Strictly No Elephants

K-Gr 2—It's Pet Club Day, and the sign on the door at #17 clearly states, "Strictly NO Elephants." Current members treasure their birds, fish, cats, and dogs, but a young boy taking a walk with his tiny elephant, sharing an umbrella in a cool fall rain, sees no welcome for his friend, so he simply gives his usual support. "That's what friends do—lift each other over the cracks…brave the scary things for you." The boy and his elephant meet a girl with a skunk, who were also excluded from the Pet Club meeting, and decide to start a club of their own, one in which all are welcome. Friends "never leave anyone behind." Illustrations emphasize the warmth of this message with Photoshop, block prints, and pencil in color spreads alternated with smaller vignettes highlighting the expressions of the children and their pets.