Through the Elephant’s Door

De Blois writes about being an ally to a friend who’s different, with a crime-stopping plot twist thrown in as a bonus. The narrator brings his elephant pal Émile to the art museum, where earnest Émile’s big ears and huge rear end come in for constant harassment. A guard lectures in every gallery, but the ceramics room is the worst: “Him with the—with the—behind... that’s as big as a mountain!” The narrator’s stumped for a reply (“What could anybody say to such an insult?”), and Émile is reduced to tears. Moments later, the elephant’s quick action foils a theft in progress, much to the huffy guard’s chagrin. In Watson’s natural-sounding translation, the narrator shares his own frustration (“I clenched my fists”) and makes Émile’s point of view easy to understand (“Émile doesn’t like to talk about his ears”). Including an elephant protagonist keeps the proceedings funny rather than preachy, and saturated cartoonlike artwork by Cormier makes sweet comedy of Émile’s abashed looks. Not every friend will be able to stop a crime, but de Blois makes it clear that differences can be gifts. Ages 6–8. [em](Apr.) [/em]