2024-10-31
In Goodrich’s picture book, a young elephant girl’s dragon friends help her deal with her emotions when she meets her newborn brother.
Ellie, a purple-hued elephant, has four pals, who were first introduced to readers inEllie and Her Emotional Dragons (2018). Each of the four dragons symbolizes one of Ellie’s emotions, popping out of her cupboard or backpack if she’s happy (yellow), sad (blue), scared (green), or angry (red). She’s happy at the thought of seeing her new baby sibling; sad at having been briefly separated from her mom; scared by the noise, bustle, and smell of the hospital; and angry when hospital routine keeps her waiting. In each instance, a dragon encourages her either to embrace happiness or to employ coping mechanisms. Goodrich tells a straightforward story, employing simple, non-rhyming language with repetitious elements that will quickly acclimate young readers to the narrative. The use of colors is astute throughout, both within dialogue (matched to dragons/feelings) and in riotous outpourings of emotion that sweep and swirl across images. Nimurad’s busy illustrations are vibrant against the white backdrops and make superb use of texture, and Ellie’s body language is expressive throughout.
A caring, colorful guide to feelings that parents can read with their children.