachers and homeschoolers, a balloon elephant craft, instructions for folding your own paper hat, and a coloring page. Click here to download.
About the Creators
Angie Lucas used to edit magazines, compose ad copy, and ghostwrite articles for tech CEOs. Now she writes little stories about big childhood challenges. Through picture books about grief and loss, embarrassing family secrets, and getting lost in a grocery store, she hopes to spark essential conversations between kids and their caregivers. A lifelong language lover and unapologetic word nerd, Angie also loves yoga, freshly sharpened pencils, fresh mountain air, and volunteering in her faith community. The mother of one child through marriage, one through adoption, and one through birth, Angie lives with her precious patchwork family near Salt Lake City, Utah.
Pierre Collet-Derby is an author, illustrator, animator and character designer. When he's not working with the beloved characters of Sesame Street or making books for children, he loves playing jazz on his clarinet. He is the author of Barnaby Never Forgets, which received the 2019 Blue Spruce Award and he illustrated numerous other books. Pierre lives in Canada.
Book Details
Age Range: 4–104 years
Grade Level: 1–2
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Marble Press (September 19, 2023)
Illustrator: Pierre Collet-Derby
Editor: Michael Green