A Mammoth in the Fridge

Noah discovers a mammoth in the fridge one day. His little sister Elsa is alarmed but his disengaged father takes some persuading that Noah isn’t just winding him up. When reality dawns, he sends for urgent help from the fire brigade. Trapped in the fridge and feeling scared, the mammoth escapes and climbs a tree. Glad that it is no longer his problem, Dad walks away. But Elsa knows where the mammoth lives and in the evening, with the help of some carrots, she lures him home.

This is an ingeniously subtle and completely improbable story about adults who give up too easily and one little girl whose cunning persistence wins out. Words are used sparingly so it requires careful reading of clues in the images to work out the multiple layers of the story. Facial expressions are key pointers; it requires a lot of reading back to understand why Elsa is so alarmed from the outset.

This is a book which will offer plenty to talk about, share and enjoy, and when the story is understood, there are several back stories to construct! Deceptively simple images and words combine perfectly to engage early readers and  stimulate imagination. I recommend it without reserve.