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Horn Book
Listeners will respond to the fun-to-say, easily remembered onomatopoeia, which, along with pictorial clues and some repetition, invite participation during repeat performances. Some physics concepts (e.g., action/reaction) are subtly introduced, and young children will get a kick out of intuitively understanding the dynamics of what's happening better than the characters. The ending is a triumph of ingenuity, with Elephant, who previously followed Mouse's lead, suggesting an idea of his own. Who needs a playground when your best friend has a trunk? "SLIDE! GLIDE! WHAT A RIDE!!!
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Children's Literature
Persistence and flexibility pay off in this sweet story about two very
different friends, an elephant and a mouse, searching for a way to play together... The lively, comic illustrations are a likely hit, especially with active
children, and the emphasis on active language describing sounds and motion provides
fodder for discussion and jokes. The story will have the ring of truth to
highly motivated friends who find a way to play together despite differences in
physique, style, or upbringing. It is an uplifting message... best read right
before playground time.
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Booklist
This jaunty picture book is distinguished by a clean, sans serif typeface, typically considered best for new readers, and rhyming onomatopoeia that lends
itself equally to boisterous read-alouds or silent, independent enjoyment... the
examples of playground physics offer teachers many opportunities to stress
basic concepts (big and little, heavy and light), and Dunrea's simple
ink-and-gouache paintings against unadorned, white backgrounds allow the slapstick
maneuvers and rowdy words to take center stage.
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School Library Journal
The text consists of simple dialogue interspersed with staccato rhymes that
describe each activity. From the swings ("PLOP! DROP! CRASH! WHOP!/The swings were a total flop") to the merry-go-round ("PUSH! WHOOSH! ZING! SMUSH!/Mouse landed on his tush!"), the action words are integrated into the
illustrations and given various fonts and colors to make them stand out... this
simple tale of friendship is a fine read-aloud.
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Kirkus Reviews
A simple but pleasing story of two animal friends... fun onomatopoeic words like slurp, whoosh and crunch featured in large bright-colored text... make it a potentially lively title for group read-aloud sessions.
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