DAN RICHARDS AUTHOR
Buy Now:
Ages 4-8; Grades PreK-3;
978-1-44245-215-2; $17.99
CAN ONE BALLOON MAKE
AN ELEPHANT FLY? picture book
JUST WHEN YOU'VE HEARD EVERYTHING,
Comes the craziest question of all. Can one balloon make an elephant fly? The answer seems simple enough. But is it?
Can One Balloon Make An Elephant Fly is the surprising story of a boy, his mother, a host of adorable zoo animals and the remarkable power of encouragement.
“Writing entirely in dialogue, Richards suggests that a quiet, everyday magic is all around, just waiting for us to notice. Ages 4–8."
- Publishers Weekly
Latest Press
“This is one of the first books to so accurately portray what parental cellphone use may look like to a child and how it can affect parent/child relationships.”
Kirkus Reviews, 2016
"Hold the phone for this one. (You knew that was coming, right?) Its hint of magic—floating elephants and flying gorillas—makes it a treat for readers. Best of all is the magic between mother and child, who are present for one another."
Julie Danielson, Kirkus Reviews, July 8, 2016
“Writing entirely in dialogue, Richards (The Problem with Not Being Scared of Monsters) suggests that a quiet, everyday magic is all around, just waiting for us to notice. Ages 4–8."
Publisher's Weekly, July 2016
"This book is a delight on so many levels. The illustrations are beautiful and seem almost to spring from the page. There are several pages without words, making this title a good tool for teaching sequencing and making predictions. This is an easy and fun read-aloud that serves to teach many lessons about paying attention and letting our imagination take us where it will. VERDICT A timeless book with a contemporary feel that will satisfy readers and listeners. A solid purchase for most libraries."
Shannan Hicks, J.S. Clark Elementary School, LA, 2016
"2016...Best Picture Books of the Year so Far"
"I gave this book to my child’s preschool teacher and the woman went crazy for it. She just thinks it’s the cleverest thing this side of the sun. She isn’t wrong. Plus you get the extra added bonus of seeing more Jeff Newman art. I love that guy."
Elizabeth Bird, School Library Journal, August 3rd, 2016
THE HORN BOOK
“The text, presented completely in dialogue, rests inside thickly outlined speech balloons, with Evan and his mother’s brief questions and remarks revealing the intimacy between them. Featuring charcoal and crayon grays on a white background, along with the protagonists’ brown skin and pops of primary colors, the visual narrative plays out in double-page spreads that include far-away perspectives of the setting as well as close-ups of mother and son; facial expressions reveal Mom’s initial distraction and Evan’s curiosity, as he is full of smiles and knowing glances directed at the zoo’s inhabitants.”
The Horn Book, September 2016