Hiding Phil

PreS-K—A turquoise elephant rides into town on a Pachyderm Bus and is sitting on a bench when three siblings and their pup spot him and take him home with them. Phil turns out to be a patient, fun playmate. Worried about their parents' reaction to their new pal, the children try to hide him in a pile of leaves, but he is allergic ("AAAACHOO!"). They drape him in a sheet with the word "clubhouse" on it, but his feet and trunk stick out, and Mom and Dad aren't fooled. Phil has to go. The entire family takes him back to the bus stop, where the parents suddenly have a change of heart about saying good-bye to Phil. No explanation is given for why they change their minds. Large, cheerful illustrations with spare text in dialogue balloons make this a fun read. It is Phil's playful personality that makes the book so charming.—Janene Corbin, Rosebank Elementary School, Nashville, TN