Elmore
A young porcupine in the forest feels lonely. He wants friends, but no matter how he tries, things are awkward and the other animals keep their distance. They’re nervous about his prickly quills. Elmore doesn’t know what to do about that- after all, he likes his quills- they keep him very safe. His uncle comes to visit and notices that Elmore seems glum- so they talk and the uncle kindly offers some advice. Elmore feels comforted, and reminded that yes, his quills are something special he should treasure. So he decides to share them, in a very clever way that also gives the other animals a means to connect with him. It was so cute, and such a sweet message too.
I do have to note how much the cover image reminds me of Stellaluna– another book about an animal who was trying to fit in and love herself.
36 pages, 2018
Elmore and Pinky
In this sequel, Elmore is quite glad that now he has lots of friends in the forest, but yet something is lacking- he wants a best friend. Someone to be close to. Once again his uncle offers counsel- that you can’t force it, you find a best friend just by being good friends with others and it will eventually come. Elmore talks with his friend Pinky the skunk, about his search for a best friend. Another day, he warns off a bear cub that is rambunctiously getting too close to him (and here’s a scene reminiscent of another classic picture book, Blueberries for Sal) but it’s not working until Pinky shows up and the situation suddenly straightens itself out. Elmore happily makes a blueberry pie and realizes he wants his friend Pinky to have the first taste- and does that mean something? Is Pinky the special friend he’s been looking for? Again, a very sweet story and I liked this one even better than the first. Nobody wants to be friends with a skunk, Pinky says. Well the porcupine does!
36 pages, 2020
