This review originally published at The Children's Book and Media Review

Little Elliot is different from all of the other elephants. For one thing, he is white with pastel polka dots. For another, he’s only a few feet tall. He lives in a big city, but sometimes it’s hard living in such a big place when he is so small. Getting around can be difficult without getting stepped on, and he has to make adjustments at home to be able to reach things. Elliot loves cupcakes more than anything, but when he goes to buy one, he’s too small to be noticed. This makes Elliot sad, but he discovers that he can help someone even though he is small. Friendship makes him feel just as big as he needs to be.

Little Elliot is dedicated to, “anyone who feels unnoticed,” and its message about friendship and helping others is simple enough for even young readers to understand. The story and text are simple, leaving the illustrations to do a lot of talking for the story. Children and adults alike will be won over by how cute Little Elliot is in the muted pastel illustrations. For anyone who feels small and unnoticed, reading about Elliot can help them know that small doesn’t mean unimportant.